Audax speakers

I recently purchased a pair of Audax CA-70 speakers at an estate sale. I have been looking for information on the speakers, but have found none! I am fairly sure that they are from the 60's. If anyone can help me with any info, I would be greatly thankful.

I don't know audax speakers as a manufacturer of the speaker it'self but they made
some truly great "drivers" that were used by many big name company's!

Welcome to AudioKarma, Atomicretroshop!

Unusual looking speakers you have there. I tried finding some more information on these, but was largely unsuccessful. I can say that the Audax CA-70s, "mfd by the Rek-O-Kut Corp," were sold as the "Sonoteer" in early 1962. High-Fidelity Magazine reviewed them in April 1962 and you can purchase a copy of that review here.

Be sure to post back what you think of their sound and pics of the drivers if you decide to open them up.

- JP

I'm not positive, but I believe that Audax was also called Polydax (though that may be a distinction having to do the french and american activities of the company). Lafayette had a speaker that looked quite like that -- does it have a bunch of little drivers, and an relatively open back?

Nat said:

Lafayette had a speaker that looked quite like that -- does it have a bunch of little drivers, and an relatively open back?

Click to expand...

My brief search on this model and the picture above reveals that each should contain 4 small drivers, fwiw.

- JP

Howdy, atomic!

Don't know anything about them but love the look - very cool.

Let us know what you think of them, and congrats!

Pete

The Text bellow was taken from AUDAX´s site.
This came as shocking news to me. I had no idea they had ceased production of high-fi drivers over 1 1/2 years ago.
Another great name disappears.
Jorge

"Le groupe Harman (proprietaire d'AUDAX) a cesse la production de toute gamme HiFi depuis le mois de juin 2004, suite a une reorganisation du groupe (vers l'automobile neuf). Queques distributeurs ont pris des dispositions afin de pouvoir continuer la distribution de ces produits quelques temps, toutefois les produits sont proposes jusqu'a EPUISEMENT DES STOCKS, et il sera parfois necessaire de vous reorienter vers un produit de substitution."

For those who don't read French, but want to know what Jorge posted ...

The Harman group (owner of AUDAX) has ceased the production of any HiFi range since June 2004, following a reorganisation of the group (towards car audio). A few distributors have made provisions in order to be able to continue the distribution of these products for some time, however the products are offered until the EXHAUSTION OF STOCKS, and it will be sometimes necessary for you to switch to a substitute product.

Click to expand...

Whew, my French is bad anymore, but I believe that's what was said.

- JP

Thanks JP.

I´m really getting lazy. I was waiting to see if anyone showed any interest in the french text; then I would try to summarize it.

You, OTOH, being the thourough guy that you are, you decided to translate it all. And what a good job you´ve done of it too. Your french must still be very good.

Jorge

JP, I think you nailed it, thanks for the help! I believe I am going to like this site. Thanks again
Later,
John

The Audax C-70 Sonoteer Dates from 1961 and was available
for a couple of years, mfd by Rek-O-Kut. It used an open baffle principle employing five drivers and produced a
figure 8 sound pattern. Original cost in 1961 was $79.95
each.

hifi_nut said:

Thanks JP.

I´m really getting lazy. I was waiting to see if anyone showed any interest in the french text; then I would try to summarize it.

You, OTOH, being the thourough guy that you are, you decided to translate it all. And what a good job you´ve done of it too. Your french must still be very good.

Jorge

Click to expand...

There's a big difference between being able to read something in another language, mull over it for a few minutes and come up with an approximate translation and being able to write it, speak it, or understand it in spoken word. Heck, I can read French at a grade school level, Spanish, Greek (Attic and Koinonia), Latin, and Old English (10th cent) to varying pathetic degrees, but I doubt I could even ask a very slow talking French speaker where the bathroom is. You, OTOH, are able to participate on an English speaking forum at a very high level. That is impressive.

John (atomicretroshop), you're very welcome. You'll find a great many very knowledgeable (not me) and equally friendly people around here, so I no doubt you'll enjoy your time here. So, welcome to the AK community.

- John Paul

HMMmmmmmm....

I just found a set of these locally! I didn't get them ($100). But they sure are cool looking. They have 4 main drivers and a tweeter. They have an open baffle design. I'd like to hear them! They are very interesting! :scratch2:

I'm not positive, but I believe that Audax was also called Polydax (though that may be a distinction having to do the french and american activities of the company).

You are correct.

I recently picked up a set of
AUDAX CA-100speakers at a local thrift shop.
$12.00 is what I paid...lol.
In today's economy the lumber these are constructed from is valued at probably 10x that...ha!
As you can see from the pics they aren't in terrible condition outside of a needed 10" woofer re-foaming. Which I plan to tackle soon. The cabinet could use a little work as well. In my half@$$ research I have found nothing on these whatsoever. The pictured cabinet is the worse of the set. Testing the other(foam rings intact) didnt sound too terrible at all. Cabinet construction is crude but solid and heavy.
Is it worth the time and effort to restore these relics? Think I could trade them off for a pioneer sx-450 when done? Or just a late 90's Soundesign all-in-one?

I'm not sure what the relationship between the American Audax and the French Audax (I believe known as Polydax in the US) is, but there was an Audax in the US in the 50s and 60s that sold a well regarded old fashioned tonearm and speakers, and I assume yours are from them.
The surrounds might be felt - Wharfedale used felt also.
Very interesting. It would be worth seeing if the crossover caps are still good.

I'll update this after I refoam the woofers. At least one of the cabinets plays nicely. The cabinet with the deteriorated woofer surround has yet to be tested? Any suggestions as to wether I should source the original felt style surround or is it an option to upgrade to a more modern type hemispherical surround ring as opposed to the flat? My first encounter with a failed flat style ring. I've seen many but yet to replace any.

My imperfect understanding is that it is the spider that mostly controls the motion of the woofer, and the main job of the surround is to keep the woofer aligned properly (actually, the voice coil aligned in the magnetic gap) - in gross terms, to keep it from sagging. It also seals the front of the baffle from the back, and oddly even felt or cloth does an adequate job for non acoustic suspension speakers. You might think that a flat suspension would limit the excursion of the woofer, but there is a modest amount of give in these materials, and so they work for drivers not designed for high excursions. (And I had a pair of the MicroAcoustics speakers that were similar to the Bose 301s which someone had resurrounded with red velvet(!). They sounded great, but I don't listen at very high volumes - people who use tiny speakers for headbanging might have problems. (As a public service, I will refrain from getting into a rant about Bose and their suing everyone who uses the same obvious ideas that Bose uses.)
So I believe that foam surrounds would be fine, but I think it might be fun to cut out and install green felt surrounds, and then you would have matched pairs without having to do all of them.

I like the idea of upgraeding to foam surrounds.

I'm curious why - you very well may be right, though I have a sentimental attachment to things being left as they were.