Canon Made Star Wars Darth Vader Speakers - I Upgraded It With Improved Drivers!

Intro

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I was on the hunt for some budget-friendly, vintage speakers that could be transformed into a pair of eye-catching, conversation-starting music machines. That's when I stumbled upon these space-aged, sci-fi-styled Wide Imaging Stereo speakers from Canon, the camera company. These speakers reflect a bold attempt by the camera giant to break into the audio market. What caught my attention was their aesthetic—reminiscent of a Star Wars-inspired theme, making them a great conversation piece. Despite their cool appearance, the original speakers came with some flaws, including blown drivers in my set, which gave me the perfect excuse to upgrade them.

My plan was simple: keep the iconic look and replace the outdated full-range woofers with more modern ones. The idea was to enhance the sound while preserving the underlying technology. The original drivers, while innovative at the time, didn’t hold up well by today's standards. Reviews from the era describe the sound as somewhat diffused, with unimpressive bass and treble performance. But the WIS (Wide Imaging Stereo) tech Canon had developed worked, and this was the part I would keep.

History Behind Canon Audio

Canon Audio was a short-lived venture by the Japanese camera giant Canon. The story kicks off in the mid-1980s, thanks to Hiro Negishi, an optics specialist with a passion for British hi-fi. Negishi, stationed in the UK, had a bold idea: blend British audio expertise with Canon’s tech prowess to create something truly unique. His brainchild, Wide Imaging Stereo (WIS), aimed to expand the stereo sweet spot using an off-center acoustic mirror to tweak sound dispersion.

Phil Ward, who joined Canon Audio in 1990 as part of the design and engineering team and later became the Design Manager around 1994, shared valuable insights into this venture. Canon Audio’s journey, although innovative, was cut short by a patent dispute in the U.S. over the WIS technology. Despite Canon's confidence in their legal standing, the potential costs and risk of a PR disaster through a court battle were too great. By the end of 1996, Canon Audio had shuttered its doors, leaving behind a brief but intriguing chapter in audio history. You can read their blog posts here.

Canon’s WIS Technology

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Canon's Wide Imaging Stereo (WIS) technology brought the Canon S-50 speakers into this world. One of the standout features of WIS was its effort to redefine the listening experience by having a wide soundstage. This meant that listeners didn’t need to be in the perfect position to enjoy a full, immersive sound, making the sweet spot accessible from various angles.

Canon S-50 Speakers

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The first speakers to showcase this technology were the S-50 and S-70 models. The S-50, in particular, boasted a futuristic design with a distinct sci-fi vibe, reminiscent of Darth Vader’s helmet from Star Wars. The gloss black finish, combined with a zinc die-cast mirror component and a sleek plastic "helmet," gave the S-50s a premium look and feel that stands out in any room.

However, the WIS technology and the S-50 speakers were not without their challenges. While the WIS design was innovative, it sometimes compromised overall sound quality. The interaction between direct and reflected sound often resulted in a more diffuse, less focused sound, particularly in nearfield listening environments. Additionally, Canon’s choice to use a parasitic tweeter—an outdated technology known for adding high-frequency resonance—limited the S-50's ability to deliver detailed, refined sound. The bass performance also left something to be desired. The acoustic mirror, though central to the WIS concept, occupied much of the internal space, reducing the room available for the woofer. This made the S-50 perform like a smaller speaker in terms of low-frequency response and sensitivity, which was disappointing considering its size and price.

Despite these challenges, the S-50 sold well and has aged gracefully, which is why I decided to pick up a pair to restore with modern drivers. This upgrade could potentially address some of its previous shortcomings, giving these vintage speakers a new lease on life, and they will be an excellent talking point for any invited guests or house party.

My Upgrade Plan

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To bring these speakers into the modern age, my plan was straightforward: keep the iconic look and replace the outdated drivers with more modern, high-quality ones. The original drivers, while cutting-edge for their time, didn’t meet today’s standards. Reviews from the era noted the sound as somewhat diffuse, with underwhelming bass and treble performance, and the overall size was more cumbersome than necessary.

I sourced a pair of 120mm drivers, which fit perfectly, and planned to upgrade the crossover as well to ensure a richer, fuller sound. This would not only breathe new life into these vintage speakers but also maintain their distinctive design, making them a standout in any setting.

What’s Inside

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The full-range woofer, depending on how you measure it, seems to be 5.25 inches (130mm), with screw placements roughly 95mm apart. A 120mm speaker can also be installed here, depending on the measurements and alignment of the mounting holes.

