My down-sizing pics.. Anybody else have any you want to share?

Tony M

Hey now...

I did just pass up a sale on some Theil's for 50.00. THAT WAS TOUGH!

Maybe that broke my will down a bit.

Maybe enough to want to purchase the Hartley's and re-foam another 4 woofers in my spare relaxing time. I could have the Theil's AND Hartley's in my music room now. If I had sold some more speakers....I probably would have. Maybe even some Martin Logan 40's, a matching center and a Martin Logan sub too. This set is on CL for 500 local. I think that's a great deal.

I just accomplished a MAJOR yard project I've been wanting to do for YEARS. I'm so glad that it's done now. I did it for future owners of this property won't get killed digging holes for what-ever reason.

My heart was seriously telling me a few nights ago AFTER working off and on for 5 weeks to get back indoors now that I finished 'The BIG job" and do some more "downsizing" or "organizing" and enjoy some music and make some more "SPACE" again.

That's why the Pinnacles are stacked. My heart was saying...wth dude...these are 60 lbs.. don't do this!

I had to think of a smart way to do it for sure. In my younger days, I'd slap that one pinnacle on top of one and turn and do the same to the other pr. and not even get my breathing increased.

Ahh...the good ol' days.

Tony M

my memory fails again.

Martin Logan 20's and the set is 575. Still very nice indeed!

jdjohn

audioluvr wrote: »

Tony M wrote: »

I'm starting to miss this look...

Me, too, a little...but don't tell my wife, or the mice that had to evacuate the premises.

Tony M

Anybody know where these tweeters were made? They're soft domes. There's no ID. There looks to be a molded in snap ring on the back that would hold it in place during some manufacturing of some other speaker brand step. I'll get a pic of the back asap today. They have big magnets too.

They're apparently original to the Hartley's since my little Hartley towers have them too.

The woofers have "Hartley" printed on the magnets w/numbers and letters too I think.

Tony M

The mounting flange around the magnet of the tweeter was to mount the dome and magnet to the front flange. It twist-locks into place. The front flange is molded with the rear locking mount and encases the magnet too.

It seems like a well made tweeter.

pitdogg2

At one time(12-15yrs ago) parts express had a bunch of tweeters that looked real similar to those with different face plates.
I have no idea who made them.

Tony M

pitdogg2 wrote: »

At one time(12-15yrs ago) parts express had a bunch of tweeters that looked real similar to those with different face plates.
I have no idea who made them.

I thought the same thing.

Fostex seems a possibility to me.

I think I JUST threw away all my old Parts express catalogs/sales flyers. I was saving them for reference history. Crazy how that works...save em all for 15 years...toss em...then I would like to be able to look through them all now just to see if they had a close out back then on this Tweeter.

Knowing Hartley, they probably used a pretty decent one. Here's some more pics;










The little woofers;

I've already unsoldered the wires from the speakers because of the green corrosion plus I need to re-foam.
New surrounds are on the way.

pitdogg2

I wouldn't discount Peerless, they made a ton of different tweeters for a ton of different folks.
20yrs ago someone gave me a peerless speakers catalog, I bet it had 12 pages of just tweeters.

Tony M

I haven't watched my projection system in about 8 years I think. After finishing those Hartley's, of which I jammed to a few Cds this afternoon, I decided to clean up the front room from all the stuff I had to use to refurbish them. In the process, I thought, get the projector out of the stereo rack on the left and put it on top of the stereo rack that I was going to advertise w/an end table that matches. So I eventually did that.

Set up as it is now, the screen is a 100" view. There's more to drop but the Def. Techs. are in the way right now. It was still pretty good. I bought a cheap bulb 8 years ago from 2 young guys online selling projector bulbs for a fair price. It seemed a little on the not so bright level 8 years ago and it seemed the same tonight.

I have to have a dark room for the picture to be optimum.

My camera gave brightness to the image where in reality, the picture is a little dimmer.
Not really that bad for 130.00 total off of Craig's list and the bulb being 30.00 or a little more of that total.

I didn't have sound hooked up but that could be done in a few hours. I had fun anyway.

All images were from DVD discs. I'll have to check and see if Blu Ray is able to be projected.





















I might get 110" diagonal if the screen drops another 5 or so inches. I can check the later by just letting it drop in front of the Def. Techs.

mrbiron

DVDs! Boy, do I know a guy that would fill one of your empty shelves with a decent collection so you could watch them for the next 6 months.

You’d be going in the wrong direction, but I’ll be fine.

Tony M

Thanks mrbiron but I have every DVD I think I ever wanted to watch...and did for 90% of them. The others I haven't watched were just great deals in the past years. I have a nice "blue ray" collection also.



I just bought a cool collection of DVDs last summer for 25.00. A lot of aeronautical, space, and nature topics in Steel Cased Box sets.

I think one of the best "blue ray" I ever bought was "To Kill a Mockingbird" special edition. The clarity is stunning. It's like being right there in the movie.

verb

Tony my friend you have inspired me! Been thinking about letting some stuff go for a while now. Basement is quite full. I believe it's time!

pitdogg2

verb wrote: »

Tony my friend you have inspired me! Been thinking about letting some stuff go for a while now. Basement is quite full. I believe it's time!

