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Look what followed me home! Can I keep it?

70.161.216.205
Posted on October 6, 2009 at 17:02:07
ESDI-80
Audiophile

Posts: 358
Location: East Coast
Joined: January 1, 2008



Was helping a neighbor of a good friend with a computer problem and when he learned I collect and repair audio equipment he let me fill my car to the roof with old 80s speakers and video stuff.

These are GE Honeycomb speakers. The woofers are flat disc shaped. They need new surrounds, but otherwise look to be in good shape. The receiver on top works and just needs a good cleaning of the controls. The two large boxes have large GE floor speakers that need new surrounds as well. I decided to keep them in the boxes until I get a chance to repair and evaluate them.

Comments welcome as I never knew GE made audio stuff.

Mike

Back in the Day, posted on October 7, 2009 at 11:46:49
briggs
Audiophile

Posts: 428
Location: Connecticut
Joined: April 16, 2002
 In the 1950s GE was actually a leader in home "high fidelity". They offered amplifiers, a 12 inch coax speaxer with a slotted metal front plate that was popular, if not very good sounding, and a monaural magnetic cartridge, the variable reluctance cartridge, that was pretty much standard to most middle-quality gear. It was featured in Garrard changers in monaural Pilot and Fisher consoles.

They also offered a little stand-alone basic mono preamp that could be used to convert older consoles to the new 3 speed changers with GE magnetic cartridges. These were popular and really pretty good preamps.

Apparently the stereo version of the GE cartridge did not work out too well and they disappeared from the market along with the other component gear.

They also offered various consoles and record players but the components were a separate line often sold by component hi fi dealers. I believe they were actual GE products, not oem.

RE: Look what followed me home! Can I keep it?, posted on October 7, 2009 at 09:28:44
airtime
Audiophile

Posts: 4422
Location: New Jersey
Joined: February 4, 2003
 What material is the cone? Because some of those designs are resurfacing.

Re: Technics, posted on October 7, 2009 at 07:21:33
soundnut
Audiophile

Posts: 3108
Location: Iowa
Joined: May 7, 2004

Take a look at this Technics SA-310 & then check out your GE receiver. Other than the color scheme & the substitution of a tuning scale for VU meters on the Technics, it's almost a dead-ringer. What you've got there is Technics gear with the GE badge on it. Very cool!

And those speakers are definitely Technics honeycomb speakers, which got some pretty favorable reviews back in the day.

Never knew GE had any decent audio gear on the market. Neat find.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

RE: Re: Technics, posted on October 7, 2009 at 10:52:44
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 5944
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 I think the speakers are Technincs too.

Dave

RE: Re: Technics, posted on October 7, 2009 at 08:12:29
Godzilla.
Dealer

Posts: 1664
Joined: July 1, 2002
 Neat speakers! I remember those from many years ago at Stereo Warehouse. They sounded really good as i recall.

Godzilla

RE: Look what followed me home! Can I keep it?, posted on October 7, 2009 at 04:41:58
Chef Henry
Audiophile

Posts: 166
Joined: July 27, 2001
 You would do well to do so. I don't know what if any differences may exist between the GE-branded version and that of the o.e.m., Technics. From the front view, however, your midranges are identical to a pair I acquired many years ago from Dave Simonetti of Sim-O-Rama Sound in Totowa, New Jersey.

Dave's a second-generation tech and sound contractor who grew up surrounded by virtually every balls-to-the-wall Altec speaker system ever made, all of which he still owns. Your systems, at least in their Technics-branded form (with, if I remember correctly, 12” woofers of the same construction along with commensurately larger cabinets), are his all-time favorites for music listening (as opposed to sound reinforcement). They did not remain in production very long – allegedly because their honeycomb construction made them too expensive to manufacture.


RE: Look what followed me home! Can I keep it?, posted on October 6, 2009 at 20:07:01
mancavemike
Audiophile

Posts: 33
Location: British Columbia
Joined: September 22, 2009
 SB-X700A's are my mains at the moment and I love them. Mid's look different than those in the GE though.

RE: Look what followed me home! Can I keep it?, posted on October 7, 2009 at 10:58:30
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 5944
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 They look quite similar!

Dave

RE: Look what followed me home! Can I keep it?, posted on October 7, 2009 at 15:20:10
mancavemike
Audiophile

Posts: 33
Location: British Columbia
Joined: September 22, 2009
 Yup....found the link below for the sb-x700a version...I seem to remember a reference on this or another forum to the effect that you'd have to pry them from his or her cold, dead hands :-) I feel much the same way! Very accurate sounding and low fatigue for extended listening. I gather they fly under the radar somewhat.

http://www.nrpavs.co.nz/archive/Sold_htm/TechnicsSBX700A.htm

RE: Look what followed me home! Can I keep it?, posted on October 7, 2009 at 15:25:57
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 5944
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Looks like another product that is under the audiphile radar. I will have to keep an eye out for a pair. That is an impressive frequency response graph. Can you imagine the development cost that went into those drivers?

