New Game... Name this speaker.

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,724
    edited September 2011
    yeah, cognitive dissonance time today at the ol' Polk Forum.


    You might want to start using Photobucket...? :-)

    Polkmonitor7Asn4900.jpg
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited September 2011
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    The woofers look like EVs; dunno, though, because it doesn't otherwise look too much like an EV product.
    Overall reminds me of RtR or Rectilinear.

    Again,according to the owner, Rectilinear Highboys ('60s). I'd call that close enough, Mark!

    Nice 7As there. On my way to pick up a Peerless set of Monitor 10s in a week.

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited September 2011
    Okay, here's another photo of the speaker system.
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  • thesurfer
    thesurfer Posts: 574
    edited September 2011
    Kenneth Swauger wrote: »
    Okay, here's another photo of the speaker system.
    Infinitys???
    Not an Audiophile, just a dude who loves music, and decent gear to hear it with.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited September 2011
    Hello,
    Good guess, but no. The older Infinity 2000A and Servo-Statics used the RTR ESL tweeters so I can understand your choice, but these are different.
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  • thesurfer
    thesurfer Posts: 574
    edited September 2011
    Kenneth Swauger wrote: »
    Hello,
    Good guess, but no. The older Infinity 2000A and Servo-Statics used the RTR ESL tweeters so I can understand your choice, but these are different.
    Are they custom??
    Not an Audiophile, just a dude who loves music, and decent gear to hear it with.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited September 2011
    No, they were from a small but well respected audio company located in Minneapolis (must be something in the water there that breeds great audio).
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,724
    edited September 2011
    .... Audio Research...?
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited September 2011
    No, but they sounded amazing with a D-76 or D-150! They are among my five best sounding speakers I've ever heard.
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited September 2011
    Hey Ken

    I believe that setup is a mix. I see RTR Tweeters and what I think is a FMI or Fulton J lower half.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited September 2011
    You are correct, that is the Fulton J Modular, minus the grille covers. You could start the system with a pair of the excellent sounding FMI 80 speakers (at $89.00 each they were a true steal). Then the bass modules could be added and then the modified RTR add-on electrostatic arrangement would finish the system. Robert Fulton was the nicest guy to work with and truly had a great ear for how music should sound. He started off as a trumpet mouthpiece maker and professional recording engineer and became the founder of one of the most interesting companies in the golden era of audio. His Fulton Gold speaker cable, interconnects, turntable mat, microphones and records were wonderful. I've tried to collect as many of his recordings on the ARK label, mostly high school and college big band groups for the amazing realism.
    Now I've got this wild hair to put together a J system, I should have bought one when I sold them. You know what they say about hindsight...
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited September 2011
    Alright, How about these.
    3n43kd3pe5Z65X45R1b88c8e27317112019cf.jpg
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  • Brian Beck
    Brian Beck Posts: 5
    edited March 2012
    Kenneth Swauger wrote: »
    You are correct, that is the Fulton J Modular, minus the grille covers...

    Well, you are very close, but not quite right. Those are Fulton E Modulars, the baby brother to the big J Modulars. The two systems shared the FMI-80 box in the middle, and the glorious Fulton-modified RTR ESR-6 electrostatic tweeters on top, but the J had a much larger woofer cabinet with two drivers compared to the E seen here. In most Js, an acoustically transparent "cover cube" that extended the dimensions and look of the woofer cabinet upward covered the upper two boxes, making a nice looking, if HUGE speaker. I've got a pair and can post pictures at some point if anyone is interested. A few fans of Fulton are working on an FMI commemorative and informational site and will announce it soon...

    Brian
    Brian
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited March 2012
    Hello Brian,
    You are correct, it is a Fulton E not a J. Since I posted this I was able to buy a pair of FMI 80 and am enjoying them thoroughly. The long term plans are to add a pair of Decca ribbon tweeters, but for now they are coupled with a Janis W-1 woofer. I played one of Bob's recordings on them and they just sing. Please post your FMI photos, I'd love to see them.
    Cheers, Ken
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  • Brian Beck
    Brian Beck Posts: 5
    edited March 2012
    Kenneth Swauger wrote: »
    ...I was able to buy a pair of FMI 80 and am enjoying them thoroughly... Please post your FMI photos, I'd love to see them...

