My first trip to an auction house (the misses is not amused!)

[daws0n]

Curiousity got the better of me, and I just had to have these at a local auction house today:

I hadn't quite fathomed how bloody massive they are before put them up against my resident speakers!

The back just says "Profile Model 10 / 8 ohm / Made In England"... Does anyone know *anything* about them? Googling has brought up very little, bar the name "Peter Marshall" and "South London"... I'm guessing they're late 70's /early 80's vintage, someone over on WHF reckons they were a grands worth when new.

The cabinets are quality veneer and damn heavy - overall condition is fairly good, but I think the midrange drivers have been replaced on both speakers... I'm guessing due to foam rot.

Sadly, I haven't the time to get them singing tonight so I'm crossing my fingers they're working OK.

 

[davidcotton]

How much were they then?

 

[Guest]

How much were they then?

Implying he paid for them :shock: .Please let it be peanuts

 

[bandit pilot]

They look a bit B&O to me. The treble is SEAS.

 

[It Cost How Much!?!]

Have you put them on concrete blocks yet?

 

[Guest]

Oh well done sir.

 

[Chumpy]

Enjoy the pleasures of chance.

 

[jkbmusic]

I used to go to auctions, but its too easy to get carried away buying things simply because they are so cheap. I have boxes of stuff in loft to prove it :doh: . I often look at bits of Hifi on eBay and Gumtree. I have to have a reality check, otherwise my house would turn into one of those houses on TV about world worst hoarder. As for the Missus not being amused, what do they know? Always the source of reason when you don't want them to be :hug: .

 

[kneesup]

Ah yes. What will happen is that it'll soon become apparent that breaking them for spares will make far more financial sense unless for some crazy reason they happen to sound fantastic. Always worth a punt. Done it myself. Anyone want my Bose 601 Series 1s, for example...? Fab speakers but in need of tlc. Impulse buy... see? Thought they were cool... They are cool. And sound great. But are worth... a tank of diesel.

Until then, Seas tweeters they are... If they are H254s, Dawson, and they work, PM me. You'll probably be quids-in.

 

[craigmclellan]

They look good!

kneesup - let me look up the Bose 601s. I like Bose stuff, just not at the RRP.

 

[daws0n]

They are good!

Good news is, all working - I've got them rigged up with an old Sony Esprit amp, some van damme cable and a cackaracka philips dvd player and first impressions are promising... They a sound a bit flat (perhaps due to being sat on the floor) but crouching down so they're at ear level they do throw a very big sound room filling sound (not surprising really given the huge size). Not sure what to make of the driver configuration (big woofer and tiny mid range) but all in all it's decent stuff, the tweeters are very detailed too. Playing with the tone controls that woofer has some serious clout behind it with some double bass, not an easy feat from a sealed cab IME.

Unfortunately way too living room unfriendly to consider keepers though - so I don't think I can keep them long term, better have fun while I can

 

[bandit pilot]

I've got a feeling that Profile 10 is a model number and not a Manufacturer. I'm pretty sure I've seen these somewhere before, but can't put my finger on it.

 

[daws0n]

Even better

 

[Fatmarley]

Not sure what to make of the driver configuration (big woofer and tiny mid range)

Nothing wrong with the driver configuration. The fact that the mid/tweets are offset means someone's most likely put sound quality before looks. Could be a very good pair of speakers.

You should see what they sound like with some good electronics - you never know, you may be surprised...

 

[daws0n]

To be fair the esprit is no slouch but my expo pre powers walk all over it... I didn't want to wire them up to my system right away incase they were knackered. I might aswell give it ago now they're up and running.

Sadly the binding posts are a bit shyte and are too small to take 2.5mm multistrand! Maybe 'nanas will be a better fit

 

[hearingisbelieving]

Also remember to try swapping the speakers over so the tweets and mids are on the outside - it may improve things - then again it may not but no harm in trying.

 

[daws0n]

Good idea - will give that a try.

Plugged them into the main system for a proper go - sound for pound I think I've won the lottery! They're a little of their time so the midrange is their best quality... and boy do they do it well. Very capable and solid, even turned up loud the cabinets barely resonate despite being on such puny stands - seriously chuffed.

 

[hearingisbelieving]

Good stuff - glad you like 'em!

If they are of the vintage you suspect - 70s/80s - then they would benefit hugely from having the caps in the crossovers replaced. Don't have to be anything fancy but putting some fresh caps in there could be a cheap way of improving the sound dramatically. http://www.hificollective.co.uk/components/mcap_bipolar.html to give you an idea of prices for good quality but foo-free caps.

 

[daws0n]

Good idea - if I can *somehow* keep I will certainly look into that!