Auratone DIY

[Rowboat]

I found these! Interestingly, they're used as replacement drivers in Bose 901's - and are a drop-in fit for 5c cabs. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Whoops]

I never tried those ones but they will work nice for sure.

You also have other options,
one of the original speakers in Auratone 5C was the CTS SR10B the exact same CTS driver that was found in the original Bose 901's from 67' to 76'.
You can still find these speakers all the time in Ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265413276781?hash=item3dcbdd346d:g:AI8AAOSwfP5hl-uV
Another speaker that was used in the original Auratones 5C was the
Pioneer A11EC80-02F, this speaker is no longer in production but there's a good replacement from GRS, it's the GRS 4FR-8, which actually looks the same as the speaker you posted:

https://www.soundimports.eu/en/grs-...pMijY_f9UEVrYHOuBYJ_bzE_IdYDVBvxoCiDYQAvD_BwE
https://www.amazon.com/GRS-Full-Range-Speaker-Pioneer-A11EC80-02F/dp/B00DVO1OYS

 

[Rowboat]

Hey, great feedback there! Thank you for the info on GRS 4FR-8 - I see Parts Express stocks them. Believe they're rated 15 watts RMS/40 peak. I spotted a few grizzles about low SPL, smaller magnets than the Pioneer.. somebody will always grumble.

 

[MicMaven]

I finished them last night! My amp is arriving today so I have yet to test them, but I think the build went well. Sadly I opted for white because I already had a can of white cabinet (melamine) paint in the closet. (With COVID surging where I am I decided not to risk an unnecessary trip to the store just for pink paint.) Anyhoo, here are some pics. I’ll post another update once I actually get to hear them.

Nicely done. I like the creamy off white paint which gives it a certain "Je ne sais quoi" modern/old scool charm.

I am curious whether the drivers could be mounted inside the cabinets, with hidden hardware, and whether the speakers allow for that sort of mounting alternative? Is there an audible or aesthetic advantage to mounting them on the outside? (NOT being critical ... just curious as I contemplate a similar build for a pair of 4 inch speakers for my ham radio transceiver. )

Thanks. Nice job. James

 

[DaveP]

I selected the Maplin originally because it had the closest fit to the original frequency response, you can do the same with the ones in your list.

Best
DaveP

 

[MikelLikesIt]

I never tried those ones but they will work nice for sure.

You also have other options,
one of the original speakers in Auratone 5C was the CTS SR10B the exact same CTS driver that was found in the original Bose 901's from 67' to 76'.
You can still find these speakers all the time in Ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265413276781?hash=item3dcbdd346d:g:AI8AAOSwfP5hl-uV
Another speaker that was used in the original Auratones 5C was the
Pioneer A11EC80-02F, this speaker is no longer in production but there's a good replacement from GRS, it's the GRS 4FR-8, which actually looks the same as the speaker you posted:

https://www.soundimports.eu/en/grs-...pMijY_f9UEVrYHOuBYJ_bzE_IdYDVBvxoCiDYQAvD_BwE
https://www.amazon.com/GRS-Full-Range-Speaker-Pioneer-A11EC80-02F/dp/B00DVO1OYS

Home. Its available on PE. I used the Pioneer when I made mine in the ‘80s.

 

[Rowboat]

Home. Its available on PE. I used the Pioneer when I made mine in the ‘80s.

pretty much identical, I'd say - same factory, different sticker

 

[Rowboat]

I'm giving the GRS 4-FR8 a shot. The spec offered on PE is coherent, and they're $USD10 less apiece than those from Simply Speakers. I'm not counting MDF as an expense, because I can use scraps from work. All up, under fifty bucks for hardware. I'm sure I could just make them 'plop-in' (surface mount), but it appeals to me to set the front baffle back a bit from the cabinet's face edge, and rout a dimensioned recess in which to seat the driver. I'll do a mockup with painted MDF and see how they perform. If they're acceptable, it won't hurt me to use better-quality banana/binding terminal cups and veneer the cabs on the next pair.

 

[Whoops]

I'm giving the GRS 4-FR8 a shot. The spec offered on PE is coherent, and they're $USD10 less apiece than those from Simply Speakers.

It’s a good speaker, really well made and sounds great for “these duties”

 

[Rowboat]

It’s a good speaker, really well made and sounds great for “these duties”

Indeed.. for 'these distasteful duties'

 

[Rowboat]

Nicely done. I like the creamy off white paint which gives it a certain "Je ne sais quoi" modern/old scool charm.

