In the past, I have lucked into the occasional audio rarity. Perhaps the rarest item I've picked up is the Western Electric 100 E Loud Speaker Set. I've only heard of one other and that was a newer unit with replacement non-WE transformers and used a different tube (Type 77 as opposed to CK108) in its complement. It was also a non-Bell Systems unit and despite these attributes still sold on eBay for $460. This little powered loudspeaker was designed to act as a monitoring unit both for the telephone operation centers back when Bell Systems used WE 300B amplifiers through the entire network. The non-Bell labeled units, apparently held to a slightly lower standard, were used as monitors at railroad control centers and some military installations.
My particular example is a former Bell Systems monitor and was built at the height of the World War II years in 1943, judging by the date stamps. It also has two Western Electric transformers and three WE capacitors, which in themselves drives the value up. It uses a fairly simple tube compliment of a 25Z5, a CK108, and Type 43 final. The 5" speaker driver is a Jensen Electro Dynamic P-383 672, field coil full range mounted on a pair of U-shaped brackets to act as vibration isolators to the rest of the system.
The other day I cleaned the thick layer of dust from the chassis and found it to be in better condition than I expected from the damaged veneer. I decided to snap some pictures and post them here as a reference of sorts. For I know of no other place on the internet that has any photos of the WE 100 E outside of a couple poor quality examples I've posted on Craigslist and at AK back in the day.
- JP
The front of the unit, unassuming looking as it was intended for professional applications, not as eye candy.
Peering down from above. The vent slots also have several 90 degree cross slats underneath to keep papers or the like from being dropped in unintentionally or otherwise.
Close up of Bell Systems instruction plate.
The back plate. A little feature I kind of liked is the small alignment peg at the bottom right. While not much, it does make it very quick and easy to align the screw holes. It's these little things that make units such as this easier to service.
Western Electric identification decal.
View from the rear. Signal input cable on the right, missing power cord on the left.
Yep, Western Electric, in case anyone didn't trust the decal.
Nice find JP - what are you planning to do with it?
I wish I could say that I hope to fix it up and enjoy it in mono, but the fact of the matter is that it's been sitting in my 'pile of forgotten audio toys' for a few months gathering dust. I'm not a mono guy nor am I much of a tube guy, and so most likely will never get around to it. So, I've been trying to offer it trade or partial trade (below its value) for gear that I do have need/want of. Most recently, I offered it as part of a package trade for a pair of Acoustat 1+1s I found for sale in Lynnwood (would work very well in my stalled speaker project), but no word back on that.
- JP
I have a WE 100F - looks very similar, but uses different tube complement, and, I think (haven't looked at it lately) an alnico Jensen speaker instead of the fieldcoil. My plan is to get it operational as a nice little radio, maybe mono-ized CD for the kitchen. I also think I'll add an isolation transformer to keep the family from being zapped!
Cool, so there are others out there with these little oddballs. Do you know what differences there may be between the E and F variants due to different end purposes or revisions (the tube compliment difference possibly indicates a different use)?
- JP
I'm pretty sure it was used for the same purpose - it even had versions of the same instructions about volume level.
I managed to stumble across a set of pictures showing a WE 100F for sale on a Japanese website. The bargain price converted to $700 US. The differences are interesting to see.
- JP