Videotone's Minimax Mini Monitor - the Eastern Bloc's Answer to the BBC LS3/5a!

[@mikehardcastle8618]

You bought your Minimax's from my Dad, Cliff Hardcastle, who formed Videotone a division of Perdix Components Ltd, eventually floating as Densitron International PLC after a trip to Hungary where he got a factory tour of Videoton, a state run Electronics company. My Dad got the rights to import products from the company into the west. The first product was the Minimax and we later went on to import their computers. I also remember Harrogate was the main launch pad for the product. At the time the VAT rate was about to increase and many people wanted to buy the speakers before this. My Dad’s company had limited supplies so he offered to take orders and payments upfront and deliver the products once shipments had arrived from the factory. My Dad is sadly in a care home with Alzheimer’s and I have limited knowledge, being a child at the time, so thank you for giving some background.

[@jeffstockton534]

Tremendous.

[@veraluxmundi2032]

How I loved these speakers with their delicious paper cone tweeters and rubbery bass - they sounded so right. ❤

[@richardcrook2112]

I think the paper cone tweeter ones have a crossover which sends some of the upper mid range to the tweeter giving it that distinct sound.

[@trevorbartram5473]

I heard them at a UK Hi-Fi show in the late 70s. The demo schtick was to place them on top a big monitor (IMF or somesuch) and ask the audience which was playing! A little later a magazine had a too good to refuse offer on them. I mounted them in the corners of my tiny 8x12 bedroom, repurposed a home built Linsley-Hood amp & Connoisseur BD1 turntable / SME 3009 arm / Shure M95ED cartridge. A blew the bass unit on one, the importer sent a replacement driver. I used them for five years, I believe I gave the Videotons away before moving to the US. Good times!!

[@Hi-FiRiff]

Great story Trevor. I can imagine that happening. Mike

[@robertleitch2016]

What a delight! Takes me back to more innocent times. My first introduction to the Minimax was through a Hi-Fi Answers system test around mid-1975, where the - then completely unknown - Videotons were matched with a Goldring G102, Stanton cartridge and Amstrad 5050 receiver (which was taken quite seriously). Total cost probably sub-£150. A couple of years later the Minimaxes were well on their way to cult status, and HFA carried two articles by Shane White, and a fellow called Peter J Comeau, in November and December 1977 on “getting more out of” the little speakers. The work amounted - if I recall correctly - to a tweeter upgrade, internal damping, a suspension stand and a primitive passive subwoofer with a pair of Richard Allan HP8B drivers. I never owned a pair of Minimaxes, but should have; instead my favoured fashion-led choice put me off ported speakers for life. There was later a slightly bigger Videoton speaker - Saphir? - and the UK importer also sold some low-cost Taiwanese and South Korean electronics. Regrettably the Minimaxes were just about the only exposure the UK had to eastern European hi-fi at the time, apart from some Hungarian Tungsram receivers which came through to us in the mid-late ‘70s by way of the relics of the Hede Nielsen organisation in Denmark. On my travels much later I was introduced to the products of Heliradio, a DDR manufacturer somewhat upmarket of the run-of-the-mill RFT offerings. No idea how they sound, but they still look fabulous - industrial design was as big a religion in East Germany as it was in the West. i.imgur.com/DcwaINJ.png de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliradio

[@MrVinylista]

Great info, thanks.

[@richardmanning4090]

Late comment on this one! Discovering the back catalogue of this great channel. I had a pair of these speakers back in the day. I used them in conjunction with a trio ka1500 amp and a pioneer deck. Overall great sound (at least I thought so at the time). When I moved on they got relegated to my parents attic. They developed the dreaded foam degradation and hence got skipped. This was before the days of eBay and online foam surround replacement kits. Wish now I could have saved them from such an undignified fate. Thanks for your efforts, love your take on the madcap “the only way is sondek” movement back in the 70s / 80s.

[@nicholas6823]

I went with my father in August 1980 to a rather dubious looking outlet in Elephant and Castle and we both got a pair of the gb3’s. My first pair of speakers. I even smuggled them into boarding school! Long gone now, but back then the next purchase the following year was the nad 3020, with a BIC turntable with nagaoka mp10. I imagine your foam has been replaced as mine fell apart after 10 years.

[@stevehollingbery9744]

What a great blast from the past, I heard them back in the late 70’s, as you say much more fun the the LS, oddly I plumped for the Toshiba SS 33’s ( Ingham specials ) which were larger as I recall. As always very entertaining Riff. cheers.

