Can somone tell me what these are?

levlhed · « **on:** 9 Jan 2006, 01:04 am »

My brother-in-law just brought over these monter speakers. He didn't want them anymore and I couldn't stand to see him throw them out!
My understanding is he bought these from a guy (in the 80's?) who'd built them from a kit. Some of the driver surrounds have rotted and I'm trying to figure out what to do with them.
So, I've been looking around online to try and figure out just what these are and what the specs are/etc...so I can begin to figure out what sort of drivers I should be putting in them.
thank you!

ekovalsky · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 01:09 am »

I would guess those are the SuperTower II/R. Almost bought a kit of these back in 1987 when I was heading off to college.

levlhed · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 01:20 am »

thanks for the info
Do you know where I can get more info on them?
I'm googling now and will probably eventually find what I need..but if some one could confirm thats what these are and send me where to get more info..I'd appreciate it!

ekovalsky · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 01:22 am »

I'm sure Brian can give you more information when he returns from CES. I doubt identical replacement drivers are available, but there may be alternatives you can use -- maybe contact Madisound. Or you can send the woofers off for repair.

warnerwh · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 01:24 am »

Well you certainly got a good deal on those. You shouldn't have to replace the drivers. I'd just put new surrounds on them. Odds are good the speakers are ok and surrounds are easy to put on. You can get kits off the net or ebay. Also you may be able to send the drivers to Vmps to have them refoamed. It's worth getting them fixed. If you have the room they'd make great home theater speakers. You don't need a subwoofer with those either.

In the slot in the bottom is a passive radiator. You should check the surround on that driver too. Those speakers will also make killer rock n roll speakers. Don't throw them away as you could sell them. What part of the country are you in?

Brian is at CES and will be back Tuesday. You can call or email him. I'm sure at least the woofers are proprietary and the best thing to do is the refoam.

levlhed · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 01:37 am »

I'm in Wisconsin about an hour North of Milwaukee.
don't worry..wouldn't even think of throwing them out! I'm actually a mobile DJ and am very fond of bass;)
I also think you're right, may just need to replace the surrounds. The one speaker I opened up is the worst, the 15" 12" and both 5" are shot...not sure if the 15 is blown, the surround is completely off and it makes contact inside when I press the cone in...but it could just be that things are a bit crooked due to the missing surround.
the other speaker just looks like the 5" surrounds are junk.
The passive radiators seem ok, as much as I can tell by feeling around down there.

What else can you tell me about these speakers?
What would they have cost back in the day? what are they actually worth now once back in working order?
I don't think I'll sell them any time soon..but its good to know these things right?

flintstone · « **Reply #6 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 01:37 am »

Looks like an old pair of Supertower/R's (I have a 9 year old pair)...however, the ribbon is not stock and someone has added it at a latter date.

I upgraded the 15" actives in mine last year. The lower section of these are pretty much the large VMPS subs...15"/12" actives and 15" passive.

Dave

levlhed · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 02:14 am »

I'm intersted in at least the ballpark specs for these..RMS/MAX, freq. response..
and how the bi-amp part works...assuming thats stock.
two speaker inputs. the top one has a 2-way switch and a fuse, bottom has a pot. are there seperate wattage ratings for these? whats the switch do?

flintstone · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 02:41 am »

They look a lot like mine except much older. I'll take a guess going by mine...-3db@17hz bass section. Switch goes down...single amp, up...bi-amp.

Switch down and lower speaker inputs for full range operation. Rated at 91db sensitivity, My pair has the pots located in the rear. When I upgraded the 15's in mine last year they were a drop in...don't know about yours though?

Hope this helps a little

Dave

levlhed · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 02:57 am »

yes that helps a bit...though I just sussed out the bi-amp/switch part on my own before sitting back down here to look for replys:)
thanks.
I'll probably try to replace the surrounds first and hope it does the trick.
I like to order from partsexpress.com because they are nice and close..never had a problem with them in the past...their surround-kits seem reasonable.
can I get away with using their "general purpose surround kits"? or would that be a hi-fi travesty..any suggestions on repair kits?

