L77 LF Drivers

[mandras]

Hello!
This is my first post here. The reason I am writing are broken low frequency drivers for old L77 Lancer speakers. I need one recone kit for the active driver and one for the passive radiator.
Is there anybody who can supply me with these parts? The JBL service here in my country (Austria) said, they wouldn't get these parts anymore. So my last hope is this forum.
Thank you in advance for your help!

[Zilch]

Look up forum member Guido in Germany.

He'll likely be able to help you with that.

[Those are a "favorite" woofer around here; well worth refurbishing.... :thmbsup:]

[mandras]

Wow, thanks for your quick reply!
Yes, I love these speakers, which my father bought in 1965, in the United States. They are "part of the family" since then and I hope we can keep them alive.
Regards from Austria

[speakerdave]

You didn't say what the problem was. If it's just the foam surround, you don't need recone kits.

The foam surrounds are easily obtained and can be replaced by someone who is at all handy with tools.

David

[mandras]

It is the foam surrounds for both, the active and the passive radiator. The active driver additionaly is blocked, so very likely the coil got dammaged.
I did not unmount it yet, though.

[speakerdave]

The old lansaloy surround can be so stiff it may seem like the cone is "blocked." Does the surround feel hard and inflexible?

[mandras]

yes, it really feels stiff and I am affraid to put too much force on it without having the speaker unmount.
Unfortunately I do not have it here were I am at the moment to answer more specific questions, but it might be a good idea to get the speaker here on monday. Then I can supply some photos and we can analize what the best "therapy" might be.
Thanks for your help.

[speakerdave]

It is unlikely you really need new cones unless someone has been trying to drive those woofers and their stiffened surrounds hard enough to get some bass out of them and fried them as a result.

You can test the viability of the voice coils with a continuity tester, an ohmmeter or by connecting the output of an amp, at low volume, to the input terminals of the woofer. Even with a completely rigid surround you will hear some midrange from the woofer if it has a good voice coil.

You should replace all the surrounds on the woofers and passive radiators (do you have a PAIR of L77's?).

Use the search function above to find a thread in which member Bo Putnam has shown in detail how to replace foam surrounds. Also there you will find information about where to get them from a reliable and technically competent supplier.

Alternatively you can have them done professionally. Guido probably could help you source this service in Europe.

David

[mandras]

Yes I have a pair, and it is certainly a good idea to take care of both speakers.

Thanks for the tip about Bo's post. I also sent Guido a message.
I will go into detail next week and try to figure out which way to go.

Andreas

[speakerdave]

Good luck with them.

David

[dat521gatherer]

speakerdave knows what he's talking about. i have a pr8 from a l44 lancer and the surround is stiff rock solid but looks mint with no cracks. i don't think i will use the brake fluid trick to make them movable again. refoam is in order. i too have a pair of l77's but with no drivers. mine have the orange material grills but i've seen recovered black grills that look great if the cat got to yours. let us know how they turn out.