Mariah acoustics?

Mr. Bubbles
Mr. Bubbles Posts: 736
edited May 2014 in Vintage Speakers
Has anyone heard of or have any knowledge of Mariah acoustics? I Picked up a set of LS4's. They use Vifa Tweets, don't know the brand of bass/ mid driver; 8". Surrounds are dry rotted. They look to have had a high excursion surRound but it is no wider than many of a relatively standard width. (possibly a hard to find replacement). Just wondering if they are worth the trouble? otherwise the speakers are mint. Look similar to some old DCM's with the grille cloth sock and oak top and bottom plates with a sonatube cabinet and MDF baffle.
If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of Progress?!


Monitor 5Jr, Monitor 5, RTA12, RTA 15TL, SDA 2A, 1c, SRS 2, 1.2TL, CRS, Atrium.
Post edited by Mr. Bubbles on
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited February 2013
    About 20 years ago I was getting stuff from a guy in really South Jersey. He had a house full of vintage audio (there were paths through every room and the stuff was piled up all along the paths), and a basement with easily two hundred pair of speakers. Mariah speakers were his daily listen. I never got to hear them however.
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,334
    edited July 2013
    George Grand wrote: »
    About 20 years ago I was getting stuff from a guy in really South Jersey. He had a house full of vintage audio (there were paths through every room and the stuff was piled up all along the paths), and a basement with easily two hundred pair of speakers. Mariah speakers were his daily listen. I never got to hear them however.

    Resurrecting old thread. There's a pair of Mariah speakers on CL that look to be in good shape for only $50. Sounds like it might be fun to see how they sound.

    http://charlotte.craigslist.org/ele/3948511599.html

    Edit: I will find out on Friday. Picking them up that afternoon.
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  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,603
    edited July 2013
    I'd get them to! They look interesting no doubt! Sorta have a Vandersteen look.
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,334
    edited July 2013
    halo71 wrote: »
    I'd get them to! They look interesting no doubt! Sorta have a Vandersteen look.

    There weren't many comments available when I googled them but those that were there were all complimentary. For the money, it's not much risk and could be fun.
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,639
    edited July 2013
    Jimbo18 wrote: »
    Resurrecting old thread. There's a pair of Mariah speakers on CL that look to be in good shape for only $50. Sounds like it might be fun to see how they sound.

    http://charlotte.craigslist.org/ele/3948511599.html

    Edit: I will find out on Friday. Picking them up that afternoon.
    those look very nice & what a price. Id be looking at them also. Good luck. Hope they are as nice as the picture look. Id be interested in hearing how they sound :)
    ..
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,334
    edited July 2013
    boston1450 wrote: »
    those look very nice & what a price. Id be looking at them also. Good luck. Hope they are as nice as the picture look. Id be interested in hearing how they sound :)

    I will let you know. Hopefully no missteps before now and the time I pick them up on Friday. Can't get there to pick them up any sooner.
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,639
    edited July 2013
    Good luck. Hope it happens :)
    ..
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  • Mr. Bubbles
    Mr. Bubbles Posts: 736
    edited July 2013
    Those look like a larger version of the ones i picked up a while back. probably look to need refoaming. Those appear to have two woofers in each cabinet. mine had singles. Foams completely gone. haven't actually done anything with them yet. Good luck.
    If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of Progress?!


    Monitor 5Jr, Monitor 5, RTA12, RTA 15TL, SDA 2A, 1c, SRS 2, 1.2TL, CRS, Atrium.
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  • Mr. Bubbles
    Mr. Bubbles Posts: 736
    edited July 2013
    These remind me more of vintage DCM's. They use the sona tube rear with a flat baffle with raised edges for the fabric to clear the drivers. I removed the socks from mine to inspect and found the rotted surrounds. They look nice, nothing spectacular. prob a fair price, but i would assume harder to unload as not many have heard of them.
    If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of Progress?!


    Monitor 5Jr, Monitor 5, RTA12, RTA 15TL, SDA 2A, 1c, SRS 2, 1.2TL, CRS, Atrium.
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,334
    edited July 2013
    Thanks, Mr. B. I will of course check out the surrounds. And I completely agree about them being harder to sell. Hopefully I will like them enough to keep them. I was hoping to set up a small 2 channel system.
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,334
    edited July 2013
    Well, for better or worse, I went ahead with the deal. Couple problems, and once again, I will be proving my ignorance, but I have no idea how to remove the socks from these speakers. There is really very little information available on the web. The sock on one speaker is faded from being too close to a window and really needs replacing. It also means that I couldn't inspect the condition of the surrounds. (How the heck do you remove them without ruining them?) The good news is that the oak tops and bottoms are in great shape.
    DSCN9721.jpg
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    DSCN9725.jpg


    I just started listening to them versus the Monitor 7's with Peerless tweeters. Initial impressions, and I readily admit to not being good at describing sound, but they are not as quite as efficient as the 7's. I think they would benefit a lot from more power than my little Pio puts out. But bass is much deeper and more defined. I really like the mids, wide open and distinct. The highs, which I do not have a good ear for, are brighter. Clear but a little too sharp, the Peerless are definitely better, imo.

    They definitely image different than the 7's but I don't have the vocabulary and experience to do an A/B comparison justice. I like them better than the 7's for the bass, and the mid's are sweet, just really lacking on the highs, but them so am I.
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  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,603
    edited July 2013
    Oh damn....I didn't realize they were round on the back from the first pics. Very cool looking anyways! I would imagine they are sorta like Mirage, DT, Time Frames etc. where the top cap/plate comes off to reveal the top of the sock where its tied off.
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,334
    edited July 2013
    halo71 wrote: »
    Oh damn....I didn't realize they were round on the back from the first pics. Very cool looking anyways! I would imagine they are sorta like Mirage, DT, Time Frames etc. where the top cap/plate comes off to reveal the top of the sock where its tied off.

    I tried just pulling up on them when I got them but they are on tight. They don't even feel slightly loose. I can't see any seams of any kind. I don't even know the model number, there's no photos available that I could find that list models or even show the drivers. Weird.
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited July 2013
    8" Polydax HD20B25H2s

    I think in this article they mention some were shipped with the Phillips tweeter instead of the advertised SEA's tweeter.
    They mention the Seas is the same found in the Dynaco A25s speakers.
    So you might be able to find some original tweeters, but I have my doubts you will find a replacement woofer.
    Although new surrounds would be a cheaper option anyway, if needed.
    No info on getting the socks off though.

    http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=128836
    Testing
    Testing
    Testing
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,334
    edited July 2013
    Thanks, Pepster, I did see that. Unfortunately there's not much else available.

    For now, I put them in my bedroom where I have a Yamaha AVR but am only using it 3.0. They actually sound very good with a CS175 between them. I know, I know, not timbre matched, but for music I won't use the center anyway and there's no way I find a center to match these things.
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited July 2013
    there's no way I find a center to match these things.

    If you knew if they have the Seas tweeter, then a pair of Dynaco A25s might make a good match for center.:cheesygrin:
    Testing
    Testing
    Testing
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,334
    edited July 2013
    pepster wrote: »
    If you knew if they have the Seas tweeter, then a pair of Dynaco A25s might make a good match for center.:cheesygrin:

    Good to know, I will keep it in mind if I ever figure out how to take the socks off to check the tweets. :lol:
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,639
    edited July 2013
    Very nice looking indeed. I love seeing different speaker than the norm :) enjoy them & good luck with the sock
    ..
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,334
    edited May 2014
    I sold them and they recently came back to CL at a much higher price. Looks like they have new socks on them at least.

    http://charlotte.craigslist.org/ele/4469236951.html
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