[@michaelmclagan8877]

Just watched your video on the Minimax speakers.I have 2 pairs-one original Minimax and a early GB3 before they ported them and used MDF for the cabinet.I refurbed them and added polypropylene capacitors and reversed the tweeter polarity as advised by the article in one of the Hifi mags by Peter Comeau.I fitted brand new Videoton bass/mids-yes they still make them and now rated at 55 watts RMS! I also used Monacor fabric tweeters and the quality is excellent. I added a 5mmfront baffle of gloss black perspex to hide the plywood original. It is almost impossible to get any parts posted from Hungary but my son was there on holiday last year and brought some back-the mid bass drivers were less than£12 each-a bargain!

[@MrVinylista]

Fantastic story!

[@Londonsteve56]

Hi Michael, where did you buy the new drive units from?

[@michaelmclagan8877]

They were bought in a speaker shop in Budapest called Hangszoro bolt.

[@owenoneill5955]

😀 You did it, you said you might, thank you 🙂😅🤣😅😀 I went from these to Linn Cans ( lasted 1 weekend) finished up with Alexander Acoustics metal cabinet speakers, which I still have in my bedroom system 🙂

[@Griffdter]

Well I never, Dave and Mike! I knew my first HiFi speakers were Minimax, but didn’t recognise them until you showed the GB3 version which were exactly the ones I remember! I drove them with an A&R A60. I recall that the rubber surrounds perished so I later replaced them with Linn Kanns. In retrospect I think if the Minimax were repaired they’d have been a better speaker! (Don’t haunt me, Flat Earthers!). I later replaced the Tin Kanns with an original demo pair of Acoustic Energy AE1s. Of course the A60 amp didn’t have enough grunt for those, but by that time I was working at Pioneer, so naturally used an A-400. Good times!

[@johnwright7227]

Around 1980 the tweeter on the Minimax 2 was a paper cone. Upgrade was possible and effective by replacing this with SEAS dome tweeters. An amazing little speaker with this replacement tweeter. Wish I still had them.

[@Mikexception]

To me only paper cones suite. They were my first tweeters which I used nad recognized them as perfect in 70 ties. After I assumed that dome type would (should) beat them due to modern technology and grat measurements and tested all around in many DIY constructtions. Not so possible. After 30 years I managed to get exactly same paper cones and I must say they are best for my ears. So in all my 6 constructions in last years were playing paper cones.

[@attrktmarketing4582]

What a wonderful pair of retro speakers. The Videotones are pretty good too 😅. Happy new year and such a great little video. Crammed full of info-nuggets. The calculator amp looks really intriguing too. Think I’m going to head to eBay and see if I can get a pair.

[@jimsregaturntableshifijukebox]

Very interesting and enjoyable guys . Jim 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🙂

[@hobhood7118]

I remember them, but I went for Keesonic Kubs instead - my first hi-fi speakers. They were great with the Alba UA 900 Amp, a forgotten but significantly strangely shaped budget hi-fi gem!

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

Great review

[@martinscase3904]

My first proper (ie working!) stereo amplifier was the Trio KA 3700, too. Purchased from Tottenham Court Road, of course. Think it was £39. The NAD 3020 at £85 or something, seemed unreachable at the time. I later took a soldering iron to it to remove the tone and balance controls!

[@davet3804]

Me too , exactly! Now Rogers ls35a and NVA

[@robertgough5804]

Love it thanks

[@robertleitch2016]

What a delight! Takes me back to more innocent times. My first introduction to the Minimax was through a Hi-Fi Answers system test around mid-1975, where the - then completely unknown - Videotons were matched with a Goldring G102, Stanton cartridge and Amstrad 5050 receiver (which was taken quite seriously). Total cost probably sub-£150. A couple of years later the Minimaxes were well on their way to cult status, and HFA carried two articles by Shane White, and a fellow called Peter J Comeau, in November and December 1977 on “getting more out of” the little speakers. The work amounted - if I recall correctly - to a tweeter upgrade, internal damping, a suspension stand and a primitive passive subwoofer with a pair of Richard Allan HP8B drivers. I never owned a pair of Minimaxes, but should have; instead my favoured fashion-led choice put me off ported speakers for life. There was later a slightly bigger Videoton speaker - Saphir? - and the UK importer also sold some low-cost Taiwanese and South Korean electronics. Regrettably the Minimaxes were just about the only exposure the UK had to eastern European hi-fi at the time, apart from some Hungarian Tungsram receivers which came through to us in the mid-late ‘70s by way of the relics of the Hede Nielsen organisation in Denmark. On my travels much later I was introduced to the products of Heliradio, a DDR manufacturer somewhat upmarket of the run-of-the-mill RFT offerings. No idea how they sound, but they still look fabulous - industrial design was as big a religion in East Germany as it was in the West. i.imgur.com/DcwaINJ.png de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliradio

