Dayton Audio. Classic series versus designer series versus silver flute?

[Jeffrey 01]

Good morning everybody. I have a pair of speakers that I need to rebuild. They use 6 1/2 in 8 ohms silver flute drivers. They both got damaged last year from Little fingers. I am looking for an alternative driver that is in the same price range that's just as good or better. I'm looking at the Dayton audio classic series in designer series which is a little more. Does anybody know if the Dayton audio drivers are as good as a silver flutes or just neck and neck? I do not want to buy the Dayton audio reference it's too much money for the speaker project I'm working on. I also need to replace the tweeters which got poked in. They are Seas text dome tweeter. I think they go around $50 with shipping each. Is the Dayton audio classic Tweeter or the Dayton audio reference Tweeters. Any good? I'm also looking at the air foil tweeters from Dayton audio as well?. Now of the silver flute had tweeters I'd be buying them instead. I just want to match up the drivers with the tweeters from the same company. They will be run with a older pioneer receiver. They are my dad speakers that I build him 12 years ago. Please let me know what you guys think maybe there's better drivers out there for the same price. Thanks God bless Jeff

 

[boswald]

I'd first open the seas tweeters(if conventionally built)and push the domes out.
Second, check Madisound for replacement coil/dome assemblies.
Once you have the tweeters sorted out you can think about woofers.


The silver flutes tend to have very low qts and fs.


The closest inexpensive 8ohm is the misco, but Mad has only the 4ohm at present.
So a crossover change is in your future, and except for working with your box and baffle size, you are 'free to walk about the cabin'.
So, please describe your boxes and we'll start from there.

 

[ChrisABC]

try this

YouTube

 

[ChrisABC]

if you decide to pop out the dust caps and domes be carefull.
Some people even try tape, vacuum hose, even sticking their lips on tweeter domes to suck them back to shape.

 

[Jeffrey 01]

So the tweeters if I remember right got the outer and inside pushed in. I did try to pull them out but it's all warped and damaged. The tweeters are over 12 years old and Madison doesn't carry parts. It was a buy out at the time. Now as for the box it's ( if I remember right)? They are floor standing and a rear ported box. They are 37 inch's tall by 10 inch's wide by 8 inch's deep. The inside has 2 sealed sand Chambers. The inside is 25 inch's tall by 10 inch's wide by 7 inch's deep. Due the 1 inch acoustics foam on the back wall. It's a single wire. This is all I can give you at the moment.

 

[Jeffrey 01]

I did take pictures at some time and I took the face plate off. It was really nice and easy to do. Also I did try the vacuum to the woofers dust cap no luck. I also tried the needle trick was better but the dust cap must have sat like that for a long time? I also tried the tape trick no luck. I did call Madisound but, silver flute doesn't sell extra dust caps and it's the same stuff the woofers are made out of. So no luck there.

 

[ChrisABC]

I had a woofer that my son pushed the dust cap in. I removed the dust cap, reshaped it then glued it back on.


Some places sell dust caps, even ebay.

This might work on the tweeters
YouTube

 

[Jeffrey 01]

I had a woofer that my son pushed the dust cap in. I removed the dust cap, reshaped it then glued it back on.


Some places sell dust caps, even ebay.

I can try to remove the dust cap when I go up north? Then try and glue it on? I did talk to Madison. They said putting a different dust cap on with change the driver from what it should be. Maybe I will.just buy a new dust cap and call it a day? Cheers Jeff

 

[TMM]

I just want to match up the drivers with the tweeters from the same company.

Why? There's nothing wrong with a speaker that uses different branded drivers - hell multiple thousand dollar commerical speakers do this. You're better off having a speaker with a correctly designed crossover for the drivers it has than pairing a set of 'matching' woofer and tweeter with a crossover that is completely unsuitable for them. Changing to different model drivers is asking for the speaker system to be completely redesigned from the ground up otherwise the chance of it sounding better than what you had - even if you use very high performance replacement drivers - is going to come down to dumb luck.

If you're happy with how they sounded before they were damaged, have a go at repairing the drivers or replace them with the same model drivers. As above, woofer dust caps can be pulled out with some packing tape if you don't mind a few unsightly creases being left over. If you plan on removing the damaged dust caps and gluing on replacements try to get ones of the same dimensions and materials to maintain a similar sound. The tweeter might be able to be repaired by disassembling the driver and carefully pushing out the dome from the rear. Sometimes a little heat with a hairdryer can assist with smoothing over any creases left after popping it out.

If you're planning on re-doing the crossovers then the Dayton reference tweeters are very good, but maybe not as good as the SEAS textile domes you had previously. The Silver flute is a rather good performer for the price. The Dayton Classic woofers are rather lackluster - I'd rate them significantly lower than the Silver Flutes. The Dayton reference woofers are ok but they are better suited for a 3-way as their distortion in the upper treble is noticable - the bass and midrange however is exceptionally clean.

 

[Lojzek]

I did call Madisound but, silver flute doesn't sell extra dust caps and it's the same stuff the woofers are made out of. So no luck there.

Get the dust caps from Simply Speakers or somewhere else, whatever.

 

[Jeffrey 01]

Get the dust caps from Simply Speakers or somewhere else, whatever.

That sounds like a good idea. I will call them to see what they can send me. Jeff

 

[Jeffrey 01]

Why? There's nothing wrong with a speaker that uses different branded drivers - hell multiple thousand dollar commerical speakers do this. You're better off having a speaker with a correctly designed crossover for the drivers it has than pairing a set of 'matching' woofer and tweeter with a crossover that is completely unsuitable for them. Changing to different model drivers is asking for the speaker system to be completely redesigned from the ground up otherwise the chance of it sounding better than what you had - even if you use very high performance replacement drivers - is going to come down to dumb luck.

If you're happy with how they sounded before they were damaged, have a go at repairing the drivers or replace them with the same model drivers. As above, woofer dust caps can be pulled out with some packing tape if you don't mind a few unsightly creases being left over. If you plan on removing the damaged dust caps and gluing on replacements try to get ones of the same dimensions and materials to maintain a similar sound. The tweeter might be able to be repaired by disassembling the driver and carefully pushing out the dome from the rear. Sometimes a little heat with a hairdryer can assist with smoothing over any creases left after popping it out.

If you're planning on re-doing the crossovers then the Dayton reference tweeters are very good, but maybe not as good as the SEAS textile domes you had previously. The Silver flute is a rather good performer for the price. The Dayton Classic woofers are rather lackluster - I'd rate them significantly lower than the Silver Flutes. The Dayton reference woofers are ok but they are better suited for a 3-way as their distortion in the upper treble is noticable - the bass and midrange however is exceptionally clean.

I am very happy with the driver's. Best $19.99 ever spent. They have held up with no issues after all these years. I guess I didn't want to spend $33.50 on each driver and was looking for a alternative $20.00 dollar replacement. I will either replace the dust caps or buy new ones. You have persuaded me to keep.the original design. You're right I don't want to have to mess with crossovers. It's fine the way it is. Thank you for your help. And everybody here. That's why I like this form. I got a lot of help and a lot of point of views and a lot of advice. Cheers Jeff.