D130 cone identification

[rancid82]

Hi,

I am relatively new to the forum. I had acquired a D130 speaker in a makeshift cabinet. Found it at a local music shop a couple of years ago by fluke!

Overall it looks to be in great shape and sounds pretty sweet. I have it hooked up to my Traynor quarter horse amp for now.

After pulling off the front grill, I noticed the dust cap is black and not the aluminum type. I've attached some pictures for reference.

The cone is marked with the letters RW5603 so I am wondering if it has been reconed in the past.

Serial number is: 59167
Impedance: 16 ohm

Thanks in advance for your help!

[rancid82]

After much searching, I couldn't find a whole lot of information. From what I was able to find, looks like it has been reconed. I was unable to find information based off the stamping on the back of the cone.

I had a look through some threads where some serial numbers were posted, I'm still a bit stumped.

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?8792-Serial-Number-registry&p=105862&highlight=d130#post105862

[Mr. Widget]

A mystery.

Looking at the glue job of the dust cap, it looks extremely well done, perhaps even a factory job. That said, as you are aware the D130 should have an aluminum dust cap. If it was a factory job, then someone has replaced the foilcal on the rear, but that is unlikely.

I don’t believe that anyone has tracked cone serial numbers. I believe these are numbers that the manufacturer of the paper cone put on their cones and not by JBL.


Widget

[jblwolf]

This look to me like a waldom cone from the # on the cone ( early 80's.)
I'll look to see if I still have one
Of their cone kit handouts.

[macaroonie]

This look to me like a waldom cone from the # on the cone ( early 80's.)
I'll look to see if I still have one
Of their cone kit handouts.

Still doing business as MWA in Arizona.

http://www.mwaspeakerparts.com/

[edgewound]

Hi,

I am relatively new to the forum. I had acquired a D130 speaker in a makeshift cabinet. Found it at a local music shop a couple of years ago by fluke!

Overall it looks to be in great shape and sounds pretty sweet. I have it hooked up to my Traynor quarter horse amp for now.

After pulling off the front grill, I noticed the dust cap is black and not the aluminum type. I've attached some pictures for reference.

The cone is marked with the letters RW5603 so I am wondering if it has been reconed in the past.

Serial number is: 59167
Impedance: 16 ohm

Thanks in advance for your help!

Definitely an aftermarket recone. Whoever did it saved the factory cork gasket, as proper cork aftermarket gaskets weren't available until the last 10 years or so. Pretty decent job.

[rancid82]

Thanks for the replies and insights! Appreciate it a lot!

I'm always curious about the vintage gear that I acquire. Learning about the history and what was done to it is interesting to me.

[rancid82]

A mystery.

Looking at the glue job of the dust cap, it looks extremely well done, perhaps even a factory job. That said, as you are aware the D130 should have an aluminum dust cap. If it was a factory job, then someone has replaced the foilcal on the rear, but that is unlikely.

I don’t believe that anyone has tracked cone serial numbers. I believe these are numbers that the manufacturer of the paper cone put on their cones and not by JBL.


Widget

The response has been fairly smooth. In some ways I'm glad it has the paper vs the aluminum but personally if I was to have this reconed, I would try to get as close to factory as possible. Do you think the sound would be a significant change?

[Mr. Widget]

The response has been fairly smooth. In some ways I'm glad it has the paper vs the aluminum but personally if I was to have this reconed, I would try to get as close to factory as possible. Do you think the sound would be a significant change?Probably, the D130 has a light curvilinear cone and duraluminum dome bonded to the top of the VC. This combination provides a lot of midrange output well beyond 2KHz. Would you prefer an actual D130? I couldn’t say.

Based on the posts by others who are quite knowledgeable, it appears that you have cones made by Waldom. I have no practical experience with these kits, so I have no idea how they perform.


Widget

[Kay Pirinha]

All in all, this recone job is of top professional execution. Weren't this paper dust cap, I'd be tempted to say it's a stock unit.

Best regards!

[JeffW]

The response has been fairly smooth. In some ways I'm glad it has the paper vs the aluminum but personally if I was to have this reconed, I would try to get as close to factory as possible. Do you think the sound would be a significant change?

Just $.02US, but I'd bet that the D130 cone kit from JBL is long discontinued. As close to factory as possible - your present configuration may be closer to factory (save the dust cap) than anything currently out there aside from finding a factory kit. Or it might not be close at all. Measuring a known good performing factory driver (I don't think published TS parameters were a thing in the D130 era) and comparing that to whatever recone kits are available might get you close or might be an expensive exercise in futility.

Maybe Edgewound would have some insight into what a good D130 recone would be.

[edgewound]

Just $.02US, but I'd bet that the D130 cone kit from JBL is long discontinued. As close to factory as possible - your present configuration may be closer to factory (save the dust cap) than anything currently out there aside from finding a factory kit. Or it might not be close at all. Measuring a known good performing factory driver (I don't think published TS parameters were a thing in the D130 era) and comparing that to whatever recone kits are available might get you close or might be an expensive exercise in futility.

Maybe Edgewound would have some insight into what a good D130 recone would be.

Here's what a properly reconed D130F looks like with an E130 style True Reproduction recone kit.

https://www.facebook.com/UplandLoudspeaker/photos/a.1066566903433749/1309666135790490/?type=3&theater


85901

[rancid82]

Just $.02US, but I'd bet that the D130 cone kit from JBL is long discontinued. As close to factory as possible - your present configuration may be closer to factory (save the dust cap) than anything currently out there aside from finding a factory kit. Or it might not be close at all. Measuring a known good performing factory driver (I don't think published TS parameters were a thing in the D130 era) and comparing that to whatever recone kits are available might get you close or might be an expensive exercise in futility.

Maybe Edgewound would have some insight into what a good D130 recone would be.

Yeah, I don't think I would go through the pains of having it reconed at the moment to original specs or close. The sound to me is great so in that sense, it's all that matters. It's been an interesting experience so far learning about what was done to it. If and when the time comes...we'll go from there. :)

I have a 15" 2135 in a Yamaha bass amp (YBA-65) that someone had put in. I've been using it for some different tones as a guitar amp. The person was giving it away as it had some "electrical issues" as it was buzzing loudly or more like an electrical hum. Turns out it just needed a three prong plug replacement. At some point, someone had pulled the ground pin from the plug. That speaker is bright!


Here's what a properly reconed D130F looks like with an E130 style True Reproduction recone kit.

https://www.facebook.com/UplandLoudspeaker/photos/a.1066566903433749/1309666135790490/?type=3&theater


85901

That looks great! I'll keep you in mind for when I would require a recone. I'm up in Canada but am close to the border so I'm down in Bellingham often. Shipping it will not be an issue.

[Mr. Widget]

I have a 15" 2135.... That speaker is bright!If the 2135 is unmolested and in good shape, that is what your D130 should sound like. You might want to compare it in the same enclosure just for grins.

The 2135 is an equivalent driver to the D130. They were just marketed differently.


Widget

[jblwolf]

Check out General audio discussion.found good info into on waldom Thanks steve s