APL 16's Hexagonal speakers

TNHNDYMAN
TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
edited December 2012 in Vintage Speakers
I got a lead on an interesting pair of speakers, but I can not find any info online about them. The seller told me they have a metal plate on back w/ APL 16 - that's all. They are hexagonal in shape and apparently contain 16 6" drivers similar to some of the Bose 601's maybe. Walnut cabinets and about 75lbs a piece. I'm guessing late 50's to mid 60's production. Any ideas or info would be welcome. Trying to get a pic sent to me so I can post. The seller is busy until 1st of next week when I will be going over to have a look.
2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited September 2011
    TNHNDYMAN wrote: »
    I got a lead on an interesting pair of speakers, but I can not find any info online about them. The seller told me they have a metal plate on back w/ APL 16 - that's all. They are hexagonal in shape and apparently contain 16 6" drivers similar to some of the Bose 601's maybe. Walnut cabinets and about 75lbs a piece. I'm guessing late 50's to mid 60's production. Any ideas or info would be welcome. Trying to get a pic sent to me so I can post. The seller is busy until 1st of next week when I will be going over to have a look.

    I can't find anything to see them but they sound like Applied Physics Laboratory Speakers or APL for short. They were around in the early 70's if memory serves.

    They have 16 Speakers on three sides of the Hexagon per cabinet?
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  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited September 2011
    Thanks Joe- I've only talked to the guy on the phone, but it sounds as if your assesment is correct. The drivers are on multiple sides but I believe the back side is solid w/o drivers. Designed to be end table speakers maybe. I'll try to look up some info on Applied Physics because I came up w/ nothing on APL. One post where someone else was looking for info but the picture had been taken down. Hoping for a pic from seller this week and will be going to look at them and a couple turntables 1st of next week.
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited September 2011
    Still have not got a time to go look, but am trying to work out time later this week. He also has a few other items for me to see if I'm interested.

    1. Onkyo TX2500 MKii rcvr
    2. Onkyo CP 1020F TT w/ Shure RXT4 cart
    3. Technics SL-D22 TT w/ AT90 cart
    4. Adcom 530 amp? (I've found info on 535 or 5300 but not 530)
    5. These APL 16 spkrs
    6. JVC A- X900 Stereo Integrated Amp
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited September 2011
    Wow those APL speakers look Minty. Having read a few things online now they seem to be well liked by those that hear them. No real detail to the reviews though.

    That JVC would be a cool find. Early 80's sound if you know what I mean.

    The Onkyo is pretty well known, very popular when it was new. Similar to MCS of the time.

    Never heard of an Adcom 530 amp. Probably means the 5300.
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited September 2011
    Nice^^^^
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  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited September 2011
    Finally made it over to his place earlier tonight and picked up a few items. The amp was an Adcom 5300. Grabbed it and the JVC, both turntables and a few albumns. Listened to the speakers and they were nice, but I've bought too much lately and decided to pass for now. Until I can find more info on them I believe it would be a long time trying to sell them. Both turntables work but they are dirty! The onkyo arm lever for up and down seems to be out of dampening fluid? Basically moving it has very little effect and won't hold the arm and cart up. I feel I got a good deal for the group and hope to break even just by selling the adcom. I'll try to post some pics tomorrow.
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited September 2011
    IMG_0568.jpg
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    Here's a couple pics. I'm going to probably pick up the APL's at a later date but am trying to find some more info on them 1st. The JVC is nice w/ the exception of no pre-outs. The TT's are basically donors for parts.
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • drk1074
    drk1074 Posts: 3
    edited May 2012
    They are in fact a product of the now defunct Applied Physics Laboratories out of the University of Tennessee. These speakers were a compilated effort of the music and physics departments at the university and were made in the 1970's. I have a pair of APL 801's that I would not part with. They have an unbelievable sound. Mine each have an 8 inch woofer and a single piezo-electro ceramic tweeter (or something like that.) Anyway, I bought them new when in college in 1975 and they are here to stay. Clear high trebles and deep rumbling bass with no distortion. I have seen the speakers that you are referring to, but have never heard anything played through them. I can only speak for the 801's. I don't know why they never made it big, perhaps because they didn't choose to bring in the business marketing department at the university as well. I was shopping for JBL's and the guy at the store let me compare the two. I chose the APL's.
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  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited May 2012
    ^ very cool info. The UT connection makes sense seeing that these are in the local area. drk1074 could you post some pics of the set you have and any other info or links would be appreciated. Thanks,

    Travis
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • drk1074
    drk1074 Posts: 3
    edited May 2012
    I will post some pics. May take a few days though. I used to have some brochures on the entire APL line. I may still have it somewhere, though I wouldn't begin to know where to look. It would be some fun reading though.
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  • drk1074
    drk1074 Posts: 3
    edited May 2012
    I just remembered the name of the place where I purchased my "stereo." That's weird. It was called "Fat Julian's Audio" and was somewhere in Atlanta. I don't know if the place is still around. Probably not. I bought the APL's, a Sansui 661 stereo receiver, which is the same one I am still using, and a Dual 1225 turntable which I still have, though I haven't listened to any LP's in a long, long, time.
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  • fhtt
    fhtt Posts: 1
    edited September 2012
    drk1074 wrote: »
    They are in fact a product of the now defunct Applied Physics Laboratories out of the University of Tennessee. These speakers were a compilated effort of the music and physics departments at the university and were made in the 1970's. I have a pair of APL 801's that I would not part with. They have an unbelievable sound. Mine each have an 8 inch woofer and a single piezo-electro ceramic tweeter (or something like that.) Anyway, I bought them new when in college in 1975 and they are here to stay. Clear high trebles and deep rumbling bass with no distortion. I have seen the speakers that you are referring to, but have never heard anything played through them. I can only speak for the 801's. I don't know why they never made it big, perhaps because they didn't choose to bring in the business marketing department at the university as well. I was shopping for JBL's and the guy at the store let me compare the two. I chose the APL's.

    Do you happen to remember how much you paid for the APL-801 and maybe the JBL model that was compared ?
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  • Krughe
    Krughe Posts: 1
    edited December 2012
    I was looking for some info on APL16 speakers and found this thread. The thought of a scan of the brochure was exciting.
    drk1074, would you happen to have the time to scan the brochure. I would be grateful. Looking carefully at this thread. I was confused on the assumption that there were speakers on only three sides. this would be odd and not very effective sound wise.
    Actually the seller is pretty good at geometry. and I'm pretty sure that there are speakers on one more side! LOL
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