Inside, you’ll find a one-way crossover, likely tuned to manage the parasitic tweeter. The ‘helmet’ design is constructed from plastic, durable but prone to scratches, so I was lucky to find one in good condition. The internal structure includes a metal die-cast skeleton that holds everything in place and acts as the WIS mirror. This component feels heavy and premium, contributing to the overall quality that I love about these speakers.

My Modifications

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Speaker Units

The new drivers I installed came from some Elac Dolby Atmos speakers, which I snagged at a great price on eBay. These full-range Atmos drivers, fresh out of the box, seemed like a perfect match for my project. They feature built-in tweeters at the center, which function similarly to the more expensive KEF Uni-Q design. This setup promised to address the biggest flaw of the original whizzer cone full-range speakers by adding more clarity and enhanced treble. The result is a fuller, more balanced sound that elevates the listening experience.

Crossover

I upgraded the crossover, as the original speakers came with a simple single-channel crossover, just one input and one output. With the addition of a dedicated tweeter, I needed a proper splitter and found one on AliExpress. This new crossover has a crossover point of 3.2kHz and can handle up to 120W of power. Size was a crucial factor in my selection, as it needed to fit within the existing space. I'll admit that I'm not an expert in crossover frequencies and design, so I focused on finding a unit that would fit and meet the power requirements.#

Other bits

In addition to the technical upgrades, I also made a few cosmetic touch-ups to ensure the speakers looked as good as they sounded. This involved getting some new tools and wiring to complete the job, ensuring everything was neatly finished and up to the standard these iconic speakers deserve.

Tiny Powered Amplifier - NeoHippo BP10

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The NeoHippo BP10 is a compact yet powerful amplifier that delivers 100 watts of power. Despite its small size, it's more than capable of driving a range of speakers, including the upgraded Canon S50s. The amplifier’s design is sleek and minimalistic, with a straightforward interface that makes it easy to use. The Bluetooth connectivity works flawlessly, allowing for seamless music listening experience. 

However, I encountered an issue where my phone was applying a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) surround effect intended for earphones when connected via Bluetooth. This effect severely degraded the sound quality of the external speakers. After diving into my audio settings and disabling the DSP effect, I noticed a massive improvement in audio clarity and overall performance. If you’re connecting Bluetooth speakers like these, I highly recommend turning off any DSP effects on your device for the best sound quality.

Sound Quality

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After completing the speaker modifications and connecting everything to the NeoHippo BP10, I was pleased with the overall sound quality. The amplifier delivered ample power to drive the upgraded speakers and easily fill a small room. The highs were crisp and detailed, and the mids were rich, providing a balanced listening experience. However, the bass was lacking, and at higher volumes, the sound became less refined. This is likely due to the Canon S50 cabinets, which aren’t optimized for deep bass. To resolve this, I connected a dedicated subwoofer via my AV receiver, transforming the setup into a 2.1 system. The difference was remarkable— the combination delivered impressive clarity and fullness, particularly with the enhanced low-end from the subwoofer.

The WIS from Canon is very noticeable. Unlike traditional speakers, where the “sweet spot” is limited to a specific location, the Canon S50s offer a more immersive experience that sounds the same even as you move around. This effect is quite unique and makes these speakers ideal for environments where you’re not always sitting in the perfect listening spot. 

However, it's important to note that while the WIS technology excels at creating a broad, immersive soundstage, the overall audio quality might not match that of more traditional bookshelf speakers when you’re seated in the ideal location. The sound may be less detailed and rich but with some equalier tuning you can get great sound out of these.

The Canon S50 are great music speakers, if you only want a 2.0 or better a 2.1 setup and you expect to move around in the room they deliver a great immersive experience. 

Closing Thoughts

The Canon S50 speakers when paired with the NeoHippo BP10 amplifier, are excellent for a 2.0 setup where you expect to move around the room. Upgrading to a 2.1 would only make this better. The immersive soundstage created by the WIS technology makes these speakers stand out, offering a unique listening experience that’s both engaging and enjoyable. If you’re looking for speakers that deliver a wide, room-filling sound and aren’t overly concerned with pinpoint audio accuracy, the Canon S50s are a great choice, particularly when paired with a subwoofer for a fuller, more balanced sound.

Sources

Thank you to Phil Ward for their very insightful article which was used throughout my research. You can read it here .