Did Radio Shack use Altec 405 drivers?
- Thread starter Cowdog
- Start date
Definitely not. Someone on AK pointed out the resemblance, but copying US manufacturers was pretty mainstream with Radio Shack’s Asian suppliers.
Mr. Widget
Site Supporter
They also copied Japanese brands... the Radio Shack ribbon tweeter looked like an exact copy of the JVC ribbon, but it sure didn't sound the same!
re: the OP: umm, yeah, no. 
That said, I still quite like them for "supertweeter" duty (super being relative!).
Now, here's where it gets a little bit complicated. For a short time, Radio Shack (bless 'em) used a different leaf tweeter, much more substantial, in an three way loudspeaker they called the Optimus 400. I had one of these tweeters for a while, scavenged from a (single) dump find Optimus 400 which was in pretty good shape, but sans woofer.
source: 1985 Radio Shack Catalog (pg. 18)
I suspect (??) that this leaf tweeter might've been an actual JVC-made driver... but I don't know, of course.
__________
* another possible example was the "Linaeum tweeter" family that R/S embraced for a while. These bore the Linaeum name, and were thus presumably made by or under license from Lineaum, but reports indicate that they were considerably less robust in construction (and ruggedness "in the field"). My somewhat limited experience with them does lend credence to them being somewhat 'flimsy', although the ones that self-destructed on my watch were elderly (and parts of dump find loudspeakers), so there's that.
It's a little more complicated than that, actually. The "DIY" ribbon (actually, "leaf") tweeter was certainly a dumbed-down ripoff of, homage to, and or OEM variant* of the JVC.
That said, I still quite like them for "supertweeter" duty (super being relative!).
Now, here's where it gets a little bit complicated. For a short time, Radio Shack (bless 'em) used a different leaf tweeter, much more substantial, in an three way loudspeaker they called the Optimus 400. I had one of these tweeters for a while, scavenged from a (single) dump find Optimus 400 which was in pretty good shape, but sans woofer.
source: 1985 Radio Shack Catalog (pg. 18)
I suspect (??) that this leaf tweeter might've been an actual JVC-made driver... but I don't know, of course.
__________
* another possible example was the "Linaeum tweeter" family that R/S embraced for a while. These bore the Linaeum name, and were thus presumably made by or under license from Lineaum, but reports indicate that they were considerably less robust in construction (and ruggedness "in the field"). My somewhat limited experience with them does lend credence to them being somewhat 'flimsy', although the ones that self-destructed on my watch were elderly (and parts of dump find loudspeakers), so there's that.
Mr. Widget
Site Supporter
Yeah, I was thinking of the raw driver they sold. I bought a pair and compared them to the actual JVCs that I had used in several designs. I was disappointed.re: the OP: umm, yeah, no.
It's a little more complicated than that, actually. The "DIY" ribbon (actually, "leaf") tweeter was certainly a dumbed-down ripoff of, homage to, and or OEM variant* of the JVC.
That said, I still quite like them for "supertweeter" duty (super being relative!).
That said, it is quite possible that there may have been a lot of unit to unit variation and I may have gotten a pair of stinkers while you lucked out and got a much better pair.
... or your expectations were/are far higher than mine!
I found a pair... at the dump (derp)... and I was quite pleasantly surprised by them.
I subsequently bought another pair for reserve. Not that I needed them then, or do now, but I am all about option creation.
I will say that I wish I had the chance to hear an intact Optimus 400 (or, even better, a pair of them). It might have been pretty good.
I found a pair... at the dump (derp)... and I was quite pleasantly surprised by them.
I subsequently bought another pair for reserve. Not that I needed them then, or do now, but I am all about option creation.
I will say that I wish I had the chance to hear an intact Optimus 400 (or, even better, a pair of them). It might have been pretty good.
Mr. Widget
Site Supporter
Expectations were pretty high.... or your expectations were/are far higher than mine!
I used the JVCs in several systems during the early '80s. One was a tri-amped system with 12" Dynaudio woofer, 9" Dynaudio midbass, and Audax 1.5" dome mid and the JVC up top... it was a phenomenal system for the era. It replaced a JBL DIY L300.
Their war planes look like western counterparts but that's about it too!
I built and used an Archer analong test meter kit for over 20 years.
It had a nice big easy to read meter too.
Built one of these in high school. Still have it; still works. Not much to go wrong with it!
source: 1973 Radio Shack Catalog pg. 147
I looked just like that kid, too -- except way fatter and scruffier, with different color hair. Otherwise, virtually a twin! 🤦♂️
source: 1973 Radio Shack Catalog pg. 147
I looked just like that kid, too -- except way fatter and scruffier, with different color hair. Otherwise, virtually a twin! 🤦♂️
