L56 Rubber or Foam

[sourceoneaudio]

Are the surrounds on the L56 10" supposed to be rubber, or foam stock? I'm assuming foam since my L15's are foam. I'm looking to add these to my L collection and I found the foam answer to my question odd.??

Item: Pair of Vintage JBL L56 L-56 Speakers Nice (110121442889 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110121442889&sspagename=ADME:L:RTQ:US:1)) This message was sent while the listing was active. kc.dave is the seller. http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/s.gif Hi, As far as I know the surrounds have never been replaced. The surrounds look perfect and do not look like they have ever been replaced. They are actually rubber, not foam. The tweeter grills are intact with no dents. Thanks, Dave

J/S-S1A :D

[jay]

My 56's have the original surrounds too, and it's kind of a puzzler. They rot like foam, but look and feel like rubber since the outer surface is smooth. I even put ArmourAll or them to make them look better.

I think what they really are is foam with a plasticizer added to the outer surface to make them look like rubber.

I had L46's and they were the same. Generic foam surrounds fit the 8" drivers well, and I anticipate will be just fine for the 10" 118H's too.

BTW, I wouldn't believe the seller about them not needing to be refoamed. Mine still look good at first glance, but the surrounds are cracked and generally rotten around the edges where you can't readily see without probing.

[sourceoneaudio]

Thanx Jay.


J/S-S1A :D

[SMKSoundPro]

I have L-56's in the living room. The surround is an odd mix of some kind of latex and foam. I got mine at a pawn shop in '91 for $80. One of the woofers was open and I was able to order 2 new recone kits. I never reconed them. I stuck a pair of 125a woofers in them from L36 at the shop. Completely different sounding. Deep and rich!

When the foam on the 125's faded away last summer, I found the recone kit I had stashed away, and reconed the one 118 woofer. I then replaced the 125a's with the proper 118's. I also had to buy one 034 tweeter diaphram. I bit the bullet and bought the last two at Orange County Speaker, at $102 each! (since then I have bought another pair on ebay for $10!)

All in all, our L56's sound great in our living room as they were a gift to my then girlfriend, now wife. (When I met her, she said she had "stereo anxiety!" That I would judge her by the 5 watt GE little bookshelf all in one stereo she had. Before I took her to meet my parents, I got her the L56's. Her 5 watts were a little more impressive. I married her 4 years later and got the L56's back. (She instantly got half of all the speakers I owned. Hope she doesn't leave!)

I refoamed the 125's and are sitting in a box for something else. I don't know what, but something. I also found another pair of 118's on ebay and refoamed them, also. Just sitting in a box, waiting...waiting...waiting.

If you can find a pair of 118 woofers, grab them. 10" of Aquaplas cone on a small 1-1/2" voice coil. Save them in special place. Find some 034 tweeters and save them, too.

If it works for you, then find the parts to back it up, while you dream of the day you can build some 4345's or the like!!!! (That's what we are doing!) Oh yeah, and a bigger house with its own shop space and its own music room with all of our great JBL gear!!!

Keep it simple!

Scott.

[wpgtommy]

I know this is an old thread, but my friend has a pair and I love them.

[SMKSoundPro]

We have Lisa's L-56's in the living room. She loves them. They have serious WAF.

She understands our bigger speakers, and what they are for, but still she likes the way our small living room looks without big ole speakers in there.

Glad you like yours.

Scott.