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Immanuel
10-28-2009, 11:09 AM
Hi There

I realize that this is a very vague question, but I've got to try this. I was offered a pair of 4312 monitors for low money ~ 150$. The cabs are very scratched, but I know where they have lived their lives, and I suspect it to be only visual damage. The tweeters are not original, but maybe that is a good thing ... They look a bit like these (http://www.speakerrepair.com/ebaypics/jbl-052ti-twtr-500.jpg) ... but they have black domes and no grilles. Do you have any idea, what these tweeters may be. Again, knowing where they have lived, I would suspect the previous owners to have replaced the old tweeters with something from JBL.

The thing is, that the deal is now, and I will not have time to go see/hear them before a month from now.

Thanks in advance, I know it is a difficult one without a picture. The one above was the closest I got on google pictures when searching for jbl tweeter.

rdgrimes
10-28-2009, 11:16 AM
Easy enough to pop one out and check the model. But it sounds like an 033.

Here's a pic:
http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/specs/home-speakers/1979-l150/page3.jpg

Immanuel
10-28-2009, 11:25 AM
Easy enough to pop one out and check the model. But it sounds like an 033.

Here's a pic:
http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/specs/home-speakers/1979-l150/page3.jpg
I would have, when I saw it, but I wasn't prepared to bring a screw driver. Thanks for the tip, but it is not the 033. It has this slight horn loading shape like the one on the picture, I linked to. In a way, it looks a bit like a black 044 made for being mounted on the front.

rdgrimes
10-28-2009, 11:40 AM
The 066 and 044 have a black dome that's supposed to be covered in aluminum, but neither can be confused with any others. We have seen them with all the aluminum coating gone, and also seen them painted black. The 034 is another possibility if the aluminum is gone and/or it's been painted.

Immanuel
10-28-2009, 12:52 PM
So far, I have found pictures of the:

033
034
035
I have the 044s in a pair of 4411 already
052
066

The only ones that looks like it is 034, 035 and 052. These all have titanium coloured domes though. Do you know, if these also loose their titanium layer and turn dark black?

Why would anyone paint a tweeter?

I find it strange, if these have been painted, because care wasn't really being paid to details, when they where put in. They are not flush mounted, the old screw holes from the previous drivers have not been filled/painted over, and there are two places where the driver does not cover the original hole.

MikeBrewster77
10-28-2009, 01:34 PM
...knowing where they have lived, I would suspect the previous owners to have replaced the old tweeters with something from JBL.




...care wasn't really being paid to details, when they where put in. They are not flush mounted, the old screw holes from the previous drivers have not been filled/painted over, and there are two places where the driver does not cover the original hole.

Oh, for crying out loud!!! Seriously?

Certainly no disrespect meant, but with such a shoddy installation job, how are you certain the prior owner would take the care to replace the tweeter with a genuine JBL driver?

I think without a picture, or without the seller pulling the tweeter (which certainly couldn't muck things up any worse than they already are) to read the part number, the exercise of trying to guess which driver this is will be rather futile. Is s/he unwilling to do either of those for you?

rdgrimes
10-28-2009, 01:42 PM
The only ones that looks like it is 034, 035 and 052. These all have titanium coloured domes though. Do you know, if these also loose their titanium layer and turn dark black?


As I said, the 034 has a black cloth dome with an aluminum coating which can come off. Whatever those tweets are, they are worthless.

Given the condition of these speakers, I'd submit that it hardly matters what tweets are in there, if they are JBL at all. They should be priced appropriately with the assumption that at least new tweets are required.

Immanuel
10-28-2009, 02:06 PM
Oh, for crying out loud!!! Seriously?
A good question, but yes.


Certainly no disrespect meant, but with such a shoddy installation job, how are you certain the prior owner would take the care to replace the tweeter with a genuine JBL driver?
Their past life was at an institution, where I have come to the conclusion, that the people in charge wanted things but didn't really have the required knowledge. Under those circumstances it doesn't matter with the little screw holes from the old tweeters. It is behind the front grille anyway. But the two other holes are big enough for me to think, that they could be messing with the acoustics. My best bet is, that they send it off to a local repair man, they have used for years. He likely put in a JBL driver, and both parties where happy. The school got something original (maybe even the driver from the upgraded 4312a), and the repair man got to sell them a relatively expensive driver. I have seen more of his repair and installation work and found it unimpressive and expensive.


I think without a picture, or without the seller pulling the tweeter (which certainly couldn't muck things up any worse than they already are) to read the part number, the exercise of trying to guess which driver this is will be rather futile. Is s/he unwilling to do either of those for you?
I'll see, what is possible. I might even take them anyway. They are going into frankenstein territory anyway. One 128h in one of my 4411s is like 3 or 4 dB lower in output than the other. I got that pair very cheap with totally rotten original edges, and I reedged them myself with a kit from speakerrepair. So among all of those drivers I will try and pick the best sets for one speaker.

It seems like it will be the basses from the 4312s and the mids and the tweeters from the 4411s. And the rest of the drivers will go to "back ground noise speakers".

Immanuel
12-11-2009, 02:06 AM
The "replacement" tweeters turned out to be Vifa D26TG-35/06. The pots for one of the speakers are unstable - and not smooth and centered as in the other speaker. I ended up getting the speakers at a reduced price, which makes it worth it for the woofers alone. Thanks for your inputs :)