Some more strange spkrs.

Haoleb

Super Member

Banned

• Nov 29, 2003

• #1

Look at these things. i dont even wanna know how they sound... talk about WAF.

Pioneer speakers

 

merrylander

AK Member

• Dec 3, 2003

• #2

Theyb were probably Pioneer's answer to the EV Grenadiers, 'cept the EVs had marble tops so no glass rings.

Rob

 

mhardy6647

Lunatic Member

• Dec 3, 2003

• #3

FWIW, and AFAIK, Grenadiers were made by Empire, not EV.

 

GordonW

Speakerfixer

Subscriber

• Dec 3, 2003

• #4

That is correct, the Grenadier 8000 and Royal Grenadier 9000 were made by Empire Scientific, the company we all know for optics lenses and such now. Used to be a lot more diversified back in the day.

I've heard the Royal Grenadiers... for such a strange layout speaker, it sounded AMAZINGLY good. The down-firing woofer DOES work, and it DOES blend well with the 3" dome mid...

Regards,
Gordon.

 

merrylander

AK Member

• Dec 3, 2003

• #5

My goof, I was trying to think of the name. Did they also make that gold turntable?

Rob

 

GordonW

Speakerfixer

Subscriber

• Dec 4, 2003

• #6

Yep, the Empire Troubadour turntable, which had gold-anodized aluminum parts... the grand-daddy of the AR and Thorens turntables... fully suspended, huge heavy cast platter, the works. Just saw one of those a while back- AMAZING engineering, to be mid-50s vintage! Many aspects are as good of a design and construction as modern gear- in fact, if you were to retrofit one with a modern tonearm and cartridge, I'd bet money it'd sound as good as many $$ new turntables!

Regards,
Gordon.

 

mhardy6647

Lunatic Member

• Dec 4, 2003

• #7

Empire made those tt's for many, many years... they were still available in the latter 1970's when I first became hi-fi aware. Wouldn't mind having one, but then sometimes I secretly wish I had a Rek-O-Kut or a Weathers tt as well.

Further, I ASSUME(d) that the Empire cartridges were made by the same company (Empire Scientific, that is). Do they really make optics? I know that Edmund Scientific does, but that's another story...

 

merrylander

AK Member

• Dec 4, 2003

• #8

I recall seeing one of those turntables at a Montreal audio show, before stereo came in, they were demonstrating their dynamic balance tone arm and had it hung upside down. Now considering the pivot arrangement of the platter, they must have locked it in place somehow.

The comment about Rek-O-Cut makes me recall that I had a K33H at one time with a Livingstone transcripion arm that I modified by putting instrument ball bearings in the vertical pivot.

Apropos stereo, at that same show they were demonstrating "stereo". It was a Livingstone arm with two heads and the record had separate left and right tracks - strange.

My lasting impression from that show was the Vitavox corner horns - huge accurate monsters.

Rob

 

wjahn5

Well-Known Member

• Dec 4, 2003

• #9

This is from a Pioneer 4 channel stereo guide brochure