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Thread: Best Aftermarket Diaphragm For 2404

  1. #1
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    Best Aftermarket Diaphragm For 2404

    Hello
    It's my first message here. I do'nt speak a very good english, so excuse me.

    I've got a pair of used 2404 and one of them is a little more powerfull than the other and when I had a look at the diaphragms, I had to see that they were not the same. It's maybie my probleme. So I would like to change those diaphragms but original JBL diaphragm are too expensive and I saw that a lot of shop are selling aftermaket diaphragm on ebay. BUT what to buy ? Is there a good thing to buy ? I can see that there are aluminium or titanium diaphragm, but what to buy ? Is there a real difference between the original ones and the aftermarket ones ? I use those 2404 as super tweeters on my S3100, so only hifi use.

    thanx if you could help me
    here is a picture of my diaphragms


  2. #2
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    The diaphram on the left is a 2402/075 while that on the right is a 2404/2405/077. The 2402 has a larger radiating area and so would be expected to play a little louder.

    Can you do me a huge favor and measure (as accurately as possible) the outside diameter of the inner brass ring of the 2404/2405 on the right?

    I am thinking of "turning" inside diameter of the 2402/075 phase plug to accomodate this diaphram and there is an interference at the outter edge of this ring.

    Thanks!

  3. #3
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    thanx for your answer, but do you know the differences between titanium/aluminium/aftermarket/genuine diaphragms ?

    here are the dimensions

  4. #4
    Senior Member SMKSoundPro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by andychris View Post
    but do you know the differences between titanium/aluminium/aftermarket/genuine diaphragms ?
    Dear Andychris,

    I, too, have asked these same questions and the answers are buried here in this forum.
    What I have learned is:

    Titanium is a "stronger" metal. Will take a pretty good pounding, but maybe not the best sounding.
    Aluminum is very good sounding, but gets brittle and breaks over time and use.
    Is it possible for JBL to use titanium diaphragms for the compression drivers for its stronger character for reliability and less failure at the expense of sound quality?

    I have used a couple of different aftermarket 2405 diaphrams from the sellers on ebay and found: that when loaded into a 2402/075 bullet tweeter that they work, but are just not quite right. When you have the opportunity to hold each of the diaphragms in your hands and really look it over, you see the minute differences that you can really hear.

    I have stopped using aftermarket diaphragms in all applications, period. They are just not the same as the JBL diaphragms. They may look the same, but I bet my bottom dollar that they are not. If they were the same, we would know it and tell the world which ebay seller has the "good" ones at a cheaper price. Alas, this is not the case.

    If you want the same performance that the incredible JBL engineers want you to have, you will use the real JBL products.

    I don't want this post to scold you to use the OEM parts, but that is really the way it works. ( At least in my small world here in Alaska.)

    Welcome to the forum! There is so much information here. Try the search function above and search for "aftermarket diaphragms." You may find some actual data and performance graphs to prove my points.

    Happy holidays to you and yours,

    Scotty.
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    Longtime Alaskan Low-Fi Guy - E=MC² ±3db

  5. #5
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    Thank you for the measurements.

    As to the aluminum vs titanium, I guess that depends on who you ask and the chosen application. I can't imagine that I would ever "wear out" a set of aluminum diaphrams due to fatigue in my lifetime in my living room setting even 4 hours a day, everyday. I know titanium can be coated to sound smoother (maybe more like aluminum).

    I've never heard truely similar units in an A/B setting so don't know if I hear a difference and which I would prefer.

  6. #6
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Hmmm... seems a bit optimistic to me...

    .
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    thanx for all

    as I can see I've got nothing to do but buying a new pair or real original diaphragms. But paying again more than 200$ is not a good bargain for just a supertweeter. I don't understand why aftermarket diaphragms always exist if they are so bad.

  8. #8
    RIP 2011 Zilch's Avatar
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    Because, in some applications, it doesn't matter, as long as they make VHF sound....

  9. #9
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    Why do people feel the need to buy JBL transducers and then stick any old aftermarket diaphragms in them. Why not just buy cheap drivers in the first place and leave it at that?

    With respect to the various diaphragm materials, "I doubt they'd be able to hear a difference between any of them." Given that, buy what you can afford and don't second guess yourself.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by andychris View Post
    thanx for all

    as I can see I've got nothing to do but buying a new pair or real original diaphragms. But paying again more than 200$ is not a good bargain for just a supertweeter. I don't understand why aftermarket diaphragms always exist if they are so bad.
    Greetings from Detroit,

    I don't think anyone is saying the aftermarket diaphragms are "bad" necessarily, they just are not exactly the same. You may like them better or worse - depends on your application and whether you have "golden ears." I have gone both ways and been lucky with results. Orange County Speaker, CA, had some aftermarket diaphragms a few years ago that they "guaranteed" sounded as good as original JBL. I suspect they were "reverse engineered" Chinese jobs. Anyway, I bought a couple for my 2426H drivers and found them to be indistinguishable from the original JBL jobs - but maybe I'm not in the "golden ear" category! In any case, one test is worth 1000 expert opinions! So it becomes an experiment and you are the engineer in charge! Mike

    PS: I use original JBL diaphragms in my 375 drivers (main system).

  11. #11
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    Aftermarkets are great!! If all you care about is the money saved. Here's a pair of aftermarkets and here's a pair of JBL's. Which would you want to use?? For SR work maybe for home no way.

    Rob
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  12. #12
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    Yes i think i'm doubting about aftermarket because i think that if I use aftermarket in my tweeters, I will always think" the souns could be better with original ones". So I've send some message on ebay to the people who bought aftermarket,,,some of them are disapointed because some aftermarket they bought stop at 14khz, but some are really happy with aftermarket, but as they say they use them to make parties, so don't need excellent sound.

  13. #13
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zilch View Post
    Because, in some applications, it doesn't matter, as long as they make VHF sound....
    Yeah, like in the closet with the power turned off.


    Merry Christmas Zilch!


    Widget

  14. #14
    Dang. Amateur speakerdave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zilch View Post
    Because, in some applications, it doesn't matter, as long as they make VHF sound....
    Yeah, in fact the general theory of sound reinforcement the way it is practiced in far too many places, is the more distortion the better, since it sounds louder.

  15. #15
    Senior Member alskinner's Avatar
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    Specifications

    In my case I use JBL original replacement diaphragms and cones because.

    1. In my DIY adventures, I need to know that the driver specifications are consistent. So that when the crossovers are designed, I don't have to constantly tweak them for every variance that may be in aftermarket components.

    2. If the components are installed by a JBL service center, there is recourse if a defect is found.

    3. Support for JBL so that hopefully they will continue to support the drivers I use.


    Since being a young man I have always tried to live as one of my mantras a quote by John Ruskin:

    “There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that man's lawful prey.”


    Regards
    AL



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