speaker conditioner ?????

[spooki]

Hello to all and best wishes for the holiday season. I have my cabinet down for new tolex and although the speakers are still in good shape. They are 23 years old and I'm sure have dried up some over the years. Before I reinstall them, is there something that can be done to treat them?

 

I did a lot of checking online and was not impressed with the fact of making them look pretty again. It all seemed harsh and could effect cone vibration. The best I saw was an application of linseed oil with careful strokes of a brush. Still not liking it.

 

Maybe the answer is... do nothing!.. If so, I'm game. I'd rather let them live their life to the fullest than do something stupid.

 

My thought was to spray the cone's face with a light mist of something like lemon pledge and be done.

 

I would really appreciate input on this before I start to reassemble. They are Celestion G12K-85's if that helps. Thanks again....

[L5Larry]

There really is no "speaker maintenance" procedures, only "repairs". The old saying generally applies "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

There are only two things I have seen affected by age in speakers, glue joints and foam surrounds.

 

I have had to re-glue many dust caps and fiber surrounds on older speakers because the glue dried out over time. Automotive weather strip adhesive works wonders for this. The symptom of this is buzzing/flapping noise caused by the parts vibrating against each other.

 

The greatest WORST "improvement" in speakers is foam surrounds. Mainly used in hi-fi speakers, the foam surround were touted as a GREAT INNOVATION for cone movement. All foam products break down over time, and there is nothing you can do about it. Expect to have them replaced every 10 years or less. The old style pleated fiber surrounds will last forever.

[stein]

Whatever you might do, I would definitely NOT put any oil of any kind on the paper...that's just asking for it.

 

Larry's pretty much right, you can fix, but you can't really 'maintain' by adding anything. Once that old glue dries, there isn't anything to help it stick better, only make it worse.

 

I got a thing for old speakers. The two that seem to spell the end I see are the speaker will either blow or buzz from the coil coming undone, or the paper around the surround will get too soft and split or just plain disintigrate.

 

As for the coil coming undone, I have no idea what to do about that, except not play it.

 

For the paper coming apart at the edges, I have a few I have considered having them 'doped' to see what happens. I understand it changes the sound, but I wonder what the sound will be, and how close it will sound compared to a complete new cone and such.

 

On a side note, I have considered taking some of the new Italian Jensens and soaking them or treating them somehow to deteriorate them or soften them up.

[corson]

Hi,

 

you've had good advice in the above posts.I have repaired many cones which have tears or rips in them using a glue called Copydex.Some folk call it fish glue because of the smell.It remains rubbery when cured and lasts forever.For badly damaged cones I use cigarette papers as an additional bridge and leave to cure a full day.

[RIX]

Spooki, you come up (IMHO) with some real interesting questions, so even though I've been on a break from all forums I thought I would chime in. Basically I agree with the previous guys.

 

Paper is a dry material to began with, but is affect by humidity. Too little and the paper could be come too brittle; too much and mold could develop and ruin it. Keeping your speakers in a control environment is the best way yo preserve them.

 

Linseed oil? Which one, raw or boiled? Either way I would not use them on my speakers. Raw linseed oil takes weeks to fully cure and looks great on wood products and is intended to seal the wood and leaves a harden finish. Not sure you want that on the speaker cone. Boiled linseed oil does the same thing, but it has drying agents added to it to shorten the curing time. Again not sure you want that on the speaker cone.

 

The only conditioning I've heard of has to do with breaking in speakers and really you just need to play music through them for a period of time, but I haven't done anything like that since I was in the Air Force and was really into stereo equipment. I do have one take away from that time and that was that I always turned the volume down all the way and then turned off the stereo. I do the same with my amps when turning them off or plugging in, so you don't get that annoying loud pop or burst of sound.

 

I remember reading that speakers with a heavy build up of dust on the cone (usually the bottom portion) will cause uneven ware on the voice coil. Periodical careful cleaning will eliminate that, but that would take considerable play time.

 

Anyway hope this is helpful.

[spooki]

Spooki, you come up (IMHO) with some real interesting questions, so even though I've been on a break from all forums I thought I would chime in. Basically I agree with the previous guys.

 

Paper is a dry material to began with, but is affect by humidity. Too little and the paper could be come too brittle; too much and mold could develop and ruin it. Keeping your speakers in a control environment is the best way yo preserve them.

 

Linseed oil? Which one, raw or boiled? Either way I would not use them on my speakers. Raw linseed oil takes weeks to fully cure and looks great on wood products and is intended to seal the wood and leaves a harden finish. Not sure you want that on the speaker cone. Boiled linseed oil does the same thing, but it has drying agents added to it to shorten the curing time. Again not sure you want that on the speaker cone.

 

The only conditioning I've heard of has to do with breaking in speakers and really you just need to play music through them for a period of time, but I haven't done anything like that since I was in the Air Force and was really into stereo equipment. I do have one take away from that time and that was that I always turned the volume down all the way and then turned off the stereo. I do the same with my amps when turning them off or plugging in, so you don't get that annoying loud pop or burst of sound.

 

I remember reading that speakers with a heavy build up of dust on the cone (usually the bottom portion) will cause uneven ware on the voice coil. Periodical careful cleaning will eliminate that, but that would take considerable play time.

 

Anyway hope this is helpful.

 

 

 

 

Thanks to each and everyone of you for your input. I will leave them alone except for a light vacuum brushing before the reinstall. They are definitely heavy with the dust at the bottom. As I said, the speakers are fine right now. Just have the cab apart for new tolex and wanted to put it back together will all the TLC I can give it. Thanks again....