Realistic Nova 7B Speakers - Oil stains around tweeters?

I found something interesting at the Goodwill yesteday. Realistic Nova 7B's. $14.99 plus tax for the pair. In good condition. Look like the original Woofers and tweeters (or at least OE correct I'm guessing). Genuine walnut veneer cabinets pretty good, couple of light scratches. Sansui/Pioneer style lattice grilles excellent. I'm guessing they stayed in one home for a while. Only concern is that the are stains that run out from the twin tweeters on both speakers. Looks like oil or something leached into the particle board. I'm thinking these may be fluid filled tweeters, and they have a leak?

Don't know much about them, yet figured $14.99 for a heavy pair of obviously 1970's speakers was worth the gamble (learned they were produced 1974 to 1977). Hooked them up to a 1986 Hitachi HTA-35F receiver I got new, and recently pulled out of storage. 35 Watts. The speakers seem to work fine and sound nice with the volume high or low. I am really satisfied. Found the same model - several examples on ebay. Buy it now prices were at $75ish.

Does anyone know who made the Nova 7B speakers for Tandy?

Any ideas about the stains?

Does it look like excess coating around the surrounds that just dripped when applied?
If so I wouldn't be concerned.

I got my 7Bs for $25 included with an STA-77 receiver.

terra1 said:

Does it look like excess coating around the surrounds that just dripped when applied?
If so I wouldn't be concerned.

I got my 7Bs for $25 included with an STA-77 receiver.

Click to expand...

I pulled out the tweeters and saw a yellowish substance that had seeped out of the tweeters near the magnets. Everything is dry now. Resembles a varnish. It looks like it happened a long time ago. Tweeters seem to work fine though.

Great Find !!!! I have a pair really like them !!!! Enjoy them ...........

i have seen similar on a pair of small more modern JBL's[2600's I think]those were titanium domes and definitely ferro-fluid filled...i would describe it in a very similar way to what you have,just sort of an oily film of"something" around the tweeters...those speakers also worked and sounded fine[still do AFAIK].i believe the fluid is used more for cooling than any kind of mechanical reason,extreme power handling limits may be compromised some,but otherwise it may not be an issue

Idoubt seriously they had ferro fluid.
The are paper cone mids and tweeter.

I think it was leaking glue from the surrounds.

I thought you were talking about the particle board on the front.

You can check the Radio Shack Catalog archives, but I don't believe they ever advertised the 7B or 8B as fluid filled. Without pics, hard to say but could be glue or some other coating if by the magnets and around the spider.