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Thread: Help with newly acquired speakers?

  1. #1
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    Question Help with newly acquired speakers?

    Hello all - First off, this is our very first post, so we apologize ahead of time if we didn't do enough research on the forums before posting...

    My wife and I are owners of several sets of JBLs (L-88 / L-166 / L-65) and we love them all! Unfortunately, our house isn't big enough to have all of them set up at the moment, so the L-65s are our primary speakers - they rock.

    We have purchased another set of speakers today but have been unable to figure out exactly when they were made, etc...

    Label on the back reads: "D-48 S-5 WX"
    We have found only that the WX means walnut oil finish, but would like to know approximately when they were manufactured and (if anyone has the info) operating info. There's quite a few connections in the back and we're a little lost.

    Thanks in advance!

    *edit*
    We've taken some pictures to help with information.
    Yes, those are casters on the bottom of the speakers - Anyone have advice on how to fix the holes that will be left when we remove them? They each have four tiny screws per wheel.
    Attached Images Attached Images      

  2. #2
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    A picture is worth 1000 words, grasshopper.

  3. #3
    Senior Seņor boputnam's Avatar
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    Wow - that is a real beauty. A treasure.

    Here's some info on the S5 system. I don't know the D48...

    D47 and S5 System
    Attached Images Attached Images  
    bo

    "Indeed, not!!"

  4. #4
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    Thanks a bunch for the info!
    I just finished cleaning the High/Low pot with Deoxit and gained back the rest of the tweeter range.
    We're trying a few LPs to see how they sound and so far - very lovely depth.

    Quote Originally Posted by boputnam View Post
    Wow - that is a real beauty. A treasure.

    Here's some info on the S5 system. I don't know the D48...

    D47 and S5 System

  5. #5
    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    Madison ...

    http://www.lansingheritage.org/image.../page22-23.jpg

    ... appears to me. Don't know the exact year span of manufacture,
    but this is close.

  6. #6
    Senior Seņor boputnam's Avatar
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    As for the screw holes, unless they penetrate the cabinet, they may not be too difficult to mend. You could just touch-up around the hole and use some dark colored wood putty (I know audiobeer is going nuts on that recommendation! ). Alternatively, if they do penetrate the cabinet, I'd be inclined to drill them clean and dowl them. Trim, sand and stain to match.

    btw - where'd you come across them? They look like a "one owner" model toe me.

    btw2 - do you know anything about those Lansaloy surrounds? They "look" in great shape, but if they've not been refurbished should sure as hell be cracked / dried at their age (like me... ).

  7. #7
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    I went ahead and took off all of the casters and put the speakers on stands - they sound even better!! They were held in with approx. 1" wood screws, so I would assume the cabinet was penetrated. The holes are small - maybe 1/8" each. I believe we'll make a trip to the store to look for dowels to plug the holes and ensure it is repaired the 'best' way possible.

    We found these at a local estate sale this morning for $80. I fussed over the price only because I've picked up so many other sets for even less - our L-65s were $35 at Salvation Army. But I couldn't leave them there and brought them home.

    The surrounds are in very clean condition - no cracks or splits. I pulled one of the woofers to look inside (out of curiosity) and the speakers are very heavy overall and also seem to be as they left the factory - the rubber seal on the back of the woofer was quite difficult to break initially.

    The speakers seem to be a one-owner situation, but you never know.

    Thanks for the interest!

    Quote Originally Posted by boputnam View Post
    As for the screw holes, unless they penetrate the cabinet, they may not be too difficult to mend. You could just touch-up around the hole and use some dark colored wood putty (I know audiobeer is going nuts on that recommendation! ). Alternatively, if they do penetrate the cabinet, I'd be inclined to drill them clean and dowl them. Trim, sand and stain to match.

    btw - where'd you come across them? They look like a "one owner" model toe me.

    btw2 - do you know anything about those Lansaloy surrounds? They "look" in great shape, but if they've not been refurbished should sure as hell be cracked / dried at their age (like me... ).

  8. #8
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    If the woofer is the LE10 and has a white to yellowish surround, the surround then is made of a material called Lansaloy. Initially it is a very effective and pliable surround. However, most if not all of them become dried and stiff as the material ages and eventually contracts, sometimes to the point of cracking or solidification.

    If yours are still pliable, that's a great exception. However, to be back to almost OEM, there are ways of treating them so that they would be almost as pliable as new foam surrounds. But it does involve using some noxious materials to treat them.

