tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post1724083329544700537..comments2024-03-29T00:15:52.117-07:00Comments on <em>Archimago's Musings</em>: RETRO-MEASURE: Radio Shack / Realistic / Tandy Minimus 7 speakers (early 1980s, Cat. No. 40-2030A)Archimagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-30152868565478916332021-07-26T03:32:08.660-07:002021-07-26T03:32:08.660-07:00I have m7 2030b's on top of my advent utility ...I have m7 2030b's on top of my advent utility speakers and sometimes when listening to music and if I'm distracted by whatever I'm doing around the apartment I can't tell which is playing. That's how good m7 speakers are BUT, of course when I listen closer the m7's certainly don't have the stereo separation or depth the advents do but that's expected from the m7&#Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15906533201798158530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-8738916539653484652021-02-03T21:43:02.972-08:002021-02-03T21:43:02.972-08:00I got a pair in 1980, and mated them by chance wit...I got a pair in 1980, and mated them by chance with the NAD 3020. It blew everything costing several times more away. Vinyl was of course the only decent source back then. Either you ears are bad or your amplification were bad. Contrary to your opinion, the M7's sounded HUGE and loud, quick, and dynamic. And the imaging was magical. I shamelessly took them to a high end store and auditioned Rustyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16913325398267791355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-81068601528156553582021-01-24T04:43:55.913-08:002021-01-24T04:43:55.913-08:00Some years ago i used to collect small speakers as...Some years ago i used to collect small speakers as they are inexpensive and it was fun to hook them up to an A/B switch for blind listening tests. The metal minumus were ok but 'congested' and 'artificial' sounding and distorted terribly at volumes. The wood cabinet 7W model sounded better, possibly due to the lack of cabinet resonance? The little Akai SM studio monitors were Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-256626289608855972021-01-18T16:05:37.848-08:002021-01-18T16:05:37.848-08:00I totally agree! You might enjoy some of the othe...I totally agree! You might enjoy some of the other guests on the podcast too. ;)<br /><br />More coming! Jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02772176966296126966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-7405524477745973932021-01-18T15:51:05.086-08:002021-01-18T15:51:05.086-08:00Awesome Jason,
Another Klippel NFS in the wild wit...Awesome <em>Jason</em>,<br />Another Klippel NFS in the wild with results targeted to audiophile hobbyists (Amir and Erin). $100k is quite an investment for measurement gear and the personal commitment that comes along! Somehow, I think there are more interesting speakers than these to measure out there! :-)<br /><br />Let the <em>more objective</em> audio revolution continue! The more educated Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-17962063219056232442021-01-18T15:18:23.694-08:002021-01-18T15:18:23.694-08:00Yup Peter,
Very true... While I would not hold th...Yup <em>Peter</em>,<br /><br />Very true... While I would not hold these up as the paragon of fantastic hi-fi sound, there is definitely something to be said about devices that hold their own even 40 years after they were made. That amount of long term <em>value</em> is a rare commodity these days even I suspect with some of the high-priced products here in audiophile-land...<br />Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-76078678377228085322021-01-18T08:04:14.729-08:002021-01-18T08:04:14.729-08:00Soon you'll be able to send them into Erin'...Soon you'll be able to send them into Erin's Audio Corner for the Klippel NFS measurement. ;)<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQvXbJJln-sJasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02772176966296126966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-26572769591079317252021-01-17T15:10:43.728-08:002021-01-17T15:10:43.728-08:00Let me chime in. I have SIX of the things, as swit...Let me chime in. I have SIX of the things, as switchable extension speakers--two in the kitchen in daily use, two on a porch for clement weather only. The last two are part of an unused surround system. They are ca. 40 years old, and completely trouble-free. They are driven by my main system (Meridian G92 digital preamp/CD player, Quad 405 amp, B&W 802F speakers), and while they certainly Peter Ledererhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04468665975195720914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-65167702540413599532021-01-17T12:59:19.407-08:002021-01-17T12:59:19.407-08:00Oh yeah Gilles,
Classic Canadian design for those ...Oh yeah <em>Gilles</em>,<br />Classic Canadian design for those Atom v.1 :-).<br /><br />Yeah, too bad too far away to have easy access. I think it's fun listening/measuring these old speakers for context around sound quality and for comparison with newer devices. So often we hear all kinds of things but very hard to know how to take comments seriously.<br /><br />Arguable, I think measuring Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-26808220428583022002021-01-17T12:51:20.138-08:002021-01-17T12:51:20.138-08:00Hi Jim,
Yeah, I think mounting in the car was what...Hi <em>Jim</em>,<br />Yeah, I think mounting in the car was what <em>linnrd</em> did for awhile. Certainly with the metal enclosure this would be very protective as people get in and out, and also good against the elements with temperature fluctuations.<br /><br />Let me know what you think of the sound these days if you're still listening to them!<br />Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-11570724498214301932021-01-17T12:31:43.603-08:002021-01-17T12:31:43.603-08:00I'm ok but the Covid threat lurks around of co...I'm ok but the Covid threat lurks around of course. We have a 8 PM curfew here to try to bring numbers down...<br /><br />If you ever want to test another small vintage speaker, I could suggest the original Paradigm Atom Monitor V1. My girlfriend still has them, at an angle on the floor, hooked to a more recent NAD amplifier and they sound remarkably good. Not much bass of course but wide GillesPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04012946247527660963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-43987503262163341922021-01-16T15:33:27.302-08:002021-01-16T15:33:27.302-08:00Still have mine, but I bought them as I remembered...Still have mine, but I bought them as I remembered how good the similar models from ADS were. I had heard that some even mounted them in their cars. Jim Tavegiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00554032594547775487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-17518215028338930432021-01-16T15:27:29.639-08:002021-01-16T15:27:29.639-08:00Hi Gilles,
Nice hearing from you, hope you're ...Hi <em>Gilles</em>,<br />Nice hearing from you, hope you're doing well out East :-).<br /><br />I'm sure there are many people with similar stories with these little speakers as part of their life at some point. Given that they're "built like a tank", I'm sure there are still many of these floating around out there. I see at least 40 on eBay with a quick search today of Archimagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642574001287787545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4781727111866727703.post-58184132978091083752021-01-16T13:55:44.809-08:002021-01-16T13:55:44.809-08:00Interesting test…In the ’80’s I bought two of thes...Interesting test…In the ’80’s I bought two of these along with a Realistic Optimus STA 20 Mini Stereo Receiver as a gift for my father who kept listening to a cheap radio table. That was a little bit better…When he passed away in 1987 I got them back and used them for a while as computer speakers. One of the receiver’s channel quit and I got rid of it, but those speakers were quite solid and GillesPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04012946247527660963noreply@blogger.com