The 4-by-6 inch speaker in the Tram D201 and Browning CB receivers has become steadily harder to come by. And a speaker that's too new will have a large magnet structure that just doesn't fit inside the D201 at all.
But the 4-inch square size speaker is still more readily available, and should sound almost as good. This D201A needed a speaker. Cutting two brackets from sheet stock will bridge the gap between the speaker's mount holes and the speaker mounting studs in the radio.
It will look better with the brackets painted black. No glare through the holes in the speaker grille. The old speaker looked okay from inside the radio, but began to buzz on some voices, but not others. Turning it around once it was removed explains it all.
The holes in the bottom bracket lined up just fine. Punching holes 3/16" diameter for #6 screws improves those odds, even when everything 'almost' lines up.
Had to clip the corners from the upper bracket to clear the front panel. Never noticed how snug the original speaker was fit into that space.
This speaker's bass response is a bit less than the original. But this works in your favor to some degree. Putting a newer "hi-fi" speaker meant for music in this spot will exaggerate the small residual power-supply ripple. If you plaster your ear up to the speaker grille, you should hear a slight 120-Hz "hum" sound. But with your head held any sensible distance away, it won't be noticeable. A speaker with increased bass response will make this louder, even though every filter capacitor in the radio is functioning at 100 percent.
Need to try this on a Browning receiver next. The older the 1978-and-before radios get, the fewer radios you'll see with a working speaker that doesn't have a fuzzy or distorted sound. At least for now the 4-inch square speakers haven't become too scarce.
Yet.
Only a matter of time.
73
But the 4-inch square size speaker is still more readily available, and should sound almost as good. This D201A needed a speaker. Cutting two brackets from sheet stock will bridge the gap between the speaker's mount holes and the speaker mounting studs in the radio.
It will look better with the brackets painted black. No glare through the holes in the speaker grille. The old speaker looked okay from inside the radio, but began to buzz on some voices, but not others. Turning it around once it was removed explains it all.
The holes in the bottom bracket lined up just fine. Punching holes 3/16" diameter for #6 screws improves those odds, even when everything 'almost' lines up.
Had to clip the corners from the upper bracket to clear the front panel. Never noticed how snug the original speaker was fit into that space.
This speaker's bass response is a bit less than the original. But this works in your favor to some degree. Putting a newer "hi-fi" speaker meant for music in this spot will exaggerate the small residual power-supply ripple. If you plaster your ear up to the speaker grille, you should hear a slight 120-Hz "hum" sound. But with your head held any sensible distance away, it won't be noticeable. A speaker with increased bass response will make this louder, even though every filter capacitor in the radio is functioning at 100 percent.
Need to try this on a Browning receiver next. The older the 1978-and-before radios get, the fewer radios you'll see with a working speaker that doesn't have a fuzzy or distorted sound. At least for now the 4-inch square speakers haven't become too scarce.
Yet.
Only a matter of time.
73
