Dad's old WE 754a's and Altec 755a's

[Talbot78sc]

Checking the manual for my Denon receiver, it would seem I can hook up these speakers to it without harming it as long as I don't play it loudly. It has a protection circuit that will cut in if it runs too hot, which I guess would happen if running 4 ohm speakers at high volumes.
I'll work on getting some speaker wires setup so I can connect them and see what I get.

[GM]

These drivers were originally designed for matching impedance hookups, so actually benefit from adding some series resistance, so if you want, you can put a 4 ohm resistor in series [up to 15 ohms is quite common among DIYers who prefer 'full-range' drivers] to smooth them out/preload the amp or even a cheap RadioShack 25 ohm pot or similar like I do to dial in what sounds best, then either bypass or replace it with a proper resistor. FWIW, with my ~2/4/8 kHz ringing tinnitus, I'm content with cheap 5 W carbon comp at typical TV movie SPLs.

As a general note, stereo/HT amps spend most of their life at well below 1 W where they are often nonlinear/'dirty', so defacto need enough series resistance to preload them to ~0.5-1 W @ idle, which many DIYers do by sizing the speaker wire accordingly.

GM

edit: meant to add these links: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=what%20happens%20when%20a%204%20ohm%20speaker% 20is%20connected%20to%20a%208%20ohm%20home%20theat er%20receiver

[bowtie427ss]

.........for my Denon receiver

AVR series by any chance?

Several years old?

A known common failure mode on many Denon AVR series receivers is power supply regulator failure. Usually, they just end up with the blinking red light of doom on power up.

However, i wouldn't want to be the first fella that posts about one failing during operation and causing collateral damage while connected to speakers worth 5 figures.

You might consider connecting them with a 3/4 - 1 amp fast blow fuse inline.

[Talbot78sc]

Thanks for that post. It is an AVR series. So, I guess I won't be hooking the speakers up to them. I won't risk hooking them up to my other amp, a Pioneer SA9500 II, which is a 1978(?) model, even though it's been working fine lately with my RTR 707 tape deck.

[bowtie427ss]

I don't mean to incite paranoia. My point is to err on the side of caution. Inline fuse holders are inexpensive and easy to source. We're not dealing with uber sensitive tweeter diaphragms here. So, a 3/4 or 1 amp fuse inline with them should offer plenty of safety factor for the most catastrophic failure of either of your solid state units.

In the case of the Pioneer unit, the fact that it's working correctly should indicate that it's internal protection system is also working correctly. The protection is fairly sensitive in those units, DC offset need only be 20-30mV high to become problematic when all else is in spec. That's the unit i'd use to test them.

That Pioneer amp is a sleeper among vintage integrateds. It's worth a professional re-hab, minimally of the power supply and protection circuits, to keep it running strong and well for another 35 years. I have a really soft spot for them, they just sound damn good.

[Elitopus1]

+1 on what bowtie said. I always hook new gear up to a known good "test" amp first. Then I hook it up in my daily system. I would be careful with those 754/755. That doesn't mean you cant enjoy them though

I also have a soft spot for Pioneer. The first receiver I remember my dad having when I was growing up is a Pioneer SX1000. I have had a few also. They sound really good with most speakers (except klipsch). I prefer the lower wattage Pioneer integrated and receivers versus the monster receivers like the SX1250.

[Talbot78sc]

Thanks guys.
A rehab of my Pioneer stuff is what I have earmarked for some of the funds when I sell the Altecs and WE's. I don't think I'll ever use them the way they were intended as I'm a 'west coast sound' type of guy and love my Column II's to no end. They spoke to me when I bought them and they still kick butt, when the wife isn't home, too.
Does this for sale site get enough traffic to post an ad here to get a decent price for them?
I won't be putting them on ebay, I can tell you that right now.

[Elitopus1]

I think it is worth a shot to list them on the hostboard classifieds first. The problem is without the national market of ebay, you will only get a fraction of what you could get. With that being said I dont blame you for not wanting to go that route.
I am sure there are some people here who could set you up with a buyer they have done business with before and trust

[Talbot78sc]

Well now it's happened. Was listening to my Pioneer amp this morning with the tape playing, got pop and lost a channel. Guess that rehab will happen sooner than later.
I really hate ebay but I guess it's a necessary evil in our world now.
If I can't get decent money for 'em I'll just have to put 'em back up in the rafters.

[bowtie427ss]

It's the international market that drives the value on these.

Ebay is the best game in town if your first priority is maximizing profit, and you have a well seasoned account in good standing..

The next best option is to consign them with an ebay seller with experience and feedback that is complimentary to the items you are selling. This method will bear significant fees as you;re going to pay a percentage to the seller on top of the ebay and paypal fees. It will still likely net the 2nd highest yield, if that's your top priority.

3rd option, and one i'm often inclined to take with higher end items as i place a high value on privacy, as well as buyers that don't require "vetting', is to contact directly one of the handful of fellas that are well in the know of these items, and inform them of your intention to sell. This route comes with near solid reassurance that there isnt going to be any funny business with the transaction, and these items are going to be in hands that will treat them with the care and preservation they deserve.

These fellas after all, are the reason that sites like this one exist.