    The 80s are surprisingly fine little speakers. A friend and I have maybe 8 or 10 pairs between us, and one thing we've found is that the surround of the 8" woofer (made by RTR) can become stiff over time. We've measured considerable variation among 80 woofers in terms of resonance frequency, because the stiffening effect reduces the compliance of the surround, and raises the resonant frequency. The effect can be very significant. The cloth surround was impregnated with a sticky rubbery coating at the factory. Over the decades it dries out and hardens. We're experimenting with removing the old coating with solvents and then applying new flexible coatings. Nothing conclusive yet.

    Will post some pics of the J, but might be a while before I can get to it.
    Brian
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited March 2012
    Thanks for the tip on the woofer's surround, I'll take a look at mine. I found some felt shaped in a square that are normally used on the BBC monitors and was going to experiment putting it around the tweeter to reduce diffraction caused by the cabinet edges. But things sound so good that I don't want to disturb anything. Now that my turntable is up better than ever, I'm just enjoying listening.
    Look forward to your photos. Did you ever meet Bob Fulton?
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  • Brian Beck
    Brian Beck Posts: 5
    edited March 2012
    Kenneth,
    I think the felt "beard" is a great thing to try. I have advocated it myself. It's easy to try and then remove it if you don't like it. I believe that cutting out cabinet-edge diffraction may improve the one area where the FMI-80 can be bettered by modern speakers, and that is in the area of imaging focus. As you say, the BBC LS3/5A made good use of that felt. No, I only brushed shoulders with Fulton as he was coming and going at an audio dealer, Pro Musica in Urbana, IL, that I frequented in the seventies. I have several friends who knew him well, and they're helping with our future website. If you have any anecdotes about Fulton, we're love to add them to the site. Glad you're enjoying the 80s!
    Kenneth Swauger wrote: »
    Thanks for the tip on the woofer's surround, I'll take a look at mine. I found some felt shaped in a square that are normally used on the BBC monitors and was going to experiment putting it around the tweeter to reduce diffraction caused by the cabinet edges. But things sound so good that I don't want to disturb anything. Now that my turntable is up better than ever, I'm just enjoying listening.
    Look forward to your photos. Did you ever meet Bob Fulton?
    Brian
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited March 2012
    Hi Brian,
    The Fulton appreciation web site is a great idea. Back in the 70's and 80's I was a FMI dealer, we sold his records, speaker wire (Fulton Gold and Brown) interconnects (I have a pair) as well as the speakers and turntable mats. Bob was constantly making slight changes to the J and E systems. Lot's of phone calls about what changes to make. Even the turntable mat required "tuning" getting it in just the right position on the platter. He was always the ideal gentleman and a pleasure to deal with. If I'm not mistaken he made the 80s as an on location monitor when he was making recordings. I remember seeing his prototype microphones at an audio reviewer's house, they were a simple, brilliant design. I believe he used automobile ignition coils in some of his speaker crossovers.
    He certainly had an ear for making things sound like music.
    Cheers, Ken
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  • Brian Beck
    Brian Beck Posts: 5
    edited March 2012
    Ken,
    [Please check your email; I couldn't reply to your PM since I'm a wet-behind-the-ears Polk site newbie with e-handcuffs on.]
    Well, as a Fulton dealer you must have some interesting tidbits. I used to have a pair of FMI-100s with the FMI-6 electrostatic tweeters, but sold those years ago, regrettably. In recent years, I've collected three pairs of 80, and two pairs of 60 (one with whizzer cones and one later version with the KEF woofer). And very, very recently I've acquired a freshly refurbished pair of J Modulars. I also have the Fulton tonearm, cartridge, interconnects, as well as Brown and Gold cables. My Quads are taking a rest!
    Brian
    Brian
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited March 2012
    Brian,
    My PM folder is now clear. Good for you on the J Modular! I can supply detailed information about ARK Records, his record label. I have three of them, so far. I saw that a copy of the "Gold" recording was being offered with a starting bid of $400.00. I'm not familiar with the arm, but do remember the cartridge. I missed a blue "Platter Matter" on eBay a month ago. When I think back of how many thousands of feet of Fulton Gold and Brown I cut off for customers and didn't save any for myself, I mentally kick myself. I did manage to save an interconnect.
    Cheers, Ken
    I know what you mean, my CLSIIa and TC50s are under wraps also.
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  • Brian Beck
    Brian Beck Posts: 5
    edited March 2012
    Ken,
    Sorry about that: It must have been me who bought that Fulton mat on eBay. As you know, it's called the "Fulton Kinetic Barrier". I have wondered if it was the same thing as the Canadian "Platter Matter". They look very similar. The arm looks very similar to a brass-and-bronze version of a Syrinx PU-2. Also have a Fulton step-up transformer. I missed the Fulton T-shirts and caps.
    Brian
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