Hiwatt 4x12 Fanes or Not? Help Please

[markworsnop]

Hi, this is my first post on this fantastic forum, which I read regularly, so hopefully this is the right place for this post.

I bought this Hiwatt 4x12 this week locally, it sounds great, but when I opened it up to have a look there are no labels on the speakers and I can't find any serial numbers to help me identify the speakers or the cabinet's age. Can anyone help me identify these speakers or tell me anything more about this cab? Are they Fane's? The wiring looks original so I'd guess they are the original speakers. The only clues I have are that each speaker has a little number 8 on a green circular label and all the speaker cones have a speaker code printed in white which reads: -84. Other than that I can't see any serial numbers printed on the metal of the speakers or any where on the cabinet. I had a look on Hiwatt.org and in terms of the cabinet it has the recessed plastic handles and seems to match the photos of the cabinet from the 1978/1979 catalogue. I also checked the impedance with a multimeter and it reads 7.2 ohms so it's seems to be an 8 ohm cabinet, but there is no 8 ohm cabinet listed in the catalogue. Below are some photos of the cabinet, any info would be very much appreciated. Thanks very much in advance for any help.

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[mhuss]

Dave is the speaker expert, so I'll wait until he weighs in. However, I note the sticker with 8 on it, which implies 8 ohms (vs. the normal 16 ohms). Do you have an ohmmeter you can use to measure the DC resistance of the cabinet, using a speaker cable and the meter connected to tip and sleeve on the jack?

--mark

[Dr.HI-TONE]

1984 would be closer to the age than 1978/79. Both the cab and the speakers look like the 1986-1989 era manufactured by fane when they thought that no one would care if they made amps branded as HIWATT even though they had no legal claim to the name.

[markworsnop]

Hi, thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

I also checked the impedance with a multimeter and it reads 7.2 ohms so it's seems to be an 8 ohm cabinet, but there is no 8 ohm cabinet listed in the catalogue.

Sorry I'm not very technical, is this the reading you were asking for or do I need to do a different test? I got this reading by checking the ring and tip of a 5ft speaker lead plugged in to the cabinet with a multimeter. Any ideas on why it is 8 ohms rather than 16 ohms? Am I right in thinking the blue circular sticker indicate each speaker is 8 ohms is that what the 8 means on the sticker?

1984 would be closer to the age than 1978/79

Does this have anything to do with the speaker cone code being 84? Does is mean made in 1984 or is that just a coincidence?

Any further info would be much appreciated, thanks.

[OldSchoolDave]

Dave is the speaker expert, so I'll wait until he weighs in.

Did I ever mention that moving is a major PITA ???? Arghhhh!

I think the "84" cone code is probably coincidence, but can't say for certain. I do agree with Dr.Hiwatt that the speakers are late 80's editions. Similar to the Fane "Legend" series. The frames and terminal strips look very much like some early 80's Fanes I have. Those have date and model codes stamped or stickered on the frames, though. Too bad yours don't. Have you pulled them all to check for codes?

Canada had a restriction on 16 ohm speakers, for some odd reason. Almost anytime I see a classic British speaker in an 8 ohm rating, it's come through Canada.

Dave

[markworsnop]

Thanks Dave, sorry to hear you are having a tough move.

Yes I've pulled all four speakers and they are all the same no serial codes, just cone code -84 on three and 84 on the fourth I assume the '-' has just worn off and little circular sticker in green with the number 8 on each speaker. Judging from the cones being the same and similar rust patterns on each of the magnets, I'm assuming they are all the same age and original. I don't know anything about the Fane 'Legend' Series so I'll look in to that. Thanks for the help, if anyone can shed any more light it would be very much appreciated. Does the 84 speaker code have any meaning?

[OldSchoolDave]

I don't know anything about the Fane 'Legend' Series so I'll look in to that.

I'd expect them to be a bit darker sounding than original HIWATT Fanes. Still very usable speakers .

Does the 84 speaker code have any meaning?

Probably does - I just don't know what it might be .

Dave

[markworsnop]

Thanks Dave, much appreciated.