Latest Additions XPL

[gferrell]

The XPL160's were already here, just added the others. Anyone have any 90's for sale? 61374

[BMWCCA]

Very nice grouping!
:applaud:

[gferrell]

They all have new foam except 1 and I am sure every one can tell which one. I need to replace it too but it is the only one that was intact and it still works good.

[brett_s]

How the heck did you find all of those? I've been trying to find a set of 140's or 160's to go with my 200's and 90's for a long time. Nothing in this area that isn't beat up, and even those are pretty rare.

[JuniorJBL]

Nice Family you have there!! :applaud:

[Greg86z28]

Are the XPL series speakers pretty decent?

[brett_s]

I think they are, but I'm pretty biased as I own a set. IMHO, you have to spend some serious coin to get much better than the xpl200's. There are better, but at the price point they reside at, they are quite a value.

[Mr. Widget]

Are the XPL series speakers pretty decent?They are or rather were... unfortunately as member Don C can tell you, due to their original method of manufacture those amazing mid domes are ticking time bombs. I am not sure if they can be modified to improve longevity, but as they were designed they do wear out.

I don't know the details... perhaps those better informed on this subject can post a comment.


Widget

[caladois]

Very nice collection. Could you resume and compare the sound of this JBL family. I only know the 160 (as owner) and the 140. Regards Stéphane

[gferrell]

They are or rather were... unfortunately as member Don C can tell you, due to their original method of manufacture those amazing mid domes are ticking time bombs. I am not sure if they can be modified to improve longevity, but as they were designed they do wear out.

I don't know the details... perhaps those better informed on this subject can post a comment.


Widget

It would be nice to know if there is a way to preserve them. I have had luck with replacing the foam on the 035Ti and Tia's. One problem with the 035ti is the corrosion on the aluminum leads which I have placed a drop of oil on to help since JBL did not encase them in epoxy like the Tia.61425

[brett_s]

I was unaware of this failure mode. Very concerning to say the least.

Any more details that can be provided would be greatly appreciated.

[gferrell]

Really not much to say except in hi humidity the lead between the connector and the VC gets corrosion and will open right in the channel where it runs. Since it is aluminum you can not solder it unless someone here knows how to do it. So I took my others apart and lubed the aluminum wire between the connector and the tape. While I was at it I replaced the foam under the dome. That should prevent the corrosion for a while until it is needed again. Maybe petroleum jelly would last longer than oil. I did try to solder it but it will not work because it is aluminum. I even tried to put a copper wire between the connector and the other end of the wire under the tape. I did get that side to take but the other side did not.

[brett_s]

Really not much to say except in hi humidity the lead between the connector and the VC gets corrosion and will open right in the channel where it runs. Since it is aluminum you can not solder it unless someone here knows how to do it. So I took my others apart and lubed the aluminum wire between the connector and the tape. While I was at it I replaced the foam under the dome. That should prevent the corrosion for a while until it is needed again. Maybe petroleum jelly would last longer than oil. I did try to solder it but it will not work because it is aluminum. I even tried to put a copper wire between the connector and the other end of the wire under the tape. I did get that side to take but the other side did not.

What material did you use for foam? I've heard of this having to be replaced and have seen pics of them apart, but I don't know what type of foam people are using.
i might have to check mine out along with the connection. Mine are kept in a room that is between 38 and 42 percent humidity, so it's pretty dry. Hopefully they are in good shape yet. I dislike the time bomb thought!

[gferrell]

Which speakers do you have? I am talking about the 034ti/035ti as in the 1980's L series. I have not taken apart any XPL drivers yet so I do not have experience with those.

[brett_s]

Sorry, I missed where you said 035. I thought you were talking about the xpl drivers.

[Mr. Widget]

This is the post I remember reading that gave me pause:

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?34929-Getting-the-Right-Drivers-Impossible&p=354676&viewfull=1#post354676


Widget

[gferrell]

This is the post I remember reading that gave me pause:

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?34929-Getting-the-Right-Drivers-Impossible&p=354676&viewfull=1#post354676


Widget

Don C seems to be the person with the most experience with the XPL's. Maybe he can chime in with any hints on preventive maintenance. Why would they break at the connectors?

[rdgrimes]

Aluminum wire will always fail, its only a matter of time. Enemies are heat and motion, both present in a driver. It will become brittle and break. Use extreme caution if handling it.

[Robh3606]

Aluminum wire will always fail,

Depends on how it is terminated. There are lots of vintage systems all loaded with aluminum voice coils still going strong after 50 years. Every compression driver, except possibly the phenolics, all the ring radiators and the D-130, most of the Musical instrument drivers all use aluminum coils. In a conventional woofer/cone driver the actual voice coil moves with the cone and VC form. It's all bonded together. It's the litz wire between the frame and the cone islet where the VC wire is terminated that gets the workout.


Why would they break at the connectors?

That's the constraint point? Also aluminum doesn't solder all that well? The surrounds move and at high frequencies get quite a bit of bend cycles to say the least. Think about it. They changed over to Ti because of the limited life in bend cycles of the surrounds of aluminum diaphrams. Here you have an aluminum wire strapped on to a Ti diaphram surround. Somethings going to give.

In the -1 drivers, like the 046Ti they changed over to copper clad aluminum. I have 046Ti -1's but no 093'-1s.

Rob:)

[Don C]

The wire may break right where it is soldered to the terminal. That's what happened to mine. Pull some wire away from the surround and bring it back to the terminal, but the wire is well stuck to the surround. Then heat the terminal to resolder the connection. The heat then makes the terminal pin fall over. It's stuck into some glue, and the heat melts the glue. Pretty scary. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's never going to be easy.

61439

[gferrell]

Looks like delicate surgery. What about the foam? Do you have pictures?

Thanks Don C.
PS your doing much better than John Fox today.

[Don C]

More pictures, including good shots of the foam, can be viewed in this older thread.
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?10065-XPL200-Rehab/

[gferrell]

So, is this the only foam? Just the foam gasket around the edge of the dome? Is there none under the dome for damping like the Ti high frequency drivers have?



http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=14716&stc=1&d=1144535343

[Don C]

There is some foam on the inside of the back cover, but it doesn't touch anything. Other than that, there is no foam behind the dome of the midranges. Just the surround foam.

[Titanium Dome]

So, is this the only foam? Just the foam gasket around the edge of the dome? Is there none under the dome for damping like the Ti high frequency drivers have?

That's all you see in my photos. That's all there is.

[gferrell]

Thanks very much Don C and TD. I guess I feel a little more confident that they may last a while longer.