# My vintage center channel speaker



## mjcmt (Aug 30, 2010)

I just picked up a single Heathkit SS-1 speaker for $20, made in the mid '50s when everything was mono. It uses a Jensen 103/106 horn and Jensen 8" woofer. It sounds pretty amazing and crystal clear. 

I opened it and tested the single cap which has drifted as expected for a 45 year old cap. The cap is labeled 85uf, but I've read it is supposed to be a 2uf paper cap which makes more sense. It tests as 2.66 uf so the crossover point to the horn is off. The 8" woofer runs full range w/o a x-over just like my Altecs. I'm going to rebuild the crossover, rewire w/ Kimber, better binding posts, and refinish the cabinet to match my vintage Altecs.

Here are 2 links on the SS-1:
http://www.heathkit-museum.com/hifi/hvmss-1.shtml
http://members.myactv.net/~je245/vintagebudgetspks.htm

Could this be the center channel and the beginning of a 5.1 system using my '79 Altec Model 15 for L+R?


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
That is quite a score. Congratulations and I hope it brings you many years of joy.
Cheers,
JJ


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## zieglj01 (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks for the pictures (links)


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## BrianAbington (Mar 19, 2008)

I used to have one of those and was considering doing the exact same thing.


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## mjcmt (Aug 30, 2010)

Jungle Jack said:


> Hello,
> That is quite a score. Congratulations and I hope it brings you many years of joy.
> Cheers,
> JJ


Jack,
I've got it apart and I've begun refinishing it today. A $2.50 Solen 2uf Fast Cap for the crossover costs $7 to ship so I may wait a bit to rewire it. Plus I don't have a AVR yet to use this speaker as the center channel so I'm planning for the future anyway. 
I also have an acquaintance who has a Heathkit mono tube amp and mono tube fm tuner from that era, so I may offer it to him if I don't use it in a 5.1 system w/ my Altecs.


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## mjcmt (Aug 30, 2010)

I just refinished the cabinet on my 1955 Heathkit SS-1 2-way speaker (8" Jensen woofer and Jensen horn, both with Alnico magnets). 

I made an acquaintance who had a Heathkit AA-181 mono tube amp and AJ-31 mono tube FM tuner that he had acquired from his father-in-law that he used in his dentist office. The speaker needed to belong together with this mono system, so I gave him the speaker to complete this vintage mono tube system. Obviously he was thrilled, and I feel satisfied to bless him.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Very cool act of generosity, mjcmt. :TT


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## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

Very cool gesture. :T


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