Realistic MC-1800 RestoMod Speakers (Pair)
Mini Mach One! Realistic MC-1800 RestoMod Speakers 8 inch 2 way Horn Loaded Bass Reflex Speaker System. This is really neat retro style throwback to the famous Realistic Mach One Speakers of the 70's. The project started with a pair of 30 year old pair of Realistic MC-1800's that are in very good condition and are now seriously capable little RestoMod Speakers, and the only ones in the world. You can own this custom pair of speakers that are hand built, filmed and documented on my WATT Speakers YouTube channel. The advertised price is reflective of the cost of cabinets, parts and materials for the build, (see below for details), with a negligible markup of 25% margin for my labor.
Basic Info
8 Ohm Nominal System
Aperiodic Vent, Horn Loaded Design
Approximate Calculated Efficiency 97 Db
Approximate Power Handling 200 Watts RMS / 400 Watt Max
Measured in room Frequency Response 70 Hz to 20,000 Hz +/- 10 Db
How Do They Sound?
I was pretty blown away by these little speakers when they were done! They get REALLY loud, and the sound is super clear, highly inteligible in fact. Yup, even I was surprised that a speaker this small can deliver incredibly loud and clear sound. They are tuned to about 70 Hz, but dip down into the 50 Hz range and are perfectly fine without a subwoofer, but sound even better with a subwoofer to supplement from 100 Hz down, gving them a very full bodied, but a clear and precise sound quality.
I personally really enjoy these for listening to music whether at soft or loud volumes. With the sub off and at moderately low volume they are great companions for background music during a workday, or get together. What was quite surprising to me, was that the horn lens does not sound shrill or fatiguing and honestly, on axis in room response is on par with the dome tweeters. The horn started out as a Piezo, but that simply wasn't cutting it for me, so I cut-off that Piezo and mounted a Mylar dome tweeter with a phase plug and waveguide to the throat. It sounds really good suprisingly! The other unique thing about this design is it incorporates a pro style mid-bass driver instead of a woofer. It delivers a tight clear character to anything from vocals to instruments.
To extend the bottom end allowing it to reach deeper bass, I incorporated an aperiodic vent, which is essentially a bass reflex port with foam covering the opening inside the cabinet, which makes it a sort of hybrid between a ported and sealed cabinet, giving it a slight edge for increasing bass efficiency with a smoother roll-off allowing it to reach lower bass notes much sooner, yet maintains that highly transient response of an acoustic suspension design. Pretty cool huh?
These speakers are nice for music, get loud enough to use outside, or they would be perfect for home theater use.
What Went Into This Build?
1/2" MDF Cabinet Construction
Oiled Wood Veneer
Molded Plastic Cloth Covered Grilles
3/4" x 3" Poplar Wood Trim Bracing
Siless 80 mil Foil Covered Butyl Sound Deadner Pads
Renewliner PET Acoustic Insulation, Anti microbial, Hypoallergenic, Hygienic
Dayton Audio MB820-8 8" Professional High Power Midbass Driver
Vital Wave 3" x 9" Wide Dispersion Horn Lens
Facmogu MG-US 3/4" Mylar Diaphragm Tweeter
Electro Mavin TL-280 12db Crossover 2 Way 3500 Hz 300 Watt 8 OHM
Audtek 14/2 and 16/2 CL2 OFC Copper Speaker Wire
Facmogu Gold Plated Terminal Cup 5 Way Binding Post
Goldwood Speaker Cabinet Port Tube 1-3/4" ID x 4" L
Aperiodic Vent Bass Reflex Port Tuned to 71 Hz Fb
Check Out This Build on YouTube
Build Cost
Cabinets $30.00
Bracing $5.00
Insulation $10.99
Sound Deadener $29.11
Crossovers $26.68
Wiring $2.50
Woofers $89.96
Tweeters $55.42
Terminal Cups $10.05
Ports $4.28
Grand Total $263.99
Size and Weight
Height = 15-3/4"
Width = 10-7/8"
Depth = 7-3/4"
Weight = 18.5 Lbs each
Shipping Info
Local Pick-Up and Delivery or Ship in USA
These are some hefty little speakers. You can take advantage of local pick-up or delivery, or I can ship in the continental US.