    Playing them at anything beyond background volume without treatment might cause a split so may pay to be cautious.

    Nice Score!

    Regards,

    Bart
    When faced with another JBL find, Good mech986 says , JBL Fan mech986 says

  9. #9
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    Thumbs up

    Those are a beautiful pair of speakers! Great score! I'm up here in the AV as well and have owned the L65 in the past (my first pair were the L-65's back in 1978!). Nice to see another JBL enthusiast up here as well (besides the new ones I converted). I'm on my tenth or twentieth pair of JBL's and finally settled on a pair of 4315's, supplemented with some nice subs. PM me when you have a chance.

  10. #10
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    The surrounds are quite stiff and barely move when pushed on. We would definitely prefer to keep the speakers as close to original condition as possible... What's the trick to refurbing the Lansaloy? I like noxious chemicals - they are my friends. I mean - we have space outside and could get the task done easily.

    We'll keep them at a lower volume in the meantime.

    Quote Originally Posted by mech986 View Post
    If the woofer is the LE10 and has a white to yellowish surround, the surround then is made of a material called Lansaloy. Initially it is a very effective and pliable surround. However, most if not all of them become dried and stiff as the material ages and eventually contracts, sometimes to the point of cracking or solidification.

    If yours are still pliable, that's a great exception. However, to be back to almost OEM, there are ways of treating them so that they would be almost as pliable as new foam surrounds. But it does involve using some noxious materials to treat them.

    Playing them at anything beyond background volume without treatment might cause a split so may pay to be cautious.

    Nice Score!

    Regards,

    Bart

  11. #11
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    I do NOT have a pair of lansalloy drivers, but in my travels around the site,
    I've read of treating the surrounds with brake fluid as a possible way to soften up the hardened material.
    Do an Advance Search on this site to get more specific info ...

    do it in stages, be patient, and good luck!

    Quote Originally Posted by dibmem View Post
    The surrounds are quite stiff and barely move when pushed on. We would definitely prefer to keep the speakers as close to original condition as possible... What's the trick to refurbing the Lansaloy? I like noxious chemicals - they are my friends. I mean - we have space outside and could get the task done easily.

    We'll keep them at a lower volume in the meantime.
    2ch: WiiM Pro; Topping E30 II DAC; Oppo, Acurus RL-11, Acurus A200, JBL Dynamics Project - Offline: L212-TwinStack, VonSchweikert VR-4
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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by dibmem View Post
    The surrounds are quite stiff and barely move when pushed on. We would definitely prefer to keep the speakers as close to original condition as possible... What's the trick to refurbing the Lansaloy? I like noxious chemicals - they are my friends. I mean - we have space outside and could get the task done easily.

    We'll keep them at a lower volume in the meantime.
    LOL!! Yes, per hjames, DOT3 Brake fluid has been used sparingly to soften the hardened Lansaloy. However, you should definitely search and read up on the technique - done correctly and sparingly, you can get the surrounds softened and avoid any cone discoloration. Too much applied, like anything done to excess, can cause potential damage that could be unrepairable except for a complete resurround (which could be complicated by brake fluid adsorbed on the cone edge).

    One other thing, some members have found reapplication may need to be done as the brake fluid slowly evaporates and the surrounds harden again, YMMV. You might have to look over a number of threads to get a sense of the process and its results.

    Regards,

    Bart
    When faced with another JBL find, Good mech986 says , JBL Fan mech986 says

  13. #13
    Senior Member jblsound's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hjames View Post
    I do NOT have a pair of lansalloy drivers, but in my travels around the site,
    I've read of treating the surrounds with brake fluid as a possible way to soften up the hardened material.
    Do an Advance Search on this site to get more specific info ...

    do it in stages, be patient, and good luck!
    I did that for a pair of L55s, years ago. But this year I cut them off and replaced with foam surrounds

  14. #14
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    Thanks for the info everyone! We will likely go ahead and replace the foam surrounds and avoid the possibility of staining or ruining the cones...
    When we first obtained our set of L-88s - They had no surrounds at all... Only what could be described (at the time) as 'stubborn white gunk' around the edge. The project took a couple days to complete, but we know what to expect and the weather is still nice outside.

    Quote Originally Posted by jblsound View Post
    I did that for a pair of L55s, years ago. But this year I cut them off and replaced with foam surrounds

  15. #15
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    Those are some sweeties!

    I really like the look of the cabinets, fantastic find

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