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Speaker re-cone???? [message #24660]

Sat, 20 February 2016 00:39

RickBlacker
Messages: 133
Registered: October 2008
Location: Oregon

Senior Member

Hey all. Was wondering if anyone has re-cone their speakers? If so, we're you able to keep them original? Where did you get the parts? Or did you send them in to a shop?

Thanks
Rick

My amp : K100C-8

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24661 is a reply to message #24660]

Sat, 20 February 2016 06:13

stevem
Messages: 4773
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

You could do both, send them out or do it yourself as a few places offer a video on how to do it,or you can find such on line.
The only question is if the replacement parts match the original and breaking in the speaker so it has the punch of driver that has been played on for 30 hours at a good volume level.
The only driver that you can not get original parts for these days are the Altec Lansing drivers, but from what I hear the replacement cones sound 90% right !

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24662 is a reply to message #24660]

Sat, 20 February 2016 13:55

Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN

Senior Member

I do my own, it is simple if you pay attention to detail. However; you really have to look at what you are re-coning, if it is a JBL or altec, you can get the parts and do it cheaper than having it done, if it is a Jensen, CTS or KEI, buy a replacement, it is cheaper. The other problem is you cannot find 16 ohm kits for the JBL or Altec's only 8 ohm kits.

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24664 is a reply to message #24660]

Sat, 20 February 2016 17:12

RickBlacker
Messages: 133
Registered: October 2008
Location: Oregon

Senior Member

Here are the two speakers I'd like to recone
As you can see, one of them has a small tear in it.

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=F1C667B529532C45!6705& amp;authkey=!y4h6UY6oez4%24&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg

My amp : K100C-8

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24669 is a reply to message #24660]

Mon, 22 February 2016 15:12

Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN

Senior Member

If the voice coil is good in the speaker, you simply get the repair glue and repair the cone from the back side, simple, no need to re-cone that speaker at all.

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24670 is a reply to message #24660]

Mon, 22 February 2016 15:53

RickBlacker
Messages: 133
Registered: October 2008
Location: Oregon

Senior Member

Good to know. Maybe I will load them back up in my cabinet. Is there any good way to clean them up? As you can see they are old and crusty looking. Kinda restore them?

My amp : K100C-8

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24671 is a reply to message #24670]

Tue, 23 February 2016 11:35

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

I use a soft brush to remove any dust that is on my speakers and then use a soft tooth brush and put black shoe polish on them. Let them sit for a few hours to dry then use a shoe brush and lightly buff them. Really makes them come back to life again. Just don't over work the cones or you'll damage the material.

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24672 is a reply to message #24660]

Tue, 23 February 2016 12:11

RickBlacker
Messages: 133
Registered: October 2008
Location: Oregon

Senior Member

Shoe polish? Like the paste shoe polish? Interesting... Does it have any negative effect on the speaker at all? Does it alter the sound?

My amp : K100C-8

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24677 is a reply to message #24660]

Wed, 24 February 2016 13:26

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

Not that I have noticed. Bart turned me on to this idea and I have had great luck with it. The paste besides protecting the cone somewhat from moisture, also acts as a conditioner in making the cones a little more pliable I think. 45 plus years tends to dry them out and make them brittle. Again, just be careful to not over work the cones with the brushes.

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24680 is a reply to message #24660]

Wed, 24 February 2016 23:02

Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN

Senior Member

The way that I clean them up is to use armor all on a rag very gently after the rip is repaired. It will clean the dirt off and it will kind of condition the paper. I do not use shoe poish as it has wax in it and loads up the paper pores with wax and changes the tone of the speaker. I have done bunches of JBL's, Altec's and Jensen's like this and I driven them hard in PA cabinets and bass cabinets as well. They work great with the armor all, just don't soak the paper.

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24681 is a reply to message #24660]

Thu, 25 February 2016 10:52

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

My mistake.......thought Bart had told me to use the shoe polish. Someone on here recommended it to me. Only thing about Armor All is it also leaves a film on everything and also attracts dust. I use it on my cars and it does look nice and shiny for a few days, but it really attracts the dust. But everyone has their own opinion, what ever works I guess.

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24683 is a reply to message #24660]

Thu, 25 February 2016 11:01

RickBlacker
Messages: 133
Registered: October 2008
Location: Oregon

Senior Member

Very interesting thread. I would never have thought it would be ok to use something like these products on a driver.

My amp : K100C-8

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24684 is a reply to message #24660]

Thu, 25 February 2016 11:07

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

Parts Express sell a clear coating that makes speakers look wet. I've never tried it and haven't heard of anyone else that has either so not sure how well it works. You just have to remember what ever you use don't load the cone up since it is made of paper. It gets damp and it starts to fall apart. Wonder what Pleat recommends......oh Pleat????????

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24685 is a reply to message #24660]

Thu, 25 February 2016 11:18

stevem
Messages: 4773
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Unless it's a low frequency driver (2000hz and under) you should not apply anything to a cone as it will only serve to change the drivers frequency responce.
If the cone is getting dry rotted or has got wet and changed shape, then it's just plain time to get it reconed!

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24686 is a reply to message #24660]

Thu, 25 February 2016 11:42

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

What your saying does make sense. I guess what I am thinking is that what I am doing may be changing the frequency response slightly but it is giving me a little more mileage out of the speaker. After 45 years, I can't imagine the response is like it was when new, so I guess I am looking at the trade off. But its all about the money....what you can afford. If I had the $$$$, I'd be playing a Vox Super Beatle again. Unless I win the lottery, that's not happening.

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24687 is a reply to message #24660]

Thu, 25 February 2016 11:44

Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN

Senior Member

All of the speakers that I've done Pleat has both seen and heard and they are Pleat approved...lol!

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24688 is a reply to message #24660]

Thu, 25 February 2016 11:49

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

Hell at our age, none of us can hear that good anyway so guess it really doesn't matter as long as you can still feel the beat in your chest. Am I right??????

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Re: Speaker re-cone???? [message #24691 is a reply to message #24660]

Fri, 26 February 2016 06:55

stevem
Messages: 4773
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Not to be mean, but in your mind your right !
Even before I was lucky enough to be involved. ( listening test ) in bringing to market two new tri amp recording monitor speakers in previous conversations with driver designers on the topic of speaker cone mass and how it effects the speakers responce , after such a conversation you will really think twice about doing anything to a speaker cone that will change its mass!!

Most speakers that need reconing need so due to the spider and the cone surround having reached the end of its usefulness in controlling the travel of the cone and also in keeping the voice coil aligned in the magnet gap, the latter issue makes for more blown open voice coils and dead drivers them you might expect!

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