| CTS speakers [message #4718] |
Fri, 20 August 2004 13:55  |
voided3
Messages: 200
Registered: July 2004
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Senior Member |
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Hello. I was wondering, where can I get a hold of some old 15" 16 ohm CTS speakers as used in Kustom and some Fender amps? Thanks!
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| Re: CTS speakers [message #5108 is a reply to message #4718] |
Sat, 20 November 2004 09:20  |
stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
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Senior Member |
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When CTS went out ,companys like Kustom and ampeg who relied on that square 54oz magnet style speaker for the sound of their portaflex amps that where the main stay in recording records in this country back then, turned to Eminence for a speaker.Eminence made a perfect copy, probibly due to the fact that the engineer who started eminence use to work for CTS.Eminence does not make a square type magnet speaker any longer, but any bass speaker that they do make with around a 54 ounce magnet, a steel, not cast frame, and a responce that goes to about 4000 cycles would replicate the original CTS well. The original CTSs would have been good for about 60 watts and as far as t/s specs go, a new Eminence would have better specs, a higher SPL rating and handle atleast 150 watts.
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| Re: CTS speakers [message #5111 is a reply to message #4718] |
Sat, 20 November 2004 16:35 |
voided3
Messages: 200
Registered: July 2004
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Senior Member |
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Hello. Really? Only 60 watts? That's a little disappointing haha. Judging by the specs, is an Eminence Delta-15B (16 ohm) or Delta-15A (8 ohm) a good high-power replacement option then should any unrepairable problems with my speakers come along?
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&PartNumber =290-419&DID=7
Are there any mods that can be done to the original CTS speakers that can give them a boost? They seem to have pretty small voice coils in them, but if you replaced them with one of heavier gauge wire, would that boost the power handling capability (if possible without a recone)? Also, I noticed that the magnets are bolted on and that there is one bolt directly in the center. Would removing that center bolt allow the voice coil to vent out better or just make the magnet fall off? Then again, it would probably be a better option in the long run just to opt for different speakers that were built to take higher wattage, but I really like the sound of the CTS speakers a lot. I guess i'm just a little power hungry, even though i'm not using any huge bass heads with my speakers (i'm using a K200-B6 and an Ampeg SS140C stereo guitar head; i'm using the power amp input on the amp with a separate preamp, and the amp only puts out 70 watts at 8 ohms per side). Has anyone ever done a side by side comparison of new Eminence speakers with the old CTS with the same amp? I'd be curious as to how that sounds. Anyway, thanks for the info!
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| Re: CTS speakers [message #5115 is a reply to message #5111] |
Mon, 22 November 2004 08:13 |
C4ster
Messages: 686
Registered: June 2001
Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee...
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Senior Member |
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The only way to modify the voice coil of a speaker is to have the speaker reconed. The outer edge of the speaker and the spider around the voice coil are glued onto the frame and the cone and voice coil need to be cut out, literally, and replaced with a new one. Now here comes the next problem. The gap the voice coil sits in is a set distance and cannot be altered. Only the proper size voice coil will fit. Even if you got the proper diameter, the larger wire might interfere in the gap and rub against the magnet structure. Also, the larger wire would be heavier and slow the voice coil down, causing the speaker to loose frequency response. For example, a JBL E130 with an aluminum voice coil, has a frequency response of 40-6000 Hz. A JBL E140, which has the exact same magnet and basket, has a copper voice coil and its frequency response is 30 to 2500 Hz. The power handling of the E140 is more, 200 RMS, 400 Peak to 150 RMS, 300 peak with a lower frequency response. Speaker alteration is best left to professionals who know what will fit and what won't.
Conrad
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| Re: CTS speakers [message #5513 is a reply to message #5163] |
Wed, 23 February 2005 10:55 |
Smoke1
Messages: 107
Registered: September 2003
Location: Southern Maryland Solomon...
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Senior Member |
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Is it correct that CTS stands for Chicago Telephone System? 
Smoke1 Plays Kustom Amps & Old Tube Amps Loud in S. Maryland
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| Re: CTS speakers [message #5521 is a reply to message #5515] |
Thu, 24 February 2005 06:59 |
Smoke1
Messages: 107
Registered: September 2003
Location: Southern Maryland Solomon...
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Senior Member |
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Maybe This is IT??? Chicago Telephone Supply ???
Smoke1 Plays Kustom Amps & Old Tube Amps Loud in S. Maryland
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| Re: CTS speakers [message #5574 is a reply to message #5565] |
Mon, 07 March 2005 23:20 |
BC
Messages: 583
Registered: March 2000
Location: Kentucky
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Senior Member |
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CTS was making speakers in Paducah, KY ...near my home in the 60s and 70s. I do not know if they had other plants. When we met Bud in 2000 and I told him where I was from he immediately said "CTS speakers". There is a small speaker place out in the sticks called Creedence speakers but it is almost impossible to talk to anyone there. Every time you call to speak to someone you are told....."he is in a meeting" If this is true...it is no wonder you never hear of them because they are always meeting and never doing anything else! These were supposed to be some of the CTS folks that also went out on their own.....or that is the local story. BC
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| Re: CTS speakers [message #5579 is a reply to message #5575] |
Tue, 08 March 2005 22:37 |
BC
Messages: 583
Registered: March 2000
Location: Kentucky
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Senior Member |
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I just called a guy whose father worked at CTS in Paducah.....he thinks the Paducah location shut down in 77 or 78. He said the operation was moved to Matamoros, Mexico near Brownsville, TX about that time.
The old CTS building is being used as a warehouse last I heard. I was in the buiding in the early 80s and some guy had three new 76 Cadillac Eldorados stored in one section of it. Maybe I should drive by and get some pics for posterity! BC
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| Re: CTS speakers [message #5582 is a reply to message #5579] |
Wed, 09 March 2005 17:42 |
QModer
Messages: 413
Registered: June 2003
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Senior Member |
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Thats strange that its still there. But I guess there are lots of locked up factories. I have seen a lot of those locked and chained places in Memphis near the quarter mile track. Lots of lives were lived there. Wonder why CTS would ever go out of business anyway. They were sure good speakers. It would be cool if you could put up some pics of it BC.
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