Big thanks to everybody for all your suggestions which sound very promising. It's tricky because I very much doubt my capacity to actually do anything but harm if I start twiddling with them and would have no idea if the crossover had been modified or not (not even knowing what one looks like!) Hopeless I know! I think I'd need the help of an expert to modify them.
But please don't stop replying : everything is useful!
I do confirm that the rubber surrounds have holes and tears right round on both speakers - invisible in the photo but sadly very visible to the naked eye!
Like I said to Mattes, if anyone living anywhere near a pair for sale could go and see and listen to them and say whether they were fit to buy and not on their last legs I'd obviously be very interested - but I think the chances of this being possible would be vanishingly small.
If it's for repairs I think I'd need to get someone (a TDL lover!) competent over here to take charge of the job!
But please don't stop replying : everything is useful!
I do confirm that the rubber surrounds have holes and tears right round on both speakers - invisible in the photo but sadly very visible to the naked eye!
Like I said to Mattes, if anyone living anywhere near a pair for sale could go and see and listen to them and say whether they were fit to buy and not on their last legs I'd obviously be very interested - but I think the chances of this being possible would be vanishingly small.
If it's for repairs I think I'd need to get someone (a TDL lover!) competent over here to take charge of the job!
Steve from Portsmouth, yes, I realise that the replacement drivers installed by Pascal were not at all suitable and the sound when I got them back was unrecogniseable. My listening pleasure had pretty well evaporated after that but lately it's become simply impossible to listen to them - I did love them so much when they were working and can't imagine anything else being as good (for me)
Hi Planet 10 - yes, I still have the original paper that the speakers came with (looks very retro now!) There's a short text and some photos too. Those diagrams are on the paper!
Question for everybody : I think the cabinets are in good condition but would the foam (which has never been tampered with and so is the same age as the speakers) still do the job or would that have to be replaced too?
Question for everybody : I think the cabinets are in good condition but would the foam (which has never been tampered with and so is the same age as the speakers) still do the job or would that have to be replaced too?
Hello again Mattes, I did see those ones on e-bay (keep going back to look at them again!) but have no means of knowing whether they are still OK or if they are the real deal (ie: TDL from start to finish!)
Message to everybody : Do you actually buy used equipment without seeing it and listening to it beforehand? For the rest of my setup I've always been able to go and look and listen before making a decision.
Message to everybody : Do you actually buy used equipment without seeing it and listening to it beforehand? For the rest of my setup I've always been able to go and look and listen before making a decision.
This is not the first time that someone has rocked up here with some broken TDL speakers.
We've looked into those old Elac drivers before:
Plastic Polycones, which tend to low breakup around 5kHz. Various models over the years. Interestingly, high Qts in transmission line.
Vikash has delved deeply into his MTM version, the TDL RTL3:
Creating a new MTM Floorstanding speaker using the drivers from the TDL RTL3.
Even measured the raw drivers.
I wouldn't be surprised if the foam is turning to dust by now. But amazing cabinets. Crying out for new drivers. Too good to throw away.
I get the feeling the crossover is quite low, around 2.5kHz, which needs a good tweeter. The unique design point of the bass filter is a shunt resistor around 15R, which is a cheap and cheerful bit of impedance correction that helps the filter work more steeply.
Maybe the XT25 tweeter was a poor choice of replacement here, especially if it is the 30 version rather than the better 60. It traditionally doesn't dig deep. But really, to see what is doable, you must measure the cutout on bass and tweeter. You ought to be able to look at the crossover which is behind the speaker terminals too.
Then assess what is affordable.
We've looked into those old Elac drivers before:
Plastic Polycones, which tend to low breakup around 5kHz. Various models over the years. Interestingly, high Qts in transmission line.
Vikash has delved deeply into his MTM version, the TDL RTL3:
Creating a new MTM Floorstanding speaker using the drivers from the TDL RTL3.
Even measured the raw drivers.
I wouldn't be surprised if the foam is turning to dust by now. But amazing cabinets. Crying out for new drivers. Too good to throw away.
I get the feeling the crossover is quite low, around 2.5kHz, which needs a good tweeter. The unique design point of the bass filter is a shunt resistor around 15R, which is a cheap and cheerful bit of impedance correction that helps the filter work more steeply.
Maybe the XT25 tweeter was a poor choice of replacement here, especially if it is the 30 version rather than the better 60. It traditionally doesn't dig deep. But really, to see what is doable, you must measure the cutout on bass and tweeter. You ought to be able to look at the crossover which is behind the speaker terminals too.
Then assess what is affordable.
Sally, can you take a picture of the XO, any elco caps could well have dried out. They are certainly old enuff.
Pictures of your drivers would also help.
dave
Pictures of your drivers would also help.
dave
OK, I've found someone who can come here and do the repairs once the confinement is lifted. I'll send pics and measurements today then we can see what I'd need to order, then get advice from everybody on how to go about it concerning the crossover in particular (and maybe the foam inside the cabinets?)
The dimension of the woofer hole seems to be 14.7/8 cm
Replacement woofer : DYNAUDIO 17WLQ 8 ohms N° 84875, L1 13
The tweeter hole isn't round (see photo) it's measirement at the widest point is 8.9 cm
Replacement tweeter : Vifa XT255C-30 4 ohms
Replacement woofer : DYNAUDIO 17WLQ 8 ohms N° 84875, L1 13
The tweeter hole isn't round (see photo) it's measirement at the widest point is 8.9 cm
Replacement tweeter : Vifa XT255C-30 4 ohms
Attachments
Steve from Portsmouth : you were quite right about the replacement drivers : maximum respect !!!
planet10 : Is the XO the thing I can see at the back of the speaker when I take out the driver?
PS : I love (and identify with) "frugal-phile"!
PS : I love (and identify with) "frugal-phile"!
XOs are often mounted on the back wall of the speaker, often with the termnal cup attached. It is usually composed of caps, inductors (coils of wire) and resisters (often small white bricks). With wires coming out to attach to the drivers.
dave
dave
Thanks planet10 and cm6, I'll try to get my phone in there tomorrow and take a picture, I think I'll have to take the foam out. I imagine I can't just grab the XO and pull ? 🙂
TDLs usually had it at the inside of the terminal panel at the back.
Mine the rubber woofer surrounds are still OK, I had to re-glue them slightly and this is in the tropics
Mine the rubber woofer surrounds are still OK, I had to re-glue them slightly and this is in the tropics
