Gowanus Audio

08/14/2025

Look at these Model 17s!

So bummed to hear that closed - it was an amazing space and I’m most grateful to Tarek and for giving me the chance to turn the vision for the sound system into reality.

The Altecs will need a new home - DM if interested, located in Brooklyn. (The arrays and pendants will continue on in the space). 604-8Gs with original crossovers in new Baltic birch cabinets (magnetic grills included too).

Perfect for hanging from your ceiling.

02/04/2025

Check out the original spec(!) of the iconic Maxell “Blown Away” ad (courtesy of ) from ‘79 - of course, includes the martini.

The TV commercial of this is forever burned in my brain…

02/04/2025

Check out the original spec(!) of the iconic Maxell “Blown Away” ad (courtesy of ) from ‘79 - of course, includes the martini.

The TV commercial of this is forever burned in my brain…

12/13/2024

🔊This Tuesday, 12/17 at Wild East Brewing in Gowanus - dust off all your knowledge of obscure hifi brands, crossover topologies, DAC chips, and mastering engineers for a few rounds of audiophile trivia. Come by after 7pm, trivia starts at 8pm. Free!

Bring all your audio nerd friends. If you do not have any audio nerd friends, new audio nerd friends will be provided for you.

Thanks so much to for hosting! (Check out the newsletter to hear it first - 1-2x a month, link in bio to sign up - I know, I know… 🙄)

09/09/2024

06/27/2024

Want to build your own pair? Speaker building classes are back. Perfect first build that won’t look like it’s your first build.

Over 4 evenings and a lot of soldering, sanding, and finishing, you’ll walk out with a pair of these handsome fellas. Anyone can build these, and you’ll learn a ton you can apply to future speaker (and non-speaker) projects. You can also bring a friend or your kid (14+) to help.

Each class is limited to 6 speaker makers, and you’ll learn *how* these work, *why* they sound good, and gain the skills to create an impeccably finished product.

$895 and everything is included - just need to show up ($845 - save $50 - for the inaugural July class). Link in bio to learn more and sign up.

11/09/2023

Picked up a little light reading to fill in a few gaps…

04/12/2023

Got my Fast-8s in last night - wow! (Still gotta pint/stain their insert tho - maybe a gray or light green?)

Compared to my old Hark Tuny drivers, not surprised to hear so much more detail - was expecting that - but was blown away how the entire soundstage moved up 3’ - everything is higher, more spacious, better imaging. A little harsh/wince inducing at some upper mid freqs, but hoping as they break in that’ll fix itself.

These don’t reproduce metallic tones like the old ones tho - triangle/glockenspiel/ride cymbal freaky-real on those - these sound like playing triangle through a speaker. Still v good, but less magical.

I really like Riki Lee Jones’s cover of “Show Biz Kids” to compare - triangle *and* upright bass *and* - of course - the vocals. Triangle just not there w/ these. But still thrilled. And takes less than 10min to swap in…

04/10/2023

These are the drivers I’m currently using. Can’t find any info on them, but I think they sound amazing - anyone ever see anything like these? Midrange blows my mind. Look at that leather surround!

We picked up a bunch of old Altec theater gear from a guy outside Hartford and he threw these in. Had them in small 14” baffles pulled out of some other project just sitting on a chair, and was playing some Joni Mitchell.

I was able to find some similar-looking drivers sold by Lafayette in the ‘60s, but nothing from “Hark Hifi Product” or “Nippon Audio Lab” or (lol) “Tuny Tone”.

Tweeter isn’t that sophisticated, and the magnets not terribly heavy. But I like them.

04/10/2023

It’s nice to actually *finish* a project… these are my “Slot-Loaded-Open-Baffle” speakers, or “SLOBs” as Nelson Pass calls them.

Current drivers are these crazy coaxial ones from the ‘60s I love - for vocals they blow my mind, and can cut a new panel to hold different drivers. Downward firing woofer is the Eminence 4015LF. Veneer is African Bosse. Huge thanks to my friend for help with the veneering and CNC work.

Want to hear these? Come to my .nyc meetup this Fri and here these and more - all are welcome. Check .nyc for details - we’re back!

04/04/2023

Oh hey! Been a minute! How’s it going?? I’m building a pair of open-baffle speakers (the “domesticated” Nelson Pass SLOBs) and got a pair of these Fast-8s - can’t wait to hear them…

If you want to too - I’m having a meetup on Fri 4/14 - details at .nyc - all are welcome, just please DM me to rsvp.

Folks from far and wide bringing all sorts of speakers - it’s gonna be fun.