I have an old lowther PM6A, with no surround and badly damaged cone. The voice coil is OK.
I could get it reconed professionally, but just for fun
I thought I might try to make a cone similar to the original.
I have refurbished speakers and made cones before, but not like these.
Any tips or comments?
I could get it reconed professionally, but just for fun
I thought I might try to make a cone similar to the original.
I have refurbished speakers and made cones before, but not like these.
Any tips or comments?
http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~tima/products/spunit2/tricone.html
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uses kite paper,and some kind of varnish
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uses kite paper,and some kind of varnish
That is cool!
Here's the "Babelfished" version:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babe...ocn.ne.jp/~tima/products/spunit2/tricone.html
Here's the "Babelfished" version:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babe...ocn.ne.jp/~tima/products/spunit2/tricone.html
Thanks, Guys, that is most helpful.
I will follow up on the rice paper.
Would that be similar to the paper used to cover model aircraft?
I've measured the cone and whizzer thickness at 0.21mm.
This is the same as two sheets of 80gsm copy & laser paper, but this of course has fillers etc in it.
At least it gives me some idea of what to look for, and I can do some experiments with varnish, resins etc for stiffness
I will follow up on the rice paper.
Would that be similar to the paper used to cover model aircraft?
I've measured the cone and whizzer thickness at 0.21mm.
This is the same as two sheets of 80gsm copy & laser paper, but this of course has fillers etc in it.
At least it gives me some idea of what to look for, and I can do some experiments with varnish, resins etc for stiffness
I couldn't translate the japanese link posted above so I don't know exactly what type of paper it is. Shoji (rice) paper is similar to model plane tissue paper but a little thicker and lots more linear grain. Also it is much tougher. Hereis a link to one paper vendor: http://www.rice-paper.com/. If you would like some to try a cone building project I will send you some free of charge. All I ask is that you keep us posted on your project. mail:westend@mchsi.com.rjb said:
You do realise how much your driver is worth as a trade-in, even in its present state?
Lowther's paper is specially made for them, so I don't think you'll find a close match 'off the shelf'. Interesting to experiment, though. The genuine cones are hand-made by highly skilled workers, and individually signed! Lowther's voicecoil is an important feature of their design, and does indeed account to some extent for the price of the drivers. The suspension is designed with a very high compliance but small Xmax, so you'll have to improvise there too. The voicecoil can be centred and its penetration adjusted after the unit is assembled, by slackening the magnet fixings.
Don't forget that even genuine Lowther suspensions take many hours (some say years) to run in, so don't judge your results straight away.
Good luck!
Lowther's paper is specially made for them, so I don't think you'll find a close match 'off the shelf'. Interesting to experiment, though. The genuine cones are hand-made by highly skilled workers, and individually signed! Lowther's voicecoil is an important feature of their design, and does indeed account to some extent for the price of the drivers. The suspension is designed with a very high compliance but small Xmax, so you'll have to improvise there too. The voicecoil can be centred and its penetration adjusted after the unit is assembled, by slackening the magnet fixings.
Don't forget that even genuine Lowther suspensions take many hours (some say years) to run in, so don't judge your results straight away.
Good luck!
Yep, I know their value. However at this end of the world shipping to and from can be a major cost, so the best option is to import just the cone assembly and install it here.
There is an excellent repair firm here (with remagnetising facilities as well), so that is not an issue.
There seem to be three sources, Lowther, AER and the designer of the Lowthex that can supply suitable assemblies at different costs. Each would use the magnet assembly.Just how they differ in sound is unknown.
Any comments?
Anyway my budget for playing is tight at the moment, (I have two other projects on the go as well, and have just built a speaker test rig for these) and as I won't be destroying the value of the units, I thought it would be fun to play as long as it did not cost much.
Probably my next step is to try to seperate the voicecoil from the cone/whizzer as winding another would be too difficult. If that can be done I will turn up a wood mould for the next stage.
If this is successful, Westend, I would like to take you up on your kind offer of paper, and will contact you directly in a few days.
Meanwhile, all suggestions welcome.
