• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

NAD

Bleecker

Bleecker

Supporting Member
Dec 21, 2006
2,432
4,578
57
Etown NY. USA
#1
Hey all. I hope your day is going well.

A couple weeks ago I replied to a CL ad, drove 2 and half hours and got this big old rig. I'm recently into collecting and this was too much to pass up...or GAS down...or whatever...I just think its cool ok?Lol It's 1972 in VG condition. All original with a bunch of original sales candy including the original sales slip! What's missing? A user manual.
I hooked it back up just like it was when I test drove it. It's not hugely loud, has a cool vintage sound with a P bass. Still on learning curve mode with this thing...

I'm hoping for some answers from the vast collective of experience here on TB.

The speakers are 16 ohm per the plate on one of the speakers (pic). The amp has an ohm switch 2-4-8 (pic) It's on 8 now, which I think is correct, and suppose you could hook at least 2 or maybe 4 more speakers..?
The speakers also have a switch, either music or PA (bad pic). I haven't touched the speaker switch.
What does the speaker switch do? Possibly change the ohms? Maybe a pad of some sort?

Sorry for the flash spots.


IMG_20201121_123515608.jpg
IMG_20201121_133708416.jpg
IMG_20201126_113021547.jpg
IMG_20201126_113258053.jpg
IMG_20201126_113441316.jpg


Thanks and Cheers! Clink Clink!
 
  • Like
Reactions: LowActionHero, Omega Monkey, Riff Ranger and 20 others
#5
What a weirdly wonderful find. I don't know anything about it, but typically a "Music/PA" type switch would be a relatively simple EQ change -- perhaps the PA position is a bit brighter (more HF emphasis) than the Music position. It wouldn't make much sense for it to change the impedance or insert a pad.

This was originally a PA head -- is the grated opening in the top of the cab for some sort of horn?

Edit: Entering 'Uni-Vox 1086' into Google yielded a fair number of pics of the head, and even the schematics, but nothing about the speaker cabs. Is there a model number on one of the speaker cab ID plates?
 
Last edited:
#6
It's a PA system. It would be similar to the Fender PA 100 that came with two column speakers.

"1085/1080 PA Amp ($1,035) - combo w/ 10 tubes, 105 W, 4 channels, 8 inputs, external echo or EQ connection, 4 volumes plus master volume, bas, middle,treble presence reverb w/ footswitch and 2 cabinets of 4 15" Univox speakers plus 12 high frequency hons w/ crossovers, for 2 cabinets. 1080 is the model for the amp alone."

Here's a similar one that came with 4-12 speakers.

univox1.jpg


Apparently the amps were designed by Kenny and Tony Frank who also did a lot of work for Marshall.

Apparently your amp is from 1971.

I have a Fender PA 100 that I love. I modded it for varying input resistance on the four channels. Thus, each channel is "hotter" than the last. You can also run a cable from one input to another to cascade them. Be careful though. Those 70s speakers won't handle a ton of power/volume.

If it were me, I would a) run the head through some modern speakers cabs or b) measure the inside dimension and call US Speaker to see if there are modern drivers that would work well with the cabs. Short version: The speakers will be the weakest link in this chain by far.
 
  • Like
Reactions: laughing house, Riff Ranger, mikewalker and 1 other person
#9
two fingers said:
It's a PA system. It would be similar to the Fender PA 100 that came with two column speakers.

"1085/1080 PA Amp ($1,035) - combo w/ 10 tubes, 105 W, 4 channels, 8 inputs, external echo or EQ connection, 4 volumes plus master volume, bas, middle,treble presence reverb w/ footswitch and 2 cabinets of 4 15" Univox speakers plus 12 high frequency hons w/ crossovers, for 2 cabinets. 1080 is the model for the amp alone."

Here's a similar one that came with 4-12 speakers.

View attachment 4067874

Apparently the amps were designed by Kenny and Tony Frank who also did a lot of work for Marshall.

Apparently your amp is from 1971.

I have a Fender PA 100 that I love. I modded it for varying input resistance on the four channels. Thus, each channel is "hotter" than the last. You can also run a cable from one input to another to cascade them. Be careful though. Those 70s speakers won't handle a ton of power/volume.

If it were me, I would a) run the head through some modern speakers cabs or b) measure the inside dimension and call US Speaker to see if there are modern drivers that would work well with the cabs. Short version: The speakers will be the weakest link in this chain by far.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info and suggestions. I've been considering checking it out with other cabs.

Cheers!
 
#12
Perusing the brochure page that @two fingers posted, I see that the four 12" speakers in the PA "Pillars" had 1" voice coils and 11-oz ceramic (!) magnets -- so not especially potent. That adds up -- each of those cabs was rated for 60 watts, or 15 watts per driver. As cool as the 100-watt tube head may have been, those would have been pretty dismal speakers, even given the limitations of the era. Maybe the 15s in these cabs are a little stouter but replacing them with something modern would definitely up their game considerably.
 
  • Like
Reactions: two fingers and Bleecker
#16
Redbrangus said:
I saw one on-line description of the cab that stated it had 6 horns -- is that what the grated appearance is, 6 individual horn mouths?
Click to expand...

Yes, the "grates" are six vertically oriented HF horns, probably relatively early versions of piezo drivers. If you zoom the pic, you can see the throats.

The music/pa "switch" is just a trim pad for the HF level, so you could play guitar or bass through it (at reasonable levels) without inducing microphonic pickup squeal or unduly harsh response.

Very cool find, @Bleecker , but unfortunately you'll find it lacking as a bass rig. As others have pointed out, the LF drivers are probably ready to turn to dust with any large LF output.
On the bright side, the cabs appear to be of simple enough design that finding suitable modern LF replacements, once you've measured interior and port dimensions, shouldn't be too troublesome. Best of luck! :thumbsup:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bleecker

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back