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Author Topic: Drive in theater speakers  (Read 23012 times)
Ken Layton
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« on: November 13, 2009, 02:25:24 PM »
Some people are collecting drivein theater speakers and junction boxes. Here are a couple of pictures showing the RCA speakers along with the RCA "Old Style" junction box. These date around 1948.

* RCA Speakers & box.jpg (46.26 KB, 600x467 - viewed 749 times.)

* RCA speaker 1.jpg (27.6 KB, 250x480 - viewed 648 times.)
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Ken Layton
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« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2009, 04:53:10 PM »
SPECO (Systems & Products Engineering Company) formerly known as Drive-in Theater Manufacturing Company is still the world's largest drive-in theater speaker manufacturer and parts supplier.

http://www.speco-usa.com/SiteResources/Data/Templates/homepage.asp?docid=514&DocName=Home%202

They make (under license) reproduction RCA drive-in theater speakers from original RCA molds. Speco supplies repair/replacement parts for many other brands of drive-in theater speakers such as Eprad and Koropp. However, they do not sell to end users. You have to purchase through your local theater equipment dealer. In my area that would be McRae Theatre Equipment in Seattle, Washington or American Cinema Equipment in Portland, Oregon.

Many drive-in theater speakers were held together with tamperproof screws such as the "Gulmite" head and "Holt" head. Speco still has some of those special screwdrivers for those kind of screws.

* Eprad speaker.jpg (19.6 KB, 348x400 - viewed 746 times.)

* Koropp speaker.jpg (29.75 KB, 266x284 - viewed 4928 times.)
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Jimise
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« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2009, 03:32:10 PM »
Hey Ken, What can ya tell me about these speakers??  Thanks!

* DCP03710.JPG (221.38 KB, 1152x864 - viewed 706 times.)

* DCP03711.JPG (235.32 KB, 1152x864 - viewed 656 times.)
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Jimise
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« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2009, 04:34:09 PM »
Here is the RCA knockoff

* DCP03712.JPG (233.18 KB, 1152x864 - viewed 731 times.)
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Ken Layton
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« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2009, 09:49:47 PM »
Quote from: jimise on November 14, 2009, 03:32:10 PM
Hey Ken, What can ya tell me about these speakers??  Thanks!


Those are Reed speakers. Manuals/parts lists at www.film-tech.com -> Manuals -> Drivein Equipment.

That website disables direct links. There are other drivein speaker manuals there too.

Download the SPECO, Projected Sound, Eprad, and REED manuals there.
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Ken Layton
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« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2009, 09:52:11 PM »
Quote from: jimise on November 14, 2009, 04:34:09 PM
Here is the RCA knockoff

In SPECO's manufacturing agreement with RCA they had to remove RCA's famous "meatball" logo from the reproduction castings and replace it with SPECO's "Drive-ins" logo. Funny but that agreement did not apply to the logo on the plastic volume knobs!
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Jimise
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« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2009, 02:12:27 AM »
Quote from: Ken Layton on November 14, 2009, 09:52:11 PM
Quote from: jimise on November 14, 2009, 04:34:09 PM
Here is the RCA knockoff

In SPECO's manufacturing agreement with RCA they had to remove RCA's famous "meatball" logo from the reproduction castings and replace it with SPECO's "Drive-ins" logo. Funny but that agreement did not apply to the logo on the plastic volume knobs!
Yes I noticed the RCA on the knobs too  Scratch Head
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Ken Layton
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« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2009, 04:06:34 PM »
Reed speakers frequently were held together with "HOLT" head theftproof screws. Depending on the age of a particular Reed speaker, it may have had a 3 slot holt head or a 4 slot holt head. Both of those require different Holt head screwdrivers to take out the screws. Towards the end of the run for Reed spaekers, they were using Phillips head stainless steel screws.

RCA and Projected Sound liked to use the 4 slot Holt head screws. Eprad and Speco (Drive-in Theater Mfg) liked to use the Gulmite head. Eprad used the #10 Gulmite while Speco used the #8 Gulmite. Again, these required seperate special screwdrivers.

Holt heads were really hard to get out even with only the slightest corrosion of the screws. The nice thing about the Gulmite heads is that even if the screw was totally corroded the Gulmite screwdriver gripped the screw head like visegrips and easily removed it.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2009, 04:11:50 PM by Ken Layton » Logged
Rick
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« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2012, 11:55:20 AM »
Here is a set of RCA speakers I just finished restoring.
I picked these up from a drive-in theater in Guthrie, OK several years ago.
I'd love to know how old they are?

* _DSC5310.jpg (120.63 KB, 800x1202 - viewed 610 times.)

* _DSC5311.jpg (59.95 KB, 800x532 - viewed 583 times.)
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Rick
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« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2012, 11:56:26 AM »
Here's another pic.

* _DSC5314.jpg (117.7 KB, 800x1202 - viewed 597 times.)
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stayouttadabunker
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« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2012, 11:59:47 AM »
Wow! Don't THOSE ever bring back some memories!
Neat!  yes
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Ken Layton
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« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2012, 03:17:06 AM »
Quote from: Rick on June 22, 2012, 11:55:20 AM
Here is a set of RCA speakers I just finished restoring.
I picked these up from a drive-in theater in Guthrie, OK several years ago.
I'd love to know how old they are?

1948.
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COH2000
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« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2012, 07:30:51 PM »
Hello Ken,
Can you help me with this? I have a single Projected Sound speaker with the 4 slot Holt Head screws.
Do you know what size Holt driver is required and where I can get one?
What brand of junction box was used with the Projected Sound speakers?
« Last Edit: September 10, 2012, 01:01:43 AM by COH2000 » Logged
Ken Layton
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« Reply #13 on: September 27, 2012, 03:12:46 AM »
Speco sells the Holt head screwdrivers. You want the 4 slot #8 size.

http://www.speco-usa.com/SiteResources/Data/Templates/homepage.asp?docid=514&DocName=Home%202

Speco does not sell direct. You have to purchase through your local theater equipment dealer. I've heard of people googling "4 slot holt head screwdriver" and finding some companies selling them.

As to the junction box question, Projected Sound speakers were usually sold as a package deal to be used with Projected Sound junction boxes. However, the speakers can be used with ANY brand of drive in theater junction box. In fact, many drive-in theaters mixed and matched speakers throughout their fields.
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