ACM Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Hello All, I've run across a pair of seemingly well crafted bass reflex enclosures loaded with vintage EV drivers. Both speakers are identically constructed and loaded with matching drivers consisting of 1 EV 15TRX triaxial and 1 T25 compression driver mated to an 8B horn, each. Crossovers and attentuaters are included as well. The cabinets are large, I'm guessing close to 8-10cf internal. Construction is 3/4" ply with walnut veneer. The design looks to be well thought out and executed, though I am not a speaker designer by any stretch so I'm making a leap here. Condition is pristine, as in 60's time capsule. I connected both speakers to a receiver and out came music from all drivers. As far as I can tell everything is in excellent condition. And, I am comfortable with the seller's asking price. My question to you all is this: Does anyone here have any experience with the older EV stuff. I know it's not Klipsch, but from my understanding EV and Klipsch had sort of a symbiotic relationship with shared enclosure designs and drivers. Specifically, what are some of the sound characteristics? Imaging? Etc. Do the drivers often need repair, like replacing surrounds? I am assuming new caps, anything thing else to bring them up to original spec? FWIW, I would use my Scott 299C to power them. What's up with the attenuators? Thanks for any insight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 There's a ton of EV knowledge here. Not from me unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnBob Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Sounds neat. Electro Voice made a lot of drivers for Klipsch in the "golden age" including the 15WK and K-77. PWK was never happy with their midrange drivers for some reason. The 15TRX got some bad rap back in the day for being kind of bright (I think it was J. Gordon Holt's take, but I can't put my hands on the review at the moment.) They are essentially an SP-15 with a T-35 tweeter, complete with magnet and voice coil, mounted in the middle, and what was called a "whizzer" cone to help propagate the mids. The midrange horn would be added to bring a bit of definition to the sound. The biggest drawback, and may be what Holt didn't like, was that they needed mammoth, refrigerator size cabinets to work their best - what you have is actually close to the small end of the scale. I talked to a retired EV engineer once, and after a ten minute rant about new management discontinuing the Patrician, told me the 15TRX was happiest in a 20 cu. ft. cabinet, and would reach subsonic frequencies when properly tuned. Too small a box, and they start getting honky. Hope you don't have to do repairs on the speakers. The tweeter kit can still be found, though installing it is not a job for the faint of heart. The woofer, well the expression SOL applies here, unless Great Plains Audio or somebody has made a few again. I got lucky when I needed to fix one of my 12TRXs, and found what may have been the last NOS cone in Missouri. Fortunately, unlike JBLs of the same period, Electro Voice surrounds do not seem to dissolve, and the drivers will last decades if not abused. I'm listening to a pair that are 53 years old as I type this. The only thing to watch for is if a careless installer's screwdriver slipped and punched a hole in the cone. The crossovers may be a problem - they were generally "potted" (filled with tar or something) and can't be fixed. Lucky for us, Bob Crites is making drop in replacements. Check out his website for more details. The attenuators are there to let you reduce the levels of the midrange and tweeter drivers. They are probably dirty, which will express itself as scratchy, intermittent operation. Shoot a good quality zero residue contact cleaner into them and work them back and forth rapidly until they feel smooth and don't sound funny. As far as sound quality goes, these are probably pretty close to early Cornwall, with a bit deeper (and perhaps chestier) bass and not as romantic a midrange. You will be happy with them. The Scott is an excellent choice to use with them. Although they are large (and loud!) they will not be happy about high power - they can be blown. Well, I know you asked what time it was and I told you how to cast the gears for the clockwork. To sum up - go for them. If you like Klipsch, you'll like these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnBob Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 I forgot - check out the Electro Voice website. I think you can download spec sheets for the drivers there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACM Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 Wow, Thanks Captn Bob! While not specifically what I asking, you answered those questions and then some. That's great. I bought the speakers and will take delivery of them this Friday. I'll post some photos of them after getting the heavy things indoors. Everything looks to be in very good condition, but I'll pull the drivers (carefully!) and inspect the cones and surrounds to know for sure. I am assuming the "filled" crossover is the X36? I've seen some photos on another forum of caps under the motor cover of the TRX. I assume these are for the T-35? Thanks for the tip about replacement crossovers from Bob Crites. I purchased caps and tweeters for my Cornwalls from him. Looks like I can replace the caps on the TRX myself with careful application of a heatgun to remove the badge and source replacements for the X36 from Bob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnBob Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 The 15TRX won't have any caps under the bell cover - it, and the 12TRX, had an outboard crossover, and separate terminals on the frame for the tweeter and woofer. The 15TRXb and 12TRXb, which had smaller magnets and T-35b tweeters, did have a cap mounted on the frame somewhere to keep the low frequencies out of the tweeters. Electro Voice, amazingly enough, still has spec sheets for the 15TRX and their other older speakers on their website, free for the downloading. You'll probably find two crossovers in each cabinet, an X-36 (3600 hz) between the tweeter and midrange and X-8 (800 hz) between the midrange, (actually the X-36) and woofer. Bob Crites wants around $314 for a pair of three way crossovers that would work well for you. Be gentle when you pull the TRXs. Sometimes the gasket will bond to the wood on the front of the cabinet and split and tear when you try to pull them. The 15TRX is quite heavy and easy to lose control of. You might want to work on them face down on a carpeted floor. Good luck - it'll be fun to see these giants when you get them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACM Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 Well for those interested, I finally got my new Electro Voice speakers. Thought I'd post some pics and observations as well as ask a few questions. First of all, what's inside. Each enclosure has a 15TRX, a T25A with 8HD horn and an X8 crossover. After a lot of reading, I have found that some TRX's (non- had built-in X36 crossovers, some external. The one's I have are under the cap on the driver, though they do not look like any pics I've seen floating around the web. In fact, they look like a DIY job. Anyone have any ideas? Second, these things sound BIG! Like, make my Cornscalas sound quite small in comparison. Deep bass! They also sound very smooth, though lack the detail of the Cornscalas. I'm guessing old caps are playing a role in this to some extent. Now, for the not-so-great. One of the T35's in the TRX has no sound. I traced the wires, all connections seem solid. I played with the attenuators hoping to get the crackle of dirty pots, nothing. I have a multi-meter, does anyone know if I can check continuity from the TRX speaker connections, or will I need to locate the wires within the TRX mounted crossover? I've searched around the net and it looks like diaphragms for 16 ohm T35's are non-existent. I plan to call Bob Crites to inquire about those as well as new crossovers but wanted to try to get answers to the questions he will need to ask. Thanks in advance for any help. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Marvel Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I got a pair of 8HD horns and EV 1828R drivers that someone had stuck in a pair of LaScalas. Are yours mounted vertically? If they are on a baffle, that is the way they say to mount them Those are beautiful cabinets, too. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACM Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 Mine are mounted vertically. The tweeters in the TRX's are positioned vertically as well. It seems like that may help with the low positioning of drivers related to ear level. Have you listened to them in your Lascalas? How do they sound? I would imagine the 8hd would have a hard time keeping up with a K400, but maybe not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Well, since the LS cross over over to the mid at 400Hz, they won't really work very well. Getting the LS woofer to 600Hz would be a chore. I don't think they will go that high. I am going to use them in something else. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axz Hout Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I think the EV 8HD horn is most like the Klipsch K-700 Heresy horn. The following is from EV 8HD data sheet. chris The EV is a diffraction horn, which is why it is supposed to be mounted vertically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axz Hout Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I understand that, but they aren't the same horn geometry (8HD andH700). Mounted horizontal, you would get more verticle dispersion. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axz Hout Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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