Nova 8b Vintage Speaker Review 

Yes it was. I recall all the cool holiday stuff, remote control cars, Tandy computers, electronic chess sets, etc. and then the audio wall of speakers and receivers.

Thanks for watching and adding a comment!

I recall having read about it years ago on AK after reading up on a prior set of Nova 8b's that I owned. Will review it again.

Hopefully so! Thanks for watching.

Thanks Tom!

Well done and congrats! Finding and restoring vintage gear is so rewarding. Welcome to the Realistic fan club! :-)

Hey Dustin! Thanks for watching. I'll probably do a "Favorites" review at some point, but to be honest, I very much like them all. I do tend to lean toward Sansui's, like the 9090, a bit as it has "grunt" and smoothness that is hard to beat.

@@stereoniche Thanks for the reply. I find that very insightful. It’s funny I recently sold a 9090 because I was having some issues with it and I didn’t need the power. But it sure sounded good with Large Advents. I might try a 7070 and see if that could get that sound back. I agree I am fans of them all but I tend to favour Sansui especially my AU 7700. I like the Sansui hi and low boost. Very lush.

I keep an eye out for those Linaeum speakers, I believe they were under the Optimus line. I also recall there were some small RCA bookshelf using the tweeter that were fairly popular.

They made different versions of that tweeter that varied greatly. The ones that were cylindrical shaped that dispersed the sound 360 degrees are the lesser sounding more common ones, used in the Optimus line. The flat ones that fit flush to the front of the cabinet, that disperse the sound to the front only, they seem to be the better proposition. That's the version of the tweeter that the speaker reviewed in the Fi magazine had. The tweeter is very clean and clear, one of the most natural; but best used with something a little bright in the highs, or something with a treble boost control. It can sound too soft otherwise. Linaeum's 360 degree radiating tweeters that they used in some of their own speakers, might be a different animal than the ones Radio Shack used in their Optimus line, and could be better by a good deal.

YES, the smell of audio gear is hard to relay to those that have not experienced it.

Yes, hard to describe but a swell fragrance to a hifi nut like me.@@stereoniche

It will be an interesting little project.

I will check it out!

My pleasure!

Yes, I do use that term as well, on occasion. Thanks for watching!

It is a "love it or hate it" kind of thing, I think, with regard to the grills. :-)

The Advents have not been recapped. They sound great, so planning to leave them alone.

The first generation Mach One speakers are excellent according to owners and reviews I've seen on them.

I've actually not ever tried to find this type of fabric. There are some resellers of fabric for KLH, Advent, etc. on eBay, you might see if they stock anything for the Nova series.

@@stereoniche thank you for your reply 🙏

LOL, they came through in a commanding way too!

I think so as well. If I would stop buying more gear, I could get them going! :-)

a tip off for me was the fact that they sounded little bit better now (from years ago) with the "mid-Hi" switches in the "high" position @@stereoniche

Thanks! It is certainly a hefty beast.

@@stereoniche Love your reviews! Would love to see you review the Realistic STA-2100D in the near future!!!

@@MRMunnerlyn I wish I still had mine as it was in GREAT shape. I'll have to wait until I run across another one though.

The STA-2100/2100D/2000/2000D were all made by Tandy Electronics. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1laZVTI-3JgO9iTXwHc7I0mEpfSqb8O0bREcGWk10oiM/edit?usp=drivesdk

I certainly spent more time in RS than any other store because they were on every corner it seemed. Xmas was fun because they always had every type of RC toy ever made.

I know, it does appeal to some and when you WANT that vintage look, these certainly SCREAM it! :-)

Yeap, seems I did not show the backside. If you want to send me an email to stereoniche@gmail.com I will send you a picture for reference.

I think they were dated at the time they were being sold. :-)

@@stereoniche now understood. Thanks

Hey John. I tend to think that engineers tried to make the best they could with the parameters they were given. Those parameters include a specific price point they are trying to achieve. Sometimes they hit a home run when not expected, most times they don't, but I try not to assume in advance. While I may not like the looks, I am fine giving them their best shot as it is a minimal cost.

​@@stereonicheTrying to be an Optimist, does not mean that you are "Correct" in your "Optimal Assumptions". There have been many companies that choose to produce poor quality goods... and using deceptive processes to try to maximize profits. This isnt anything new... its been happening all throughout the ages. If you hand an Engineer the worst quality drivers... they may build the best box within the Budgeted cost range for them... but no matter how good that box is... its never going to make those speakers sound good / great. In fact, with the box itself.. the worst thing you can do, is have too little of air-volume, for the woofer. That, or using incorrect port tuning. The rest of the box design, only really effects very high end drivers... such as using thinner boxes with different angles, to reduce issues with high frequencies. Or using a special fiber-fill material, to dampen any internal cabinet resonance issues. Ive even seem the use of Lead paneling inside a speaker, to take it to the next level of performance. Obviously, Crossover designs, and the best components used for them.. can also effect the "Signal Clarity". But again... if the Drivers themselves are such low fidelity... then the best crossovers in the world, are not going to matter. And if the woofers are both low fidelity, highly distorting, and short travel / low power handling.. you are going to have both poor dynamic range, as well as musical distortions. So again, the box shapes, and the components, will not make a very notable difference. I once tried to replace a high quality 6.5" driver in a Phillips Woox speaker... with a driver from a Sony boombox speaker. The sound quality with the sony driver installed, was AWFUL, and unbearable, compared to the Original foam rotting drivers (I tried many other drivers too). I did some research into the original woofers that Phillips used for these woox speakers... and it turned out that they used a very High-End Taiwanese company, rather than some ultra cheap low quality Chinese garbage. Additionally, these High Quality drivers were specifically Engineered to have greater overall "Travel" / Excursion... to prevent them from distorting from loud, low, Bass... and of course, being able to deal with Phillips special "long-excursion" passive radiators. In the End, I had to get the original drivers re-foamed... as none of the other +10 boom box drivers that had, could even come close. Anyway... Id guarantee, that RS "Engineers" didnt make any of those drivers. That they were the cheapest drivers that they could find, from some overseas mfg., or from some seedy sweat-shop full of "Illegal" workers. And like most Cheaply made drivers... they likely had Zero engineering in their design. Just some dudes trying to Replicate some other Drivers that they had seen... and using the cheapest materials, and the most cost effective mfg. Anything to shave money, and time... without any real understanding of the Original materials used, and the originals drivers special assembly details. Basically... just dumb luck from trial and error... if they got a decent sound at all out of them.