big_gto Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 I know this is a Klipsch BB, and I own a pair of Klipsch, but does anyone know who makes Realistic speakers? I built a 15" 3-way system using all Realistic components. They sound fantastic. Like Klipsch someone must be doing something right at Radio Shack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artto Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 The general run of Radio Shack speakers are out and out crap but that still places them miles ahead of most speakers sold by Sears etc. Radio Shack has however sold some decent units over the years but the problem lies in sorting the wheat from the bulldung. Their Minimus 7's for example are direct knockoffs of the Visionik David which is probably the best subminiature speaker ever built. It is so good that many recording studios use them as monitors in the control rooms of their mobile recording units. I use a pair of the little buggers as ambient rears with my system and the first time my buddy heard them used on my porch laughed and said " OK quit playing games ! Where are the speakers that I am actually hearing ? " He honestly thought that the Minimus's were props and that I had some larger speakers rigged up out of sight. I finally had to have him put his head close to one of the speakers before he would believe where the sound was coming from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 So the Shack's speakers are not made by Tandy?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cornell Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 Tom Some of the VCRs are RCA and Sharp, and some of the speakers are RCA ,as well Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_gto Posted April 13, 2003 Author Share Posted April 13, 2003 My three-way 15" system is based on the Minimus-7 which is fed through a two-way crossover. With all parts under $200, there's nothing that sounds better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted April 14, 2003 Share Posted April 14, 2003 Last I knew (which isn't saying much!), Tandy sourced all its audio from Pioneer. They are like Sears-they don't make anything except money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted April 14, 2003 Share Posted April 14, 2003 You know-come to think of it, they have been sourcing quite a bit of brown goods from RCA, so Thompson may have the gig now. Sorry for the waste of bandwidth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted April 16, 2003 Share Posted April 16, 2003 Ah, RadioShack! Can't live with it; can't live without it. I'm sure their receivers are Pioneer. Their older, big speakers actually were made in the states by Tandy, but I'm pretty sure all their current mini-speakers are sourced from the far east. Although that Lineaum tweeter may be made here - don't know. I still own, and most of the time, use, four Minimus 77's, and five Optimus Pro 77's (basically the same speaker with a ported enclosure and a different grille). I also use their Pro SW-12 sub, in my HT with the Pro 77's. I bought'em all on sale. For the money, they are great little "utility" speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hardy Posted April 17, 2003 Share Posted April 17, 2003 At the risk of overstepping the bounds of propriety on the KLIPSCH Forum :-) Over the years, ol' Radio Shack sourced some fine sounding drivers. The best known (well, best pedigreed) of these was the 40-1197 4" fullrange, which was more or less identical to the Fostex (Foster) FE-103. These have a cult following of sorts, but actually I think they're kind of harsh. Another R/S cult classic was the dual cone 40-1354 5-1/4" full range. These 'get the midrange right' and can be magnificent in the right enclosure. I have a pair running in Bob Brines' ML folded TQWT cabinet designs, and at the moment they're sitting in front of my Cornwalls (they sound that good!). Other "popular" R/S fullrangers have included the 40-1271, 40-1272, and 40-1286 dual cone 8" FR's, and the 40-1297 (IIRC) 4 x 10" dual cone FR. All of these are discontinued, and many of us full-range nuts picked up supplies of them when closed out for as little as 97 cents@! If you have any interest in this, visit James Melhuish's "Full Range Driver Site" at www.melhuish.org/audio, and also the "Full Range Driver Forum" linked thereto. To your question, though: R/S also sourced a vast number of drivers for DIY over the years. Generally their drivers were built to their specs in the far east, but years ago many were simply rebadged drivers (especially woofers) from Utah and/or possibly other (US) driver manufacturers. Over the years, some decent hard- and soft-dome tweeters, at least one soft-dome MR, and piezos and horn tweeters came and went. R/S still sells the Fostex(?) add-on supertweeters which are held in pretty high regard, although a bit expensive. Ebay can be a good source of pictures and (unsubstantiated)information. Did this help at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_gto Posted April 17, 2003 Author Share Posted April 17, 2003 yes, thanks Mark for the neat info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khorn58 Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 ratshack, Boy what a dive they have taking over the years. They use to sell some preety good stuff way back when. Back in the day I have read the sold klipsch speakers like khorns. and some good tube amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 FWIW, the little baby sub I just picked up at RS, for my bedroom rig, says it was assembled in the USA with foreign and domestic parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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