Norelco AD3877M Full Range Drivers

Norelco Philips in Holland made some really amazing full range drivers back in the 1950’s and 60’s. With light weight dual cones and powerful Ticonal magnets, these speakers have a snap-crackle-pop presentation that is irresistible, and they paint a clear and detailed aural picture. I owned a pair of 12 inch Norelco near the beginning of my audiophile journey, and they were very exciting drivers to experience as a full range driver newbie. They sounded so much better than many of the speakers I’d heard before and I was hooked instantly on the wide band open baffle sound.

Fast forward to the present, with almost 20 more years of experience, this pair of 8 inch Norelco AD3877m came my way, still in their boxes and never mounted. I bought them from their original owner, who picked them up in 1964 for a speaker build that never happened. These drivers sat waiting in a closet for 60 years, but fired right up with vivid tonality and a snappy presentation. Very efficient, these drivers open right up with a small amount of power; 1.5 watts of 45 is plenty, but they don’t bat an eye at 25 or 30 watts of push pull 6L6 either. Like their bigger 12-inch cousins, they work perfectly in open baffles, making good solid bass and extending beyond my hearing.

The Norelco AD3877m sound very good, but a bit strident for my current taste. I think many people would mistake this sound for horns. In fact, these little drivers bring to mind the old Maxell tape ad where the guy is sitting in the chair and the stereo is literally blowing back his hair. For me, they definitely don’t need a tweeter, and make satisfying bass in my big Telefunken baffles. These definitely have a bit of compression driver sound, which I think many people will like. But I can think of a number of drivers that I would personally choose over the Norelco sound.

Drivers like the AD3877m don’t come up for sale all that often anymore, and I’ve never seen a pair unused in their original boxes. What a treat to be the first to experience this pair, and report about it here. I think these will make many listeners quite happy, especially those favoring a brighter system. For the $100 I paid they are supreme performers and I hope my pair will go on to someone who will treasure them. Recommended for those who are seeking a more lit up and dynamic sounding full range driver from yesteryear.

The Norelco are good looking drivers. The cork gaskets, hammertone frames and the dark woven cones all come together in a neat vintage package. They are lightweight but still have a feeling of solidity. And the Ticonal magnets, which seem to be Alnico with some Titanium thrown in, are rare and quite powerful. These are exciting and vibrant sounding speakers.