Domestic Monitor 70
These were acquired from a friend. I was sent a picture message of them and that's it, they were mine. How could I resist those amazing looks! The curves, the circle in the middle, that black panel on top and dont get me started on the matching stands. And its not just the looks, the few bits of info I could find looked very promising.
12" bass drivers made by E.M.I. and a curved electrostatic panel on top. Panel made from several small panels firing out in an array. Nearly 2" thick ply baffles steamed and clamped to create a curved baffle. Bolt on, sand filled stands and a mains leads hanging out the back.
These were highly respected in their time and were the flagship offering from B&W. These speakers with such style and finesse are what turned B&W into one of the big boys. Sony was so taken with the 70s that they sold them under their name. You sometimes see speakers just like mine here but with Sony badges. I believe there is still a plate on the back of the panel which says B&W.
You can often find them on ebay but finding a nice pair, fully working and near enough for collection is hard. They go for good money but still cheap in comparison to the modern day equivalent. Its always nice to get things in good condition but I've never seen a mint pair of these. Foam on the drivers always goes and the veneer around the baffle starts flaking off in big chunks. Quite often faults in the panel resulting in popping noises and a drop in output volume.
So when buying, remember: POP - FLAKE - ROT
Here the drivers are awaiting re-foaming, notice the perfectly matched meter readings. Checkout the crazy over sized crossover in the middle below.
This pair had some veneer flaking but I was able to stick most of it back down and soaking the cab in linseed oil finished it off, now they are perfectly fine.
to the right: The electrostatic power supply - high voltage inside! The lead is short and trust me, that thing dont stretch.
The sound is good, plenty of bass and good open mid-band. Top end is extended and well defined, stereo image is a little fuzzy but overall a very good musical presentation. Are they worth the money? Well yes but you're going to need a big room to get their best.
