Refoaming surround for jbl l86

[pqrannes]

Hi tbcyberz,

Nice re-foaming story and very informative. I've just found a pair of L86 but are a little confused on the re-foaming material.

It is clear from you nice pictures that you re-foamed your speakers with foam. But did they originally come with foam or with rubber (like mine)?

Peter, Denmark

[hjames]

Hi tbcyberz,

Nice re-foaming story and very informative. I've just found a pair of L86 but are a little confused on the re-foaming material.

It is clear from you nice pictures that you re-foamed your speakers with foam. But did they originally come with foam or with rubber (like mine)?

Peter, Denmark

JBL speakers came with either foam (most of the newer ones) or an accordian pleat folded cardboard, usually treated with a thick tar-like compound to keep it flexible).
I don't think I've heard of any JBLs coming with a rubber surround - that sounds like a nonstock repair job. Perhaps a previous owner thought the rubber would be a better material after the foam deteriorated? Or maybe they didn't know where to get materials to have it repaired properly?
Of course, the speakers didn't play as they were designed to play with such non-standard material, but when the foam is gone its hard to remember what they sounded like when they were new (and correct).

EDIT: - Apparently there are some newer speakers that now have a rubber surround - see the thread at - http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/s...ad.php?t=18282

[pqrannes]

JBL speakers came with either foam (most of the newer ones) or an accordian pleat folded cardboard, usually treated with a thick tar-like compound to keep it flexible).
I don't think I've heard of any JBLs coming with a rubber surround - that sounds like a nonstock repair job. Perhaps a previous owner thought the rubber would be a better material after the foam deteriorated? Or maybe they didn't know where to get materials to have it repaired properly?
Of course, the speakers didn't play as they were designed to play with such non-standard material, but when the foam is gone its hard to remember what they sounded like when they were new (and correct).

Thx for the answer hjames,

Taking a closer look at the detoriated surround it is not rubber but could be - what you call- "accordian pleat foldet cardboard". It's thinner than rubber (and foam) and not very flexebel itself. It's kind of smooth - like rubber - that why I got it wrong.

I guess I can refoam it with foam, then.

Peter. Denmark

[pqrannes]

Well,

I took a second look.

It's not any kind of cardboard, rather stiff old rubber. The woofers must have got new surrounds at some point - do I see clue at the back of the cone?

One woofer out of the cab shows it is a "117H-1" as it should be.


Peter

[Fred Sanford]

My L46s were rubber surrounds from the factory. General consensus was to replace with Rick Cobb's foam surrounds. In my experience, Rick's careful to ask the relevant questions so that he sends the correct surround.

First pic is close up of OEM rubber surround, second pic has middle set re-foamed, outer sets still OEM rubber.

[pqrannes]

Hi Fred,

Great pictures of your 'wall of JBLs'!

And yes, it seems like the L86s came with rubber (like) surrounds, too. Will rid of those soon!

Peter, Denmark

[Fred Sanford]

Hi Fred,

Great pictures of your 'wall of JBLs'!

And yes, it seems like the L86s came with rubber (like) surrounds, too. Will rid of those soon!

Peter, Denmark

Thanks- but that's less than half of the JBLs here, not quite an entire 'wall'. I'll work on that, and come up with a better picture.

je