Inside and Out of the Cerwin Vega 417R Vintage Loudspeaker

Just a somewhat detailed specs video. I explain the different components of this 417R and other details of these great vintage HiFi speaker systems.

[@reremaker]

That speaker reminds of the model 504R i had many years ago. So powerful that my neighbours didn´t talk to me in years.

[@maryward613]

I bought my 417R's when I was 18 years old, I'm 66 now! Still have them and like in this video CerwinVega fixed my woofers. They still are great speakers! I'll pass them onto my kids along with my Sansui 9090.

[@SavingVegas]

That's a heck of a vintage system. The Sansui 9090 is very desirable unit.

[@carlschroeder6811]

I have a pair of 417R's since new in 1977 and have had them re-coned once by Cerwin Vega, I have the stamped steel basket woofer number 154W, not the cast basket, which is the 15W4. The ones you have are the proper cones for the 154W, the 15W4 has the curved cone. I was working them really hard a while back and my amp shorted a channel and sent 90VDC through one of them, melting a woofer coil, the rear tweeter and crossover inductor, Thankfully I had a temporary set of 15W4's in them instead of my re-coned 154W's so I swapped them out and the only other speaker I roasted was that rear tweeter. Good info on the super tweeter (on right side by the way), am so happy I didn't roast one of them or a mid-range. PS, I sure would like to purchase one of your old used rear tweeter inductor coils that you swapped out.

[@The-Only-Gubby]

the 417R is made with both the closed MF-61 and the open MF-61. the one that have the open have a ligle wooden champer in the cabinet.

[@carmanwilcox5630]

Great Video... Clearly, you have a real eye for detail. I'm impressed!

[@jaybaren4965]

Thank you for this video!!!! I have a pair and this explained quite a bit about them

[@SavingVegas]

Glad I could help!

[@lbudt29]

Sounds smooth, and the tweeters do a good job for the highs and ambience.

[@SavingVegas]

For being 50 years old they sound pretty good. Pots are an issue, little scratchy and some dead spots. Should clear up after I clean them up hopefully.

[@choronzo202]

You got the wiring correct that’s for sure. I just checked some old schematics. The 316r for instance is wired the same. That closed and coated version of MF61 is reversed and color coding is correct also. Looking forward to the rest of this series! I have a pair of S2 that are playing and looking good, but there is a distortion coming from one of the MF61s. Not sure why yet. This would be the open uncoated version. It releases sound backwards also. In addition to the rear horn. So, I think I must find the time to redo the crossover. Perhaps the distortion comes from bad parts.

[@davidcarper5411]

Proper corner placement enhances the bass. As well as being on stands. I have 221r pair now.

[@mleon77]

Most definitely ❤❤❤❤❤

[@edwardbalowski6572]

ahhhhh,cerwin vegas and loud rock music.

[@SegoMan]

Ram Jam played on CV's launch a 46 year DJ gig for me, I now have a 12 pack of pro series and can push about 10 kw's.

[@darkirondiesel]

good video buddy

[@scunty7423]

Beauty speakers. What are you going to put on the wood to make them look like they should? I’ve got a pair of Klipsch Chrous 1 and I’ve been looking for something to use to protect the wood finish.

[@michaelbauers8800]

How do those things get 103 dB sensitivity, without some sort of horn? Just curious if anyone knows.

[@redbull9554]

Hey bro, been checking out your channel over the past month. On other audio based channels (that turn their nose up at CV’s) they show viewer’s home systems. It amazes me that people put $10K plus systems with speakers 3 to 4 times the size of any CV’s in such crowded smallish rooms. Why bother spending that much to cram into such small spaces. Anyway, ever think about viewer pics of their listing environments. I would like to see what other people have done with their CV’s and what they use to drive them. Love the channel, keep it up!

[@SavingVegas]

Would be something to consider. Cerwin Vega's seem to be a speaker that you can't just own one set and a lot of people run multiple sets at once so there would be a lot of cool setups out there.