I'll probably wait to hear from this Brian cat before doing anything too.

levlhed · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 10:32 pm »

flintstone, what speakers did you use to upgrade? worst-case I think is I'll have to put new 15"s in them. that one is rather sketchy...but the rest just need new foam.

what kind of wattage ratings do these have? the whole speakers I mean not just the 15's
and what did they cost back when they were new?

I'm almost obsessed over finding out everything there is to know about these things. is it tuesday yet?

dubravko · « **Reply #11 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 11:31 pm »

Hi levlhed, you can download 1989 review for Supertower/R at
http://www.vmpsaudio.com/str.zip.

flintstone · « **Reply #12 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 11:35 pm »

I ordered mine new in 1996...around $2,000 if I recall. Yours, if they are Supertower/R's look a good bit older. I bought mine at Todays Audio here in Michigan.

The 15" upgrade I did last year were the VMPS 15's...they dropped right in with no cutting at all, a bit of luck I guess as Brian had told me he thought I would need to inlarge the cutout a bit for the newer 15's.

Power: I've used 90 watt Onkyo receiver with good results, Onkyo 165 watt M-504 with better results, Krell Kav-500 better yet...and Krell Ksa-250 a few times...more than enough power.

Mine are rated at 4 ohm and 91db efficient...the old Onkyo M-504 has plenty of power for them and that is what drives them fullrange as front L+R speakers in my homtheater.

I use the older VMPS QSO-626's as center and rears with one older VMPS tallboy sub in the rear of the room...great hometheater setup IMO.

Dave

levlhed · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Jan 2006, 01:41 pm »

awesome, thanks guys.

Will Brian likely check this forum this week?

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 Jan 2006, 05:23 pm »

These are Super Tower/R's from the early 90's. You can refoam or get modern updates. They should sound very good when fixed.

Russell Dawkins · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 Jan 2006, 06:08 pm »

check out this thread for surround and re cone service:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=24589.msg218291#218291

levlhed · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Jan 2006, 06:21 pm »

thanks.
My budget dictates that I attempt to re-foam myself.
Are the kits from Parts Express sufficient?
Are there any particular surround-foam kits you can recommend (and why)?
Any tips/tricks I might like to know about?

I'm very glad I found this forum. You've been a big help.

J · « **Reply #17 on:** 12 Jan 2006, 10:50 pm »

levlhed,

Let me know if you decide to sell them., may be interested. I'm 25 miles west of milwaukee.

levlhed · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 Jan 2006, 04:47 pm »

That review said these things cost $2,000 back when they were new.
Can someone who knows current market give me an estimate of what these would be worth in proper working condition (after I replace the surrounds) today?
Cosmetically they are pretty good, just normal kind of wear..nothing glaring, no big scrapes/dents/gouges...mostly scuffed edges.
And I realize its hard to say for sure without actually seeing them yourself. I'm only interested in knowing a ballpark at this point.

I don't intend to sell them, but since I intend to use them as studio monitors in my (small!) a/v project studio, if could get rid of them and get nice proper active near-field studio monitors instead, I'd have to consider the offer.
Thank you!

James Romeyn · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Jan 2006, 05:14 pm »

Their value is undetermined till money changes hands. IMO it's really kind of a naive question. You haven't even apparently heard them working properly, so you don't even know what they sound like.

You gotta find someone who has a desire to own such large boxy speakers. They are out there, but not as many as who want in walls or wall mounts, one speaker producing surround.

The person, IMO, who may want them, has a big basement or family room & gets to play music with the wifey out of the house...The air those things move at 20 Hz will shock you. They moved me & my couch around, & I am 6-3 & not a lightweight.

I worked at the Plant when those were produced. I may have assembled the parts for your speakers. The kits have lower value. Kits did NOT cost $2k new. New factory assembled were $1938 pair full MSRP, kits about $1298 pr. So don't get ahead of yourself, & be realistic.

I'd estimate value between $500-$750pr absolute tops, but then again, I'm not a prospective buyer. And that's only if they were in perfect working order, which yours aren't apparently.

If you don't get them in proper OEM condition, they probably will sound awful & you'll never sell them, unless you find a kid who freaks out over the bass, but you gotta get them working properly.