Dibs on the Cary pre amp🤓

Tony M

verb wrote: »

Tony my friend you have inspired me! Been thinking about letting some stuff go for a while now. Basement is quite full. I believe it's time!

At least I didn't have stairs to deal with doing my downsizing. It amazes me when I see you guys that have two sets of those SRS's together. I can't wait for your listening reviews.


The best part of my space reclaiming is when I want speaker wires, connectors, banana plugs, a tool, screws or what-ever, I'm getting very close to being able to go get the stuff I'm needing. BUT...

I fixed a sink valve a couple of months ago and I had a little trouble. The part comes in two spring heights. I didn't know it and bought the taller ones. I tried like heck to make the one fit. I only needed one and after an hour of he**, I compared the new one to the old one. The rubber is exactly the same, but the height difference was the reason. I used the old spring and new rubber cap.

Well it started leaking again the other day. I looked for 2 hours maybe for that one spare new cap I think I have. I had to finally give up the search. I'll go to Lowe's tomorrow. They cost 2.00 or so. I'll be SURE to buy the short spring valve seats this time and grease the cap this time too

The past year has been weight off of my LIFE's struggles. Easier to do all the projects I know I needed to do but couldn't do but one here and there because of the congested state of my tools and stereo stuff and chairs and stools too.

I just initiated a LONG OVERDUE project today.
I just bought a new toilet this afternoon for the front bathroom. I've been wanting to do this for 30 years! the old one is a 3.5 gal. flush model. The new one...1.6 or less if I pull slightly on the handle one reviewer said. I didn't see where this new one is can do it yet.

But I'm caught up ( somewhat ) on the major to-do projects out in the cottage and it's been raining off and on for days so...I thought about that darn toilet that irks me every time I flush it. I did research months ago but moved on to do something else. More research today and off I went. Not on sale but I can afford things now even if they aren't on sale and I want it or NEED it now.

I'll tackle that money wasting toilet project tomorrow.

halo71

Dang Tony. Kinda wishing now I had come and got those Carver's when I had the chance!

IT would have been very hard for me to pass on those $50 Thiel's. What model were they?

Tony M

I wonder if whom ever bought them, are they still enjoying those Carvers for the past few years.

The Thiels...They showed a picture of the label and it showed 3.0 or something like that. BUT the picture of the speakers showed a different grill form from any 3.0(?) I saw on the web. They didn't show a pic of the grills off. The 3.0 (?) have a tall bottom to the grills and the picture of these speakers had a short base to them. I do kind of regret going and getting them. But like I said earlier, I saw the Hartley's a week later and I do remember going to the man's store and listening to these exact model speakers. They didn't have much bass but the man said they were designed for jazz. I bought the Hartley's with the possibility if I didn't like them after re-foaming, I would gift them to Mr. Paul since he loves his Jazz.

I figured I would have to do a woofer re-foam but that didn't bother me at all. I do wish I had at least gone and looked at them and more than likely bought them.

Check out this pair of .5's in New York; 600.00
If they were local.....I'd probably dive off the wagon!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154509420348?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338678874&toolid=20006&4236=&customid=s%3AGS%3Bgc%3A46edd2a1503f1cb0cd6cb2593a5aba6a%3Bpt%3A1%3Bchoc%3A1&customid=s:GS;gc:46edd2a1503f1cb0cd6cb2593a5aba6a;pt:1;choc:2&msclkid=46edd2a1503f1cb0cd6cb2593a5aba6a





And this veneered in a "rustic look" Thiel pr. looks nice too.;


I'm going to look for the grill differences now.

Their pictures looked like this;


The (3?) pictures looked like this;


I know it's history now but it was confusing to me at the time.

I still think I did well buying these Hartley's a week later.

Our local Craig's list and Facebook Marketplace is pretty active with people selling very nice stereo stuff. It's nice to see activity again. I'm still trying to get back on the wagon after this Hartley experience.

sucks2beme

Good or bad, there is NEVER anything on the local CL.
And when something does show up, $$$.
After my move out of Dallas, I didn't keep much other than tools.
Gone are the days of 7 sets of speakers in a closet.
Now that I'm semi retired, projects are getting done.
I have been checking out cds from the local library and
Ripping them to flac. Low buck tunes for me going forward.

Tony M

The toilet swap project is...done.

5 hours... ...and the new toilet was already unboxed and sitting on my back porch ready to be assembled. Should've taken 2 hours tops but the old flange area had to be seriously cleaned and new screws put through the flange since some of the older ones has rusted thin. I used thick Stainless steel ones this time.

My house smelled like a &*&^%$ sewer at the 4 hour mark.

I tried to keep the drain pipe stuffed with a wet rag the whole time after it was exposed but the gases got by and accumulated. It's been 2 hours and 2 candles burning and thank God I don't smell the sewer anymore.

Again, I had to go out to the cottage MANY times for different reasons and each time, I quickly got what I needed because of the space and organizing that has been done.

