Urei 813b project

[eso]

These look great! Can't wait to see them with paint! I have used Duratex on some recent projects, and it would look great on these!

Thanks Fredrick. I've got some tinted primer on them now. I'm probable going to go with a simple satin Black with a bit of texture like the stock cabinets.

On a different note, Your home cinema is impressive and inspiring to me. I'm collecting parts that may be used for a smaller version using 803 (12") drivers if I am able to proceed with my Home addition later this year.


eso

[gestures]

Long time lurker here... I recently acquired a pair of near-pristine 813C's based on the strongly positive opinions here. After living with them for the past 6 months, I can't imagine owning anything else, ever. Unexpected vocals will make me jump involuntarily (on a regular basis)... such is their accuracy/realism/presence.

I plan on refreshing the crossovers based on what I've seen in this thread. Will certainly document my experience for everyone here.

Hope I'm not threadjacking here, ultimately I just wanted express my gratitude toward those that have paved the way thus far. Keep on keepin' on. ; )

[eso]

Long time lurker here... I recently acquired a pair of near-pristine 813C's based on the strongly positive opinions here. After living with them for the past 6 months, I can't imagine owning anything else, ever. Unexpected vocals will make me jump involuntarily (on a regular basis)... such is their accuracy/realism/presence.

I plan on refreshing the crossovers based on what I've seen in this thread. Will certainly document my experience for everyone here.

Hope I'm not threadjacking here, ultimately I just wanted express my gratitude toward those that have paved the way thus far. Keep on keepin' on. ; )

No threadjacking I can see. Heck, I may have jacked this thread last year when I found it and began gathering information for my reproduction project.

Congratulations on your acquisition. They are not pretty but they do make music.

Here's the initial assembly of the pair of 813B:



I've still got the wrong crossovers in them, but I wanted to give them a listen even if they're not 100% correct yet. I've got parts on order and will get the new ones made soon.

Compared to the crazy efficient horns I've been playing with for years, these things can drink up the output of a healthy amp easily. I'm using a Mcintosh 2200 currently. What gets me is how punchy they are. I was listening to a bit of Physical Graffiti at stupid levels for a few this afternoon and was really surprised at how well these do drums for mostly direct radiators.

Now I've got to get a genie lift and fly these up next to my A5s to reclaim some realestate in the studio...

eso

[eso]

Well, I've gone from just trying to recreate a pair of Urei 813Bs to trying to recreate the drivers with some improvements.

Since PAS has long since stopped making the cast aluminum heat sink/compression driver mount of the original B series drivers I decided to talk to an old friend that runs a foundry....

Here's the first test castings. These are sand castings as opposed to the originals which were die cast. These will have the mating surfaces and screw and mounting holes milled and then be painted. Not as clean as the originals, but the whole thing is just lipstick anyway...



I have parts for 3 pairs of these, and once I complete the throats for the little wooden horns I should be able to put together a really nice set for a domestic setting.


eso

It looks like the picture got lost with the server transfer that happened recently. Here's the heat sink test castings:


And here's a pair of the horns in Maple:



eso

[gearfreak]

...probable going to go with a simple satin Black with a bit of texture like the stock cabinets.eso

I'll be very interested to see the result/know a bit more about how you apply the texture.

Mine have the satin base + (gloss?) texturing, but could stand to have some freshening-up done. Scratches from transporting/mounting are probably a little too deep to just color-fill, but probably not deep enough to warrant taking the whole thing down to bare structure.

I've anyone's ever done so, I'd be interested to know how they went about it / what the results were.

e.g. Did you strip them down completely to structure, then respray completely, or is there some trick to get the satin base / gloss texture effect, while maintaining the majority of the original coating?

I've looked up duratex - and note that they have a special roller of some sort to use.
In their case, does it just magically come out as satin+gloss texture? (maybe the globs are glossy, simply because they dry more slowly?), or is the result all one way or the other ?

[BlueC5]

I had long considered my 813B's, the "Holy Grail" of speakers and when i got them they needed very little work. I swept the crossovers replaced some resistors and caps swept em again,had some scratchy spots in the pots,,,, refoamed the emminences twice in 20yrs that i have owned them,,,, listened to them for years ... i moved them to three locations and its not the room........


I have 4333s in my bedroom and always seemed to like them better,,,, i have a pair of 4345s at my other location and they are now my favorite, i will be replacing the 813Bs with 4345s soon and i bet they will stay ,,,, so what are 813Bs worth in great shape?

RN
Miami

I'll be very interested to see the result/know a bit more about how you apply the texture.

Mine have the satin base + (gloss?) texturing, but could stand to have some freshening-up done. Scratches from transporting/mounting are probably a little too deep to just color-fill, but probably not deep enough to warrant taking the whole thing down to bare structure.

I've anyone's ever done so, I'd be interested to know how they went about it / what the results were.

e.g. Did you strip them down completely to structure, then respray completely, or is there some trick to get the satin base / gloss texture effect, while maintaining the majority of the original coating?

I've looked up duratex - and note that they have a special roller of some sort to use.
In their case, does it just magically come out as satin+gloss texture? (maybe the globs are glossy, simply because they dry more slowly?), or is the result all one way or the other ?

[JES]

A little off topic but has anyone had the need to recone one of these "b" version coax units? The OE re-cone kit is no longer available.
I'm looking at either the PAS CXL-1580C recone kit of the after market kit offered by Speaker Exchange. Looking forward to all the experienced replies.