Not Altec, but old and funky

**Old Guy** · January 2nd, 2012, 11:11 AM

Ultra Cool Vintage 1950's Hi Fi Stereo Speakers- Jensen Drivers

univoice1

**Nipper** · January 2nd, 2012, 11:30 AM

One cant help but notice no one is giving any old Jensens away. Some of them are getting crazy priced on EBAY. Those might be a steal.

**bowtie427ss** · January 2nd, 2012, 11:44 AM

ANybody got any old Lafayette catalogs?

I think you'd find those in a couple.

**Panomaniac** · January 3rd, 2012, 11:37 AM

I have an early 60's catalog but don't remember those speakers in it.

**Altec Best** · January 3rd, 2012, 11:55 AM

Look how thin the metal on the woofers even the magnet is tiny "What Magnet" Could be a refrigerator magnet

Those Jensens look like junk ! Cabinets look nice though...

**Old Guy** · January 3rd, 2012, 06:14 PM

Alnicos though. They probably are far from Junk.

They likely sound WAY better than new stuff with a zillion times bigger mags. Can't judge a speaker by it's magnet size. When 604's adopted the bigger mag used on EV's due to corporate policy the woofer bandwidth shifted upward. Those are way less desirable than earlier 604's with smaller mags.

As I understand Great plains has gone back to the smaller mag.

**gearfreak** · January 3rd, 2012, 07:27 PM

Worth noticing, the 'sealed' aspect of the MF/HF drivers. Seemingly a proper 'sealed' AS cab. (if 'acoustic suspension' applies universally)

**Audio_by_Goodwill** · January 3rd, 2012, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Altec Best

Look how thin the metal on the woofers even the magnet is tiny "What Magnet" Could be a refrigerator magnet

Those Jensens look like junk ! Cabinets look nice though...

They're standard stamped steel baskets. Small magnets yes, but Jensen's are quite respected. Some command good money...... not as much as an Altec, but still decent. Guitar guys like them, but that tends to be model specific.....as does high value. I've had, and have, various Jensen drivers. Some I've pulled from consoles and some are in standalone cabinets. Since I'm not a guitar player, I sell them if I can. The ones I've had in cabinets I've been less than impressed with....... too bass shy. Even the "Flex-Air" woofers. I'm not sure if it's the cabinets, the drivers, or my expectations. I've had other vintage speakers that I thought sounded better......... in all fairness, I'm not sure that I'm comparing speakers from like decades. My Jensen's are late 50's, but my Ohms, and Wharfedales were likely late 60's...... not quite sure.

I'm rambling........ I guess I like Jensens in part becasue they're an old American company that did well, and produced a lot of good drivers at varying price points. Peter Jensen also designed, or had his hand in, the old Magnavox drivers that I like.

Edit: That basket is known as a Hot Dog basket because of the slots. The blue-ish colored ones usually bring higher $$$'s.

**gvasale** · January 3rd, 2012, 08:04 PM

More than one manufacturer had "sealed" mid range cone speakers to prevent the woofer from modulating the mid range driver. Acoustic suspension implies a long throw woofer cone suspension assembly.

**Audio_by_Goodwill** · January 3rd, 2012, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by gvasale

More than one manufacturer had "sealed" mid range cone speakers to prevent the woofer from modulating the mid range driver. Acoustic suspension implies a long throw woofer cone suspension assembly.

I've seen 10" McCauley drivers on Ebay with sealed backs. The only ones I've seen in person have been made by Jensen, Though. I had a pair of P8P's with sealed backs....... I wish they weren't sealed as I beleive they would have sold on ebay for much higher than they did, if they were open backed.

I wonder if the "flex-air" drivers that Jensen made were intended to be use in acoustic suspension situations. The flex-air drivers don't do well on ebay. The same frames/motors with a conventional cone/suspension sell great, Though.