DaveHo

Burning candles? Lucky you didn't have a **** explosion!

Tony M

DaveHo wrote: »

Burning candles? Lucky you didn't have a **** explosion!

I thought about it but the candle lighting was well after the pipe had been sealed by the water trap in the toilet and the candles were lit in the back bathroom, letting the A/C spread the nice scents. I left the back door open many times doing my trips out to the cottage to help with ventilation.

I ran the bathroom vent almost the the entire time also. It's directly over the drain.

I thought I might make the local news one time, when I turned the vent on. That was a nervous moment!

I worked with a commercial / residential plumbing Co. for over 7 years. I've been down in man-holes with no forced air fans. Not for hours...lol...but we did skirt ignore the standard procedures that Gov. employees have to follow.

When working in one hole, we'd pull man-hole covers off near us and nobody ever passed out or even came close if I remember right.

I SHOULD'VE removed the man-hole cover from in my neighbor's my front yard ( it's right beside my property line too, and put a barricade around the hole.

I really didn't expect the swap to take that long!

CH46E

NAD 2200????

Tony M

Nah... just a 2155 I do remember somebody here on the forum telling me to turn the soft clipping mode off about 3 years ago.


I need to get to listening to those amps in that rack as soon as I finish re-grouting the front bathroom's tub tiles. I'm getting too old for this... I used this little saw thing and it sawed out the grout pretty well but it was work. I had bought this triangular carbide grout removal tool and I gave it a try. OMG...it digs grout out fast, but it's V shaped. I turned it up and down to remove more but I wanted MORE out so I used the saw afterwards on 3/4 of the remaining removal. I didn't want to use a vibrating tool and 3/4 disc. The dust would've been too much for my old lungs. I didn't want to buy a canister mask either. After using that little triangular removal tool, the job sped up 10 fold so I just enjoyed using it since it gouged MOST of the grout out in seconds with each push.

I've spent over 12 hours or even close to 20 getting most of the old grout and silicone caulk my wife had put in quite a few places to cover stained grout from it's 30 years of age. I'm including this tile job since it's downsizing my aged to-do list.

I might grout the tiles tonight. I'm ready to get this over with.


It's ready for grout.

Milito

I bought one of those triangular carbide grout removal tools many years ago and had forgotten I had it.

Several years ago I had to replace some tiles and repair some grout and I tried it on that job. I agree it worked very well removing old grout.

Tony M

Grouting was done and I siliconed the corners, bottom and fixtures last night. I felt different from when I was younger. I WAS a perfectionist then. I felt ok with just getting the silicone where it was needed in an OK manner last night. I have to scrape some excess silicone off in a few places soon but I'm pretty much done. Now I can thankfully move on to another "to do list project". If anybody needs to re-grout their tiles...get the triangle tool and/or an oscillating tool. My hands have been hurting for days. They're getting better though.

Tony M

While taking showers again lately, it's like a 35 year time travel backward to when I first installed these tiles. IT'S GREAT. The bathroom has finally been brought into the 22nd Century. Water saver toilet and new grout makes a noticeable improvement.


Now that I've gotten to feeling better, ( hands still hurt a little though ) I started another project already.

So I got this idea the other day to do something with my Home Theater System and cable box location out in the cottage, so I got started on it last night. As soon as I started I felt tired and drained of energy. I wanted to move the components to that BIG new audio/TV stand I put in place under the TV a few months ago. There's plenty of space for a lot more pieces on this stand compared to the last one.

After 10 minutes or so, I had moved the couch back away from the TV. I planted my butt down and rested for 15 min. while watching some TV in a relaxed atmosphere. I couldn't fall asleep but I did get recharged somewhat. I then started to unload unused electronic pieces and nick-knacks from the audio stand. I cleaned things as I pulled them off the stand and put them elsewhere.

It was 2:15am or so when I got to where I needed to start making room under the TV and then take the big Yamaha receiver, the Pioneer Elite Blue-ray player and cable box and relocate them under the TV somewhere.

That was enough effort put forth for this new project.



















I'll check out that surround sound rear speakers low volumes issue soon too.

Tony M

duh.....
21st century.

CH46E

We need to have a talk Tony!

Tony M

There was a run on used Infinity's a few years ago. I think I was the only one buying them and re-foaming their woofers for experience. I have these hiding in the front right corner for now. I liked how these sounded too. Well one pr. are Part's Express moded by the previous owner. They do sound amazing though.

But the bottom right set. I think they have the octagon mids. in them. I'll look for a grill off picture for a few minutes before I go back out and decide what I'm going to do with what I'm knee-deep into now.




Nope, the octagon mids are in the model to the left with the broken grill. Those are the Qa's I believe. Like the one big pair up on the shelf with the Qb's. Now for the Infinity GEMs...

I think they are Monitor 1's.







They are unfortunately buried at the moment.

Tony M

Did some serious relocation moves last night.

Tony M

Did a little more;

Then I enjoyed an hour long listening session going through FM stations and then a Chris Isaak CD.