Basket, magnet & frame damping: How to?

[gnugear]

I've been reading a lot about improving the performance of the drivers but I haven't really found any pics of samples. I wrapped some wool blanket around the back of my Fe168s and I think it improved it ... what else can be done and how does one go about damping a frame?

[planet10]

search for "extreme basket damping"

dave

[Zero One]

Well how extreme do you want to go, here are some pics of a driver modded for open baffle application, the driver eventually goes into a panel but makes no contact with it being supported via a tube on the back of the magnet. The shaping of the rear of the driver, basket mods, stiffening the magnet to basket junction and damping all help regardless of the type of cabinet or non cabinet I have chosen to use. I hope it gives some help.

The pic on this post shows the driver with 3 legs cut out and the basket edge cut down, this on these small 4 inch drivers reduces congestion and makes for better bass as well. The magnet to basket junction is filled with builders bog, which is easily trimmed with a knife just prior to fully going off.

Cutting out basket legs on larger drivers might be asking for trouble however and it important to note these drivers are to be magnet mounted.

[Zero One]

This pic shows the other bits needed to make the driver magnet mounted, basically a round wood block, a plumbing fitting and some kneadable steel filler.

[Zero One]

Here you can see a plastic container which is from a dessert packaging, it fits over the mount to shape the rear end of the speaker.

[Zero One]

The cover is taped up with insulating tape and then the whole lot is covered with thick neoprene, which I hope provides damping but also smoothes the flow around the rear of the driver.

[Zero One]

This whole lot is screwed to a mounting tube and mounted on a felt covered sub baffle (this fits inside the main baffle without touching it, so no vibration is actually transferred to the main baffle).
If you look closely you will be able to see the driver legs have been shaped with filler for better flow and they are padded on the inside with felt, but this cannot be seen in the pic (sorry about that)

[Zero One]

The front of the sub baffle has felt as well (thin in this case) and I quite like the look of it.

This driver is still far from finished, they then had dust cap mods, enabling, whizzer cone serrating and more. But hopefully it gives you a few ideas.

Cheers
Zero One

[AdamThorne]

How do you cut the basket legs without screwing up your cone or flinging metal filings all over?

[gnugear]

What does the felt do? Is there a specific process for it?