OT: Jensen DL220 Spec sheet

[MJP]

Sorry, my issue here is not Altec, but a fried of mine has got Jensen DL220 by chance. It is a coax one.
Where can I get the spec sheet of this model?
I would like to know the frequece response!
Many thanks in advanced

[bowtie427ss]

With the availability and affordability of analysis software and tools, i'd recommend testing it yourself.

I'm not sure how faithful the factory specs would be, since many of the home based programs can better/more accurately deterimine T/S parameters than what jensen had available 50 years ago.

Look into "the woofer tester" from Peak Instruments, i think it's currently made and marketed by Smith and Larson.

http://www.woofertester.com/

[bfish]

The DL220 sounds more like a cabinet model than a driver, you might find something of use at this site;

http://www.hifilit.com/hifilit/Jensen/Jensen.htm

I fully agree with Bowtie's suggestion though. Better to measure what you have today, than to presume an old speaker performs to yesterday's literature. Top-of-the-line is relative to the standard of the day. FWIW, I think there are many very good (again, relative) Jensen drivers and systems that are still worthy of pursuit, and could be considered 'sleepers' in today's market.

The hitch is support. For the majority, there are no remaining OEM kits, diaphragms, etc. There are some good aftermarket parts, but mostly just for drivers for MI apps. I just got back a pair of P15LLs from recone, that neither test nor sound exactly like originals. That doesn't necessitate they're bad, actually they fill out an empty 2x15 cab I had just right, and I'm having fun with a new sound! The Leslies will just have to wait.

[Old Guy]

Just happened to blunder across:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Jensen-DL-220-De...QQcmdZViewItem

From my knowledge of Jensen numbers these would be old- say 1940's. But that and a dime won't get you coffee anymore.

They are cast frames- Jensen I believe pretty much quit that after the '50's. Again an argument for old.

[bfish]

Originally posted by Old Guy:
..They are cast frames... Again an argument for old.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Dust those specs off, OG, that's '60s plastic...turquoise I believe...Mom had a refrigerator...

The whizzer looks a little wuzzy, but who knows?

[bfish]

The "Made in China" was the kicker. Quit scratchin' your head.

[bfish]

" In 1925 Peter Jensen resigned (Magnavox) and, in 1927, founded Jensen Radio Manufacturing Company. In 1929 he moved the company to Chicago and remained its president until 1940. After several years of consulting work, he founded Jensen Industries in 1943. He died in 1962. Jensen's loudspeaker company went through numerous corporate and ownership changes in the following years. Finally in 1988 the IJI management bought the company from Beatrice, [foods!--DBH] Inc. In 1996 the consumer division was bought by Recoton (which distributes every imaginable audio accessory), and the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) division continues along with the automotive sound system division as a private company owned by Robert Shaw Inc. Their General Magnetic division in Dallas is the largest producer of loudspeaker magnets in the U.S. They have an alliance with Goodmans in the U.K." Robert Rieder of International Jensen.

After Peter Jensen's death, what had been Jensen Radio Manufacturing went through enough changes in ownership and corporate structure to make the Altec story look simple. At some point, Rola was involved, among numerous others. The first link OG posted shows 'Jensen Manufacturing Company, a Division of Muter Co. Made in China.'

The trade name "Flexair" was filed in 1958 by;

THE MUTER CO., THE CORPORATION ILLINOIS 6601 S. LARAMIE AVE. CHICAGO ILLINOIS
(LAST LISTED OWNER) PEMCOR, INC. UNKNOWN WESTCHESTER IL

A prominent Flexair feature was the familiar cloth accordian surround. Did it precede Altec's use of same? Got me.

After around 1960, the actual origin of a speaker labeled Jensen can be pretty vague. My first Jensens were a pair of SuperTuner-fed 6x9 triaxs in the rear deck of a '71 Torino. A long way from Imperials, they still did the job on a Saturday night.

[new_altec]

Hi,
Thanks you everyone for the kind information.
Finally, I also advised my friend to buy set of capacitors and try to listen by his own ears.
It seems like he appreciated when it cuts from 10KHz upwards.
Thanks again for all kind advice.

[Old Guy]

I tried to remember 1965, just for the heck of it- if my grey matter is functioning I was a beginner at that point.

I made 20 bucks being the backup guy (read gopher) for a local company- we did The Dave Clark Five when they came thru. I thought 20 bucks a day was an incredible wage... bear in mind gas was around 26 cents a gallon, cigarettes were some 28 cents a pack.

We did a good sized auditorium with 6 Dynaco MK III amps. Speakers were some huge round horns. There were no bass bins or tweeters. Vocals were mixed on Altec tube mixers, model long forgotten.

And frankly. compared to say the Beatles Shay stadium gig, we were almost high fidelity.

By 1970 things were much improved, I actually owned 4 A-7's I built myself. Merged with a local studio that also had four- gave us 4 A-7's per side, one of the largest systems in the tri-state area. I think we had 6 or 700 watts RMS- the promoters advertised it as 2000 watts. Regular system for Kenny Rogers and the First edition.

By 1972-3 or so I had a 3 kilowatt touring system that was in high demand- not many engineers then were also musicians and quality conscious.

That's about all I can remember from that period. It was incredibly easy to get laid back then- I lived near OSU- just take a walk down the main street, usually you could get lucky. we didn't have all the STD worries of today, worst case you made a trip to the Free Clinic.

Even though we worked our tails off it was a simpler time.

[Old Guy]

Couple of last follow ups to the thread- apparently there was an American mad Alnico version of this speaker, possibly an American ceramic version, and the Chinese ceramic version- this is from a friend. So there are distinctly different units bearing the same name.

I believe Jensen's magnet factory has closed- I remember reading an article a few months back about the last American speaker mag factory closing down, and only chinese factories remaining.

Agree with bfish, Jensen's history is murky indeed.