[@kimallen5068]

On my U-351 mid range the black negative wire goes to the positive and the yellow positive wire goes the negative? Is that correct?

[@tuckertastictk]

My dad used to own a pair of 317p's. They looked the same as these except they did not have the cone midrange, just two horns in the front and one in the back. Unfortunately he got rid of them before I was born so I was never able to hear them.

[@choronzo202]

And by the way, regarding the tweeters. They were both used on the 417R. The HS-5 uses a phasing plug with a little longer throat. HO-5 is shorter and you can see the dome as there is not phasing plug. The HO-5 is used from 12,000 Hz up for more extended highs than the HS-5. This is quoted from the old cerwin vega forum by a former cv employee.

[@SavingVegas]

Is that not what I said in the video? Plus the problem is I have seen a HS-5 and HO-5 marked on the back of the longer throat tweeter.

[@choronzo202]

@@SavingVegas Yes you did! Just confirming with my own research. Well, inconsistent was pretty much what they went with back then. Quality control almost didn’t exist. I have different type woofers in an original never opened before pair of R12 for instance.

[@SavingVegas]

This is true yes. I found it wasn't tell mid to late 80's tell they were a bit more consistent. Took me a bit of digging to get it all figured out. Thanks to some knowledgeable people out there with experience with these speakers I was able to come up with the info needed.

[@danmartin8806]

I sold my AT15 speakers and need your advice on which speaker by cv would sould great and be cost efficient.I dont need as big a speaker,but not a bookshelf model.I currently have a pair of Marantz imperial 7 speakers but am not satisfied with the sound.....please help.

[@kimallen5068]

I have HED U-351 that I bought new in 1980. Could someone tell when the U-351 were built? I could have bought them in 1979.

[@danmartin8806]

Could you do a video on the correct wiring on a cv AT15 please? Icant get hardly any sound from them,not having a preamp or power amp hooked up to them.I just ordered a power amp,2000 watts, that I hope will solve my problem. I am not knologable when it comes to wiring.

[@SavingVegas]

What kind of amplifier are you running them with?

[@danmartin8806]

@@SavingVegas music 2000

[@SavingVegas]

The Musysic 2000 watt?

[@williamvaughan1218]

I have a pair of cerwin vega speakers very similar to those but one of them has a melted inductor coil on the crosover. I think one of the capacitors shorted and now all the midrange and tweeters do not work. Trying to find information to repair it.

[@SavingVegas]

Do you know the model number? If I knew what model of CV you have I may be able to help you.

[@williamvaughan1218]

@@SavingVegas all there if for identification is partial stickers on the back one is #-040315 under that it says made in America and below that cerwin-Vega. I think though it's a partial serial number because the other identical speaker has a different number both speakers the tag is missing the numerals befor the dash

[@williamvaughan1218]

@@SavingVegas I uploaded a short video of the speaker. Will upload another one showing the damaged crossover coil. I ohms tested the rear facing mid and it's a open circuit.

[@stevewilliams3572]

Where did you find them.?those are good cabinets.

[@SavingVegas]

I found the help wanted ad the owner posted on a local buy and sell website. He was looking for someone to fix them up for him.

[@ronbradshaw7404]

Those tweeters are all Foster's ( Fostex). They probably made Gazillionsss of them!.

[@SavingVegas]

Yes they did make lots of them but not as many of the short versions without the phase plug.

[@ShieldArc200]

A DB-10 should be used.

[@910rick]

Omg 20 bucks …

[@SavingVegas]

Heck of a deal hey? I never seem to find the great deals like that.

[@tommycarl2353]

My brother has a pair that he bought new and he still rocks them with Adcom GFA 565 Monoblock's. soon I'm going to bring my Krell amp to really punish them. The newer cerwins sound like crap and the company defiantly went downhill with quality.

[@ShieldArc200]

And he found out sissy B&W's can't hold a candle to CV's LOL

[@malcolmbliss777]

I love CW so much more than the speakers that color the sound. Like Bose. 🤮 Yuck.