info on LS-215 speaker

[maddawg308]

I got an old speaker box from Colemans last time I was there. It's labelled as a LS-215 speaker. It's almost exactly like the old LS-3 speakers from WWII, except it's smooth black paint and not crinkly black paint.

Does anyone out there have any information of this old speaker type? I have a couple books covering military radio accessories, including mics, headsets and speakers, but this model is not mentioned.

 

[emmado22]

What size it is?

 

[maddawg308]

It's about 10x10x5. Weighs a good 10 pounds or so. Here's a pics of a similar model on ePay. The seller had it listed as WWII, but it's not, mine has a 1978 contract date on it.

 

[maddawg308]

Anyone? Bueller?

 

[OPCOM]

Generally on unknown speakers:
Take it open and find the speaker terminals on the speaker. Measure it with an Ohm-meter. If it is 10 Ohms or less, than it is an 8 Ohm speaker and can be used as such. beware it might be rated for only 1-2 watts max.

See if there is a transformer or metal can inside the box. If there is, and the two leads from the speaker go to it, then two more leads from the can go to the cord, that would be a 8:600 ohm transformer and the leads from the external cord are the 600 Ohm leads. Sometimes the transformer impedance is higher like 5000 Ohms.

If you want to run it for 8 ohms, just connect to the speaker terminals (once you checked the Ohms there). You ought to disconnect the transformer if it is not being used.

I have never seen one, but it was said by ebay sellers, who lie all the time-

"The transformer in the LS-215 has two taps, 500 and 4000 ohms. This is very handy for use with 600 or 500 ohm outputs (most military receivers and many civilian communications receivers) and with the Hallicrafters receivers that have 5000 ohm outputs."

 

[maddawg308]

Well, I got a few minutes today to play around with the speaker, I took it apart and here's what it looked like inside. After years of sitting in a scrap pile at Coleman's, not only was the inside rust-free and like new, the paper element of the speaker was like new, as was the felt lining of the speaker enclosure! This will probably work.

At the core of the speaker is the LS-446/U loudspeaker assembly, a 600-ohm permanent magnet speaker meant to be used with most of the older radio gear from the 1940s to the 1960s. This looks almost identical to the old LS-3 loudspeakers from the 40s, I think the reason for the new nomenclature is probably an updated audio transformer.

This will be put back together, and to be repainted at a later date to be used in my future ham shack. I don't have a hamshack now, just don't have the space. But slowly I accumulate stuff that I want to put into it, in some future house of mine.

 

[maddawg308]

Here are a couple pics from a LS-3 speaker from WWII for comparison. The speaker looks pretty much the same on the outside, but the internals are updated. Like I said, I believe the new nomenclature is due to an updated audio transformer, mostly.