Arlingtonian

Thanks. I have received a few such requests now. It is wonderful to know that they have such collector appeal. My own desire to hold on to them is based on their more universal sonic appeal, their good condition, and handsome looks (though other more common veneers would have done just as well). Besides (now, I feel silly admitting this), I think I would feel too guilty selling them. The fellow who sold them to me did not know that they were special-- other than to him. And he did love them, but there was no room for them in his new, small condo. I only knew that they were in quite nice shape, and sounded good. I had to agree to purchase his receiver and cd player as well (he was selling it all as a package), and practically promise never to split them up. It was a bit like an adoption. Still, I thought it was a fair deal. The cd player is nothing remarkable, but the receiver is actually quite nice. It's a Tandberg TR 2080, something that I lusted after back when I was in college. I figured that I was getting a $150 receiver, $350 speakers, and a big clunky old cd-player. I'm happy. He's happy. It all worked out very nicely. But I would feel the villain if I flipped the speakers. Silly, I know. I've got the Tandberg driving a massive pair of Rectilinear III's, which are wonderful sounding speakers, but great greedy power hogs. 80 ss watts is barely adequate for them. He told me that a couple of fellows had been pushing him to sell just the speakers, but that he didn't like their attitude. He wanted them to go to someone with passion. After all of that, how can I do anything other than keep them, enjoy them, and try to be a good steward for some future kook? -Chris

Cool, thanks. Do fanatical Heresy owners call themselves "Heretics" (with a capital 'H')?[] -Chris

Hi Bill, These are, for sure, my first Heresys (I'm guessing that we don't say "Heresies" unless we are talking highly controversial opinions, rather than speakers). I've known of them for years, though, and have seen both the angled and level risers. Given the layout of the room, the tilt seems the way to go. I'm tempted to try to build the risers myself, but I've seem them pop up on auction and audiophile sites often enough, that I'm comfortable waiting for a pair to appear. I have read of those who modify the crossovers to optimize the sound for traditional (+/- 28" high) stands. That holds no interest for me, though. I'm quite content running them low to the ground, and think they look a bit...off when balancing atop a stand. Flat on the floor, they sound pretty good. Certainly much better than any of the several other vintage speakers I have tried out on the Fisher. Regards, Chris

Once again, thanks everyone for the kind assistance. I took some additional photos. I don't want to post a modem burner here, so I've put them on my site. I've no plans to delete them any time soon, however if you are the sort who archives pics, it's probably best to download them. I've got them up on some old stands, just to check the sound. I guess I could commission rosewood risers, but that sounds pricey. I think I'd be fine with a black stain on a dense hardwood. In my house, the WAF is based not on aesthetics, but on cost. All of the not-such-a-bargain gear is downstairs in my office-- to keep it from being a constant reminder to her of my reckless spending [A] I hadn't noticed, until I was taking the pictures, that the veneer is matched on the speakers. That's a nice touch. The flash really accentuates any flaws-- mostly scrapes, but also an area of color deviation. Sun damage, perhaps? Before I met you folks, my intention was to lightly sand them, and then either oil and wax, or clear stain and poly them. However, I am now reluctant to change the finish. I'm not really comfortable working with lacquer. Does anyone see a downside to having them sanded and re-lacquered by a professional? There are no breaks, splits or chips in the veneer, so I expect that it can withstand one refinish. Thanks again, Chris H-BRSL photos

Well, heck. Thanks so much for the info, all. It certainly seems to fit. The cabinets have no visible butt joints, so veneer makes sense. Also, while the grain does not resemble what is currently available as "rosewood" in the audio and furniture markets, it also does not look like walnut, birch or any domestic species. I assume that the close graining that is typical of current rosewood products is a result of harvesting managed growth (which would be young and close-grained). These show large swirls, and wide grain. Satin laquer sounds right. Honestly, I had assumed that someone had polyurethaned them at some point, as the finish is quite hard and a bit shiny. Definitely not an oiled finish. Also, thank you for the lead on the crossover upgrade/maintenance. I will follow up on that. Finally, if these are of interest as a relative rarity, I am more than happy to take additional photos of whatever aspect of them interests you all. Just let me know what you would like, and I will post, email, or whatever is of the most use, additional photos. Also, do you think it is possible that the label code actually reads "H - BRSL?" Alas, the top half of the second speaker's label is gone, so I cannot compare. It looks a little like a dash, no? So, distinguishing HBR from H-BR...maybe. I guess I did come to the right place [] Regards, Chris

Greetings, This is my first time posting, so I'll have to beg everyone's indulgence if my question is in the wrong forum or somehow inappropriate. I purchased these Heresies recently from a local fellow who had been lovingly caring for them for about fifteen years. Prior to that, they were owned by another fellow who treated them kindly as well-- at least as far as I can tell. I got them for the specific purpose of pairing them with my recently rebuilt Fisher 500B. I'm quite pleased with the sound (reminds me of my youth :-)), though I suspect I'd do better with risers of some sort. Anyhow, to my questions. 1. Can anyone tell me what the "sl" extension after "HBR" means? Obviously, if these ever were raw birch, they are no longer. I know it's not uncommon for raw cabinets to be finished by the consumer, but the grain looks much more figured than what I would expect of birch. 2. Is there a resource for checking production dates by serial number? Or, failing that, can anyone hazard a guess at about when these were manufactured? As I noted, I'm quite pleased with the speakers; and none of this information is necessary to enhance my enjoyment of them, but I am a curious sort... Oh, yes (and this may be a loaded question born of ignorance)-- are there any standard or recommended maintainance procedures that I should observe for speakers of this type and vintage? I thank you, in advance, for any assistance, being pointed toward the appropriate FAQ, etc. Regards, Chris