4430s - how much is involved in restoring them?

[kilgoretrout]

HI
I keep watching the JBL 4430s show up on Ebay and have hesitated in buying them as they frequently seem to have dead foam surrounding the drivers. How hard is that to fix? WHat other things should a guy look for in these speakers for defects, other than cosmetic? If the foam has disintegrated, how much work is there replacing it? Does it require replacing the driver, or can a speaker tech fix this - assuming everything else is ok with the speaker?

Anything else I should watch?

Opinions on these? I have heard raves to hates on these.

These are being used to replace my LSR 32s.

Thanks

[speakerdave]

HI
I keep watching the JBL 4430s show up on Ebay and have hesitated in buying them as they frequently seem to have dead foam surrounding the drivers. How hard is that to fix? WHat other things should a guy look for in these speakers for defects, other than cosmetic? If the foam has disintegrated, how much work is there replacing it? Does it require replacing the driver, or can a speaker tech fix this - assuming everything else is ok with the speaker?

Anything else I should watch?

Opinions on these? I have heard raves to hates on these.

These are being used to replace my LSR 32s.

Thanks

The foam can be redone, though optimally reconing should be considered, even thought it means greater expense, because fresh cone kits will restore factory specifications for another twenty years.

Have you heard the 4430's? Their unique character is the big though somewhat diffuse sweet spot. The LR 32's have a very clear, accurate, uninterrupted midrange (250 to 2.2k Hz) which the 4430's will not do--nothing near-- using the 2235 fifteen to 1000 Hz. The LSR32's are very precisely focused. These two speakers are very different.

David

[kilgoretrout]

Wow
I appreciate the advice.

Mine are for my home studio. I have blown more mids and tweeters in the LSR 32s, but have replaced them countless times since they do sound so nice. I have seen the 4430s used in recording studios for the last 25 years or so and assumed they were a great studio mains.

FWIW I have several sets of near-fields for more critical work, but enjoy listening to things through the bigger studio mains.

I guess I need to put a limiter across my master outs. I just hate listening through something that is not being recorded.