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In Reply to: RE: In the market for a vintage pair of Bozak Concert Grands? posted by Mr. Dick Hertz on July 06, 2016 at 09:13:11
These are not Concert Grands-- they are Symphonies. I am very familiar with them, having lived with them -- along with KLH Nines-- for a few years while working for a high end dealer.
I first heard Bozak Symphonies at the 1961 NYC Audio Show, in the McIntosh room. They were behind a sheer curtain, and could be seen well enough to recognize that they were something different from Bozak. I recall saying to McIntosh's Dirk Roos, "Rudy has a new speaker". "Yes, he certainly does."
They were and probably still are marvelous loudspeakers, but the woman who was to become my wife (now of 50 years) did not like the looks or size of them, so I stuck with my B300s. I remember demonstrating them with Bruno Walter's reading of Mozart's overture to The Marriage of Figaro, and how clearly the eight tweeter column reproduced the flute harmonics.
This is the first time in more than 34 years living in Connecticut that I regret not being in California. If you are near them -- go get 'em!~
Follow Ups:
Thanks for posting that very interesting story. Much to my dismay, I have never actually heard any of Rudy's speaker designs, but I have read with great interest about his innovative driver and speaker designs.
Dave
Here's some more. I enjoy sharing this stuff.
The Symphonies had two woofers, while the CGs had four. The symphonies had one eight inch metal cone midrange. My recollection was that the CGs had two six inch units. Both had eight metal cone tweeters -- the Symphonies in a vertical column, the CGs in a cluster.
It has been more than 50 years, so my recollections of the crossover networks are a bit hazy. I will venture that the CG crossover points were the Bozak standard 800 and 2500 Hz (cps in those days). I believe the Symphonies crossed at 400 and 1500, and both networks were half section.
I thought that the Symphonies were the best sounding speakers Rudy Bozak made. Despite that, we never sold many of them. Most of our customers for big Bozaks preferred the lower, longer 305s, which were offered in cabinet styles that had much better WAF. Bozak's cabinetry was excellent in style, materials, finish and build quality. A pair of 305s centered on a matching equipment cabinet was a pretty and impressive sight -- and, with McIntosh electronics of course, a profitable sale!
McIntosh in those days demoed with Bozak speakers and Weathers turntables. They featured two recordings of classical orchestral music, both RCA "shaded dogs" that were actually recorded in Europe by, I'm pretty certain, the Decca team. The titles were "Venice" and "Ballet Music from the Opera". Hearing Rossini's overture to Semiramide brings fond memories of great gear and some great people in the audio business.
'The symphonies had one eight inch metal cone midrange'...
The early ones did. The later ones used the 6" mid.
'the Symphonies in a vertical column, the CGs in a cluster'...
They both came with either the hemispherical cluster or the vertical column, depending on the cabinet design.
The crossover points for the earlier Symphony with the 8" mid was 200 and 1500. The ones with the 6" mid was 400 and 2500, the same as the CG.
As far as the tweeters, the first ones were paper cone, then they went to aluminum, and the last ones were ceramic. The ceramic ones were very problematic as I understand.
I sold Bozak (with Mc) at Audiotronics in Norwalk, CT, which was formerly known as Arrow Audio. I started there in '82, so it was near the tail end of the era of BIG Bozaks.We were just minutes from the factory, which I visited a few times.
I met Mrs. B. on several occasions, but Rudy passed the year I started.
Big Bozaks and Mc go together like peanut butter and jelly.
Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
Edits: 07/07/16
I worked for the legendary Dave Lebous at Audio Service Company in Binghamton in the early 1960s. We were McIntosh's sole hometown dealer. I started it as a summer job before graduate school and returned twice because I enjoyed working there so much. Dave was a prince.
When I was single and had no responsibilities it worked well for me. When I married I went to IBM, which was a great place to be at that time.
Robert W. Betts has a very informative site on Bozak. (See link.) There is some discussion on the crossover theory.
I have lots of Shaded Dogs, MLP's, 6-eyed, and London/Decca LPs. I think I would have liked the music you demoed them with.
Dave
Of course they're Symphonies, not Concert Grands. Brain fart. I'd like to hear them but I've no place to put them that would have acceptable WAF. Besides, the Moorish look ain't my style.
There is no beer in food, but there is food in beer.
I worked for a Bozak dealer in the Seventies and I thought the Symphonies sounded better than the CGs. And I liked the Moorish cabs, even if they did remind me of a church or a funeral home.
BTW, the owners of the store each had TOTL speakers from two manufacturers: The E-V Patrician and the Bozak Concert Grands.
Both run with McIntosh.
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