I have always found Technics tuners to have very good real-world performance too.

Dave

RE: Look what followed me home! Can I keep it?, posted on October 7, 2009 at 16:04:36
mancavemike
Audiophile

Posts: 33
Location: British Columbia
Joined: September 22, 2009
 Interestingly, I only have only one other vintage technics unit that I picked up quite recently and although it's probably a botl model receiver, it has a quality build and sound that appeals to me.

I found the x700A's about a year ago at a thrift and bought them purely based on the intriguing cosmetics and build of the drivers. When I got home and hooked them up they put a huge grin on my face. Don't know if it's entirely the speakers or the synergy between the other components and the room etc. but I haven't found a reason to change them out since!

RE: Look what followed me home! Can I keep it?, posted on October 8, 2009 at 14:39:12
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 5944
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 As I recall the x700A's were very easy to drive.

Dave

RE: Look what followed me home! Can I keep it?, posted on October 8, 2009 at 22:15:46
mancavemike
Audiophile

Posts: 33
Location: British Columbia
Joined: September 22, 2009
 Well, it doesn't take much to make them sing....although the Onkyo has power to spare as well.

It's funny though...when I'm in my chair they can seem quite loud ( in a comfortable way ) without causing the rest of the household to complain. They also disappear more than any other speakers I've used.

interesting, just like the Technics honeycomb speakers(?!), posted on October 6, 2009 at 17:14:11
mhardy6647
Audiophile

Posts: 7834
Location: New England
Joined: October 12, 1999
 Maybe Technics OEM... come to think of it, there was a thread at AK of a Technics integrated amp that was branded GE, so maybe this isn't such a big surprise.

BTW, I did get your last e-mail; sorry I haven't responded :-P

One of the Technics honeycomb speakers:
http://www.vintagetechnics.info/loudspeakers/sb6.htm

all the best,
mrh
RE: interesting, just like the Technics honeycomb speakers(?!), posted on October 6, 2009 at 17:38:21
ESDI-80
Audiophile

Posts: 358
Location: East Coast
Joined: January 1, 2008
 I am pretty sure your right on about these being Technics OEM. When I had the cover off the receiver, there was a chip with a Technics label. The receiver sounded pretty decent when I tried it out. They guy that gave them to me worked at GE and said the audio stuff was out sourced.

I have set Technics speakers in my living room. Probably not high end, but they do sound nice and can play LOUD!

Glad you got my E-Mail. Did you like my progress so far?

Take care!,

Mike

RE: interesting, just like the Technics honeycomb speakers(?!), posted on October 6, 2009 at 17:51:53
henrybasstardo
Audiophile

Posts: 1044
Joined: June 25, 2003
 What speakers do you have?

I am running 7000a's. I recently moved them and realized they were 10X's better than they were in the previous set up. Nice speakers

RE: interesting, just like the Technics honeycomb speakers(?!), posted on October 6, 2009 at 18:04:54
ESDI-80
Audiophile

Posts: 358
Location: East Coast
Joined: January 1, 2008
 I am running SB-2665s. They are 93DB per watt and my 30 watt per channel Scott LK-60B has no problems driving them. I originally had my Mom's Optimus 5s in the living room, but they cabs need to be resealed so I swapped them with the Technics.

The speakers that blew me away were a set of DIY'ers that I built using the woofers out of a Kenwood All-In-One shelf system. I built the cabs based on the original Kenwood cabs, using 3/4" MDF. The 1" soft dome mid - tweeter came from THX certified in wall HT speakers a friend gave me. The Kenwood woofers are 6 3/4"

I have two systems in the living room, one for HT and one for Music. Let me tell you, those DIY speakers can pound out some serious bass! I didn't even bother connecting the SUB becuase it would be over kill for this set up. I am using a Sony ES Pro-Logic receiver I picked up at the local thrift.

Mike

RE: interesting, just like the Technics honeycomb speakers(?!), posted on October 17, 2009 at 08:28:05
cornerklipsch
Audiophile

Posts: 314
Location: ontario
Joined: January 11, 2004
 I worked at a production facillity here in Ottawa where the master control room has SB-7 speakers sunk right into the control room wall.
powered by Bryston 2B , it was exceptionally clean and neutral
I beleive they had SB-700 speakers in the small contol rooms and studios

I miss Technics, way underated and hardly noticed by many but good

ROb,

RE: interesting, just like the Technics honeycomb speakers(?!), posted on November 7, 2009 at 01:03:36
grooviefan
Audiophile

Posts: 22
Location: S.Cal
Joined: March 28, 2009
 GTE had a line refered to as sylvania's . sold in so cal by jonas miller. some pretty good stuff. don't think it's the same unit pictured here thou..... were talking back in the day.. mid to late 70's

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