[@Gadgetdad007]

It’s Eric Clapton and Steve McFadden 😂

[@dougedwardsyachts]

Always fancied a pair back in the early 80’s. Have recently bought a very late pair of 2’s with the front port. Nice condition but have obviously had the drivers replaced, I can see Sony on the tweeters but not sure of the bass/ mid drivers make and don’t really fancy taking apart to find out.

[@martinmorgan7921]

Had a pair in 79 comfortably out classed my wharfdale gledales lol

[@kjbunnyboiler]

I had a pair of the originals around 77 if I recall correctly.

[@TonyCottrell-iv2qv]

Another late comment, having just acquired a pair of these, which, like David's, have been breathed upon by Anapeach. Astonishing thing about them, is that they actually sound as good as I remember the pair I had around 1979 sounding. I really thought they would just be nostalgia but no, excellent little pair of speakers. Given that my 1979 pair were an upgrade from a dismantled radiogram (Did everyone do that?) I thought I might have an exaggerated view of them, like mother's puddings!

[@veraluxmundi2032]

My mother's home made lemon meringue pie was vile! 😂

[@TonyCottrell-iv2qv]

There must be a correlation between lemon meringue pie and Minimaxes. My mum made it too, but it was excellent!@@veraluxmundi2032

[@girishkukadia1293]

Very nice video. What are the model number drivers used in this model please?

[@kenmitchell7687]

I had a pair of the original Mini max with cone tweeters and binding posts not banana plug compatible, i had some home built speakers using Kef B200 and T15, I bought the Minimaxs and sold the Kefs that was how good I though they were.I also had the later model with the dome tweeter,which I did not think were as good as the Minimax, sound wise and build quality was not so good. i also modified the Minimaxs with a dome tweeter as published in one of the hifi mags, not a great improvement.Overall I thought that they were an amazing little speaker with a surprising amount of bass for their size

[@TheDjcarlos67]

What was the Marantz amplifier you mentioned?

[@MrVinylista]

PM-10

[@TheDjcarlos67]

Thanks @@MrVinylista

[@redrobbosworkshop]

Great little speakers but be careful when buying today as the driver surround harden and crack.

[@jncg2311]

They do, however driver restoration is still entirely feasible and crossover capacitor replacement highly recommended. Anapeach Loudspeaker Restoration as mentioned in this video can replace the surrounds to a high standard for a very reasonable cost. I have not long recieved my Videoton Minimax 2s back from Anapeach having had all necessary work done and am being blown away by the sound. Mine were bought new by my grandfather in the 70s, this is the first time in my life that I've heard them working properly, I only wish I'd had them restored sooner.

[@zjzozn]

Nice

[@dougg1075]

What’s the diff quid and pound? I love stuff like this vintage speaker My LS/35a’s are the most delicious HiFi speaker I’ve ever heard. Got mine about three years ago having never heard them. Oh yeah

[@Omar-be6tc]

Opinion on Sonus Faber Electa Amator 3 and Minima Amator 2? Are they musical?

[@MrVinylista]

I haven't heard either Omar, but the latest gen SFs are generally very capable speakers and noticeably more musical than the earlier ones, in my opinion.

[@Omar-be6tc]

@@MrVinylista Thank you David

[@keithevans8427]

Would you sell your minimax had a pair since 1981 packed in👍

[@PINKFL0YD-s2h]

They are 100 at the moment

[@factorylad5071]

Diy? Some good 5 in bass units in britain just sayin

[@gotham61]

Hungary was never a part of the Soviet Union.

[@yippie6862]

These two appear to have been drinking. 😉

[@mikeyevs]

Okay, fair point, if you want to be pedantic it was "The People's Republic of Hungary". Happy to concede the point. #davidandibothhaveanAlevelinhistory

[@robertgough5804]

Still a communist country that needed western cash and under the influence of USSR

[@gotham61]

@@robertgough5804 They have altered the video title. Originally it said it was a speaker from the Soviet Union