Ross
There is an excellent repair firm here (with remagnetising facilities as well), so that is not an issue.
There seem to be three sources, Lowther, AER and the designer of the Lowthex that can supply suitable assemblies at different costs. Each would use the magnet assembly.Just how they differ in sound is unknown.
Any comments?
Anyway my budget for playing is tight at the moment, (I have two other projects on the go as well, and have just built a speaker test rig for these) and as I won't be destroying the value of the units, I thought it would be fun to play as long as it did not cost much.
Probably my next step is to try to seperate the voicecoil from the cone/whizzer as winding another would be too difficult. If that can be done I will turn up a wood mould for the next stage.
If this is successful, Westend, I would like to take you up on your kind offer of paper, and will contact you directly in a few days.
Meanwhile, all suggestions welcome.
Ross
Progress to date. Situation not good.
The first two problems found when disasembling the cone system frome the cage was that the foam inner suspension ring was failing, (easily replaced), and that some voice coil turns seemed loose.
Well, using acetone to disolve the glue, and a lot of care and patience I was able to seperate the whizzer and cone from the voice coil former. They basically are just a part ring of paper with the inner edge serated. So I now have a pattern for each.
Unfortunately the voice coil former is also similar thin paper in the form of a very light tube, with another ring of paper at the non-voicecoil end to strengthen it. This ring also has a serated edge which glues to the whizzer.
Despite using minimum applications of acetone with a small artists brush, the former absorbed the acetone like a sponge, and softened. This further loosened the copper voice coil turns, and the former became out of round.
I may have been able to prevent this had I inserted a rod into the former before ungluing the cone, but this would have made removing the whizzer very difficult. Also once the acetone dries, the glue reforms, which would have glued the rod inside the former.
I am not sure the situation is retrievable, so this may be the last post from me in this thread. winding a suitable voicecoil is a bit beyond me at the moment. However if anybody requires more information feel free to contact me.
Thanks for your interest.
The first two problems found when disasembling the cone system frome the cage was that the foam inner suspension ring was failing, (easily replaced), and that some voice coil turns seemed loose.
Well, using acetone to disolve the glue, and a lot of care and patience I was able to seperate the whizzer and cone from the voice coil former. They basically are just a part ring of paper with the inner edge serated. So I now have a pattern for each.
Unfortunately the voice coil former is also similar thin paper in the form of a very light tube, with another ring of paper at the non-voicecoil end to strengthen it. This ring also has a serated edge which glues to the whizzer.
Despite using minimum applications of acetone with a small artists brush, the former absorbed the acetone like a sponge, and softened. This further loosened the copper voice coil turns, and the former became out of round.
I may have been able to prevent this had I inserted a rod into the former before ungluing the cone, but this would have made removing the whizzer very difficult. Also once the acetone dries, the glue reforms, which would have glued the rod inside the former.
I am not sure the situation is retrievable, so this may be the last post from me in this thread. winding a suitable voicecoil is a bit beyond me at the moment. However if anybody requires more information feel free to contact me.
Thanks for your interest.
When you buy over Ebay you get it for 199 Euro
(all moving parts replaced).
http://cgi.ebay.com/Lowther-Lothx-o...itemZ7593615673QQcategoryZ23323QQcmdZViewItem
(all moving parts replaced).
http://cgi.ebay.com/Lowther-Lothx-o...itemZ7593615673QQcategoryZ23323QQcmdZViewItem
I'm a wee bit incredulous here.
First I admire yer Ambition.
But on the other hand after having heard way too many 'Lowthers" over the years.. I respectfully suggest that you sit back and carefully consider just what yer contemplating.
Despite the sycophant babblings of a few true believers,
these things simply don't work well enough to bother.. ANY.. of the models, let alone the geriatric crumbling ones.
First I admire yer Ambition.
But on the other hand after having heard way too many 'Lowthers" over the years.. I respectfully suggest that you sit back and carefully consider just what yer contemplating.
Despite the sycophant babblings of a few true believers,
these things simply don't work well enough to bother.. ANY.. of the models, let alone the geriatric crumbling ones.
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