recently aquired L44's

[Ebbertron]

hey everyone. I recently picked up a pair of L 44's at my local thrift store. I took a look at them and the surrounds are cracked. they still sound good, but yeah, I realize they need alot of work. Im wondering what you would recommend I do to fix them/replace them to preserve the classic sound of the speakers. any direction you can point me in would be great.

[Zilch]

Refoam the woofers and passive radiators, then start thinking about adding tweeters....

[Ebbertron]

what would you recommend for a tweeter?

[grumpy]

to preserve the classic sound of the speakers

then start thinking about adding tweeters....

-grumpy

[Zilch]

Despite being renowned worldwide (asia, particularly,) for their flat, extended frequency response, LE8Ts are not full-range drivers.

My L44s are on the test stand right now, as I have been trying out various tweeters with them. The available space for retrofitting is limited, and proximity to the cabinet edge is problematic, but it still apppears workable.

I'll post some curves for L44s, specifically; I believe I've documented my experience with LE8ts in previous threads.

what would you recommend for a tweeter?

Unless someone can suggest a JBL tweeter that will fit, I may have to send you to another forum for a recommendation.

035tiA is way too big, but 052Ti may be an option, though I don't believe I've ever seen one.

Anybody have a pic and/or dimensions of 052Ti?

[Robh3606]

LE8Ts are not full-range drivers

Really?? How would you define a fullrange driver. How many other drivers have usable response from 30Hz to 15Khz with these being the -10db points??

Rob

[Zilch]

We're not calling that stuff above 8 - 10 kHz "useable response," I trust. :dont-know

Mine actually measure somewhat better (below,) though that's a rather nasty notch at 5 kHz....

[Robh3606]

It covers almost 8 1/2 octaves completely if you consider 30Hz to 10K. What's there above 8K is certainly usable and I am looking at the JBL measurement not yours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-range


Here you can argue with the specsheet from JBL while your at it.

http://www.jblpro.com/pub/obsolete/le8t.pdf


Rob

[Zilch]

I've owned them for 20 years, Rob, and know full well what they are, and how they sound.

It's not like I'm the first to suggest that LE8Ts might benefit from HF augmentation here, and Ebbertron can certainly make his own determination upon restoration of the surrounds, as I suggested above....

[grumpy]

No need for cannon fire... there -was- this also:

any direction you can point me in would be great.

... so there ya go.

Just seemed a shame to start off right away with suggestions in "modify"
mode rather than "restore" mode. They make for a cool little speaker in
their own right. -grumpy

[Zilch]

Coincidence, really. I just happen to be working on those right now, having finished up with projects updating L77s.

[And AR4xs, again.... ]

[Robh3606]

I've owned them for 20 years, Rob, and know full well what they are, and how they sound.

Hello Zilch

OK I understand that. What got me ticked was saying it was not a fullrange driver which is clearly is. This is the Technical Forum.

Its one thing to say a fullrange driver may benefit by adding a tweeter it's another thing entirely to say it's not a fullrange because it's rolling off above 10K

There are lots of times fullrangers are augmented up top to fill in the last octave/octave and a half, that's up to the user. Makes sense to get rid of the break-up modes and extend the response with a proper tweeter if you are not happy with what you hear.

Rob

[Robh3606]

My L44s are on the test stand right now, as I have been trying out various tweeters with them. The available space for retrofitting is limited, and proximity to the cabinet edge is problematic, but it still apppears workable.

Please don't cut the baffle board. You don't have too. You could add a tweeter on top and with no internal crossover you could easilly add a box with an external network. That way when your done you still have a stock system in unmolested cabinets.

When you tire of them you can pass them on to a new owner who can use them as designed if they want too. Also helps with the value for resale.

These Vintage systems won't be around forever. It's only a matter of time before they all disappear. It would be nice if we could preserve part of our audio heritage. Every little bit helps.

Rob

[glen]

Please don't cut the baffle board.

Rob

You could experiment with tweeters by replacing the passive with a temorary baffle board big enough for a tweeter and reflex port.

Maybe play with the tiny little automotive surface mount tweeters?

[Zilch]

Looks like OASR "Dr. Seuss" horn might fit right in there, or 2342, maybe.

[Naw, too radical.... ]