When I was gifted vintage stereo speakers, I was delighted. I tested them with some of Peirson Ross’s music, but the sound was plagued by distortions. I removed the speaker covers to discover that the foam woofer surrounds had disintegrated. Because this is a common occurrence, replacement parts are available online. Just measure the inside and outside diameters of the foam ring and order a rubber replacement.
The fix isn’t difficult. Remove the screws holding the speaker in place, and take photos of the wire connections before unclipping them. With the speaker on a flat surface, remove the old foam from the outer metal flange and the edge of the speaker cone, scraping as needed with a razor blade or a putty knife. Plastic cones are tough, but paper ones are not, so be careful and diligent. Acetone will remove most glue residue.
Everything you ever wanted to know about wood glue
If your new foam surround kit doesn’t include glue, I recommend Weldbond: it’s flexible, has no toxic solvents, and cleans up with water. Apply a flat bead of glue around the cone edge, leaving it for about three minutes to get tacky. Centre the foam surround, gently pressing the flange until it’s adhered to the cone; then, wipe away excess glue. Leave this to set for 24 hours before gluing the outer flange.
Check that the voice coil is moving freely by pressing down around the cone. You’ll hear a rubbing sound where there’s interference—as I did. To finesse the surround’s position, I gently pulled it away from the rubbing area and clipped it in place with a few clothespins. I glued under the flange, between clothespins, and pressed evenly. After 24 hours, I removed the clothespins and applied a little more glue where needed. Another 24 hours later, I reassembled the speakers, and Peirson had the sonic fidelity he deserves.
This article was originally published in the August 2024 issue of Cottage Life.
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