Bozak Speakers Model B-302A URBAN

BMSIII

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What about Bozak Speakers Model B-302A URBAN

Anyone know anything aabout these Bozak speakers? My dad had a pair of these built into the wall in 1969. He has now passed away and I am selling the house and I am trying to decide if it's worth ripping the wall up to dig them out. They were hidden behind some mesh fabric with lattice work in front. Speakers were working as far as I know.
 
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Maybe yes. Maybe no. It sounds like a lot of work to me. I think it would depend if they have the later aluminum cone mids and tweeters. From what I have heard the earlier versions didn't sound near as nice. I'm sure you won't be able to tell until you rip them out of the wall.

The aluminum cone versions should be all black while the earlier cones had a silver dust cap.

Here is a great thread about them from the Steve Hoffman forums.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=75950
 
Give me the address I will be right over!
If it would not be major surgery maybe just a weekend patch I would certainly do it.
Sentimental value aside the drivers have value and sound great. Been twenty five years since I have heard a pair. I really liked them.
I doubt the new owners would consider them an asset. Most would probably go on a remodel anyway and the speakers could likely end up in the dumpster.
 
I have a set of 302s and they are well worth getting out of the house. Cabinets are easy to make. The early drivers are excellent, somewhat less detailed and laid back but still better than much of what is out there. As they are a stereo pair it is a greater probability that they are the aluminum cone mids and tweeters.
 
I love my Bozaks! I say, take them out if at all possible. You can load them in a cabinet for your own enjoyment, trade for some speakers that are ready to go, sell them outright - many options, once they are out of the wall. If you do decide to pull them out, don't forget the crossovers! What kind of amplification did your Dad use? Is that still available as well? You could have an excellent vintage hifi system at your disposal.
 
other equipment

McIntosh C20 preamp (my father’s)
McIntsoh MC240 tube amp (my father’s)
Klipsch Chorus speakers (mine)
Bozak 302 series speakers?? (my father’s)
Extensive vinyl collection (mine)

The McIntosh equipment has already been refurbished by Terry DeWick and I posted earlier on the Turntable forum about recommendations for turntables to compliment vintage system. My current choice is a Thorens 124 w/SME tonearm if I can find one not priced out the roof.
 
Nice lineup! Your Dad was into some great gear - it's good to know that his equipment didn't end up on the curb. Have you decided about the Bozaks yet? They could go a long way towards a deal on a turntable, if nothing else.
 
boy, i wish my dad had your dad's taste in stereo equipment. if the thorens is too rich for your blood, look into getting a rek-o-kut. in any case, salvage the bozaks. keep your dad's stuff together, you won't be sorry. if you leave it behind, you will eventually regret it.
 
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i LOVED my old 302A Urbans. powered them for years with McIntosh MC60 monoblocks.

what about pulling the drivers and leaving the rest? whoever buys the house will trash the drivers anyway?

i'd personally then sell the drivers. if you want your dad's system to live on - just buy a pair of clean urbans or symphonies with enclosures.

i've only seen, never listened to the TD-124. they are stupid expensive - perhaps too expensive in relation to sound quality? no doubt they sound good, but we are talking like $1,500+ for a 124 and 3009. i'd buy a 1970's ariston RD11s, systemdek, gyrodek, etc.

Robby
 
Bozak 302A - Urbans

OK, fast forward...... The Urbans were pulled out of the wall and have been sitting in the garage for 2 years. Unfortunately, there is a bit of paint on the front wood trim and one of the speakers wood trim was damaged while pulling out of the wall. I am now ready to sell, restore or trade but not sure where to start. I am not interested in doing the restoration myself but might consider paying someone to do the work or consider a trade for something comparable. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
 

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If you decide to part them out, and they have the aluminum tweeters (B2000y. all black, no silver dust caps) and the B209b, c, or bc aluminum midranges, I would be very interested.

Please drop me a PM if that becomes the case.

Thanks
 
Yeah, I wish you were in my area, as I'm hoping to find a pair of Bozaks (but at the right price - Money's awfully-tight these days). I still haven't decided which Bozaks are the best for my listening situation. Either some 302's or 305's to start with, I would think.
 
The grills are removeable. THere should be three screws under the top edge of the grill into the top of the cabinet. THere should be four on the bottom of the cabinet. Remove the grill. REmove the fabric. Strip or sand the paint off of the grill frames. I belive the frames are solid wood and not veneer so should not need to worry about thin veneer. You may be able to carefully use a scraper on the face frames to remove the paint. Then carefully sand. Then you could varnish the cleaned up areas to match the rest. From what I am seeing its an afternoon job and done. Those speakers are well worth the time.
 
617 is July 1961, likely paper cone drivers. Transition to aluminum drivers a bit later I believe. Use a flash light to look through fabric. Older tweeters have silver dust caps. Older woofers cones are smooth and light brown in color, later ones look like a tight felt type material, that is more of a grey color.
The later speakers have a foil sticker with a script "Bozak", not the paper one pictured with speaker shaped "B". But... as with many early speaker manufactures absolutes from year to year, model to model do not always hold true.
 
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If your musical tastes lean towards jazz or classical I would definately keep them.I think it would take a decent amount of cash to better the sound.I have a set and while I think they sound pretty good with all kinds of music they excel at jazz and classical.
 
Liked my first set of 302A's so much, I grabbed the next pair that came along.....keeping my eyes peeled for a third set. :D
 
Thanks for the interest and advice. Looks like I will be digging into the guts of these to see what's inside. Will post again once I get the details.
 
Attached are more photos.
 

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The tweeters are most likely paper cones as they have the silver dust caps. Although, since this was a transitional period for Bozak, it is possible they could be aluminum cone tweets, even with the silver caps. The key would be the tag on the tweeter magnets: B-200X denotes paper cone, B-200Y is the aluminum version. It is very easy to tell them apart, especially since the black latex coating on the alumiunum cones has a tendency to flake off in spots, showing the aluminum underneath. This flaking, if minimal, has no sonic effect on the speakers output. The mid range is definitely aluminum coned, and most likely a B-209A. This was a very short lived model and was soon replaced by the B-209B, which is preferred over the "A", although both the "A" and "B" are preferred over the paper "no suffix" drivers.

Doug
 
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