I am curious whether the drivers could be mounted inside the cabinets, with hidden hardware, and whether the speakers allow for that sort of mounting alternative? Is there an audible or aesthetic advantage to mounting them on the outside? (NOT being critical ... just curious as I contemplate a similar build for a pair of 4 inch speakers for my ham radio transceiver. )

Thanks. Nice job. James

Hi James.
Aesthetics aside, if you mount the drivers to the rear of the baffle it will change the cab's internal volume somewhat, and probably interfere a bit with internal reflections (by positioning the rear of the magnet closer to the rear panel).

If you're determined to rear mount, it would pay to radius the forward edge of the speaker cutout with a roundover bit. That should quell unwanted edge reflections.

Why not use a rabbeting bit fitted with a guide bearing to mill a shallow recess, to flush-mount the driver?

I'm using ¾" MDF for the baffle for this reason.

Other things noted:
There's no mechanically sound reason to join the panels with dowels, or to add the four ¾x¾ glueblocks shown in Dave's clone. Pointless extra step.

Using small (lamello-type) biscuits is better than dowelling the butt joints. Alternately, just glue/pin with a 1½" finish nailer/clamp up.

I have done exactly so to build larger two-way reference monitors - all I did differently was to mill the rear cab edges and removable back panel for a rabbeted flush joint.

That's not needed for horrortones.

Pre-rout the rabbeted recess for the speaker in the baffle after cutting out the hole (easiest if done before cutting the baffle to size), likewise make your hole for rear panel connector cup if using one - glue/shoot/clamp.

It's an idiot-simple tiny box.

 

[MicMaven]

Hi James.


If you're determined to rear mount, it would pay to radius the forward edge of the speaker cutout with a roundover bit. That should quell unwanted edge reflections.

Why not use a rabbeting bit fitted with a guide bearing to mill a shallow recess, to flush-mount the driver?

I'm using ¾" MDF for the baffle for this reason.

Roger All Points - THANK YOU Mr. Rowboat for the further gloss on construction. I agree it may be best to router the front and flush mount to avoid cupping the speaker in a short or shallow tube by mounting from the back. . I appreciate the further comments. James

 

[Rowboat]

Roger All Points - THANK YOU Mr. Rowboat for the further gloss on construction. I agree it may be best to router the front and flush mount to avoid cupping the speaker in a short or shallow tube by mounting from the back. . I appreciate the further comments. James

Obviously easier with a circular basket! The ones I'm using don't have a circular rim, so I'll probably rout the baffle rebates freehand to the line.

 

[Rowboat]

Hi there Whoops,

Pair of GRS 4-FR8 drivers arrived last week along with connector cups and crimp-fit spade connectors to suit.

 

[btyreman]

has anyone compared these to the offical auratone 5c speakers the USA made ones? I'd like to know what the differences are if any. p.s I still have some NOS maplin speakers and finally got round to getting some MDF, but have no amp to power them.

 

[Rowboat]

@btyreman
Getting there - since last post I had to pack and roll with 48hrs notice, so I'm behind schedule.

 

[Whoops]

has anyone compared these to the offical auratone 5c speakers the USA made ones? I'd like to know what the differences are if any. p.s

I'm not sure there's really an "official auratone", bear in mind original Auratone company is long gone, it went bust long time ago.
Nowadays you have different companies using the Auratone name, you have a new company started by the grandson of the original Auratone owner and you also have the Behringer Auratones. There's also a third company that does the Avantone speakers.

All of them use different drivers, so all of them sound different from each other. All drivers used are different than any of the drivers used in original 5C's.

The same as with original Auratone 5C speakers, as Auratone used a lot of different drivers over the years the original 5C's will sound different from each other depending on the speaker used.

 

[Whoops]

I still have some NOS maplin speakers and finally got round to getting some MDF, but have no amp to power them.

You can do it with MDF for sure, just to let you know that original Auratone 5C used Particle Board and not MDF.

As for an amp to power these type of speaker I got this one an it works great:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000164311883.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.4e16194dbAZvrW

 

[Rowboat]

I will buy nothing from aliexpress.

A nice person on Gearspace (used to be Gearslutz) assured the readers that these:
CTS model SR10B
Are 'available all the time' on Ebay.

It's not so. Sold out. I knew that months ago..

 

[abbey road d enfer]

I will buy nothing from aliexpress.

I understand your decision, probably motivated by a former bad experience.
I'm guilty of the same turn of mind. I'll never buy anything from Apple or Sony.
I have bought many things from Ali Express. I've sometimes been disappointed, but in the end the pros dominate the cons.