ADS L2030 Restoration

[MATT0404]

Are all the woofers completely rebuilt, new cones, VC's etc...? Looks great!
The test risers look good too, but I would also go for the oak as it will hold up under all the weight.

Only one of them needed repaired/reconed in addition to being rebuilt. The others were rebuilt with new VC's, suspension/spiders, new tinsel leads, but original cones.

Yes sir ... very nice mart. Very nice work on those risers. If you live near a Home Depot, they have the oak trim you need in 8' lengths. you might have to double up the thickness if you want them as wide as the pine. Looks like you know exactly what your doing. Love that pocket hole jig solution you came up with on the 30 degree. Nice work again.

Thank you! My HD does have 1x3" oak, but I really like the 2" thickness. Even in pine, the mock up riser, once glued and screwed, feels nearly indestructible. I suppose I could block and gusset the corners of the 1" thick oak for similar effect.

 

[mike0565]

Time for an update. All drivers have been successfully rebuilt! I'll be sending a check to Richard tomorrow and hope to have the drivers back sometime late next week. Total damage was $840 but they're done. All of them.

I also built a mock riser out of 2x3" pine to test fitment and it slips right in nice and snug. If the pine didn't have a little twist/bow to it, I'd be tempted to just build another one and be done, but, it's a little warped and won't sit perfectly flush. So, I need to find a nice piece of oak or maple.

ADS 14" Woofer Rebuild by Audio Database, on Flickr
ADS 14" Woofer Rebuild by Audio Database, on Flickr
ADS 14" Woofer Rebuild by Audio Database, on Flickr
ADS 14" Woofer Rebuild by Audio Database, on Flickr
ADS L2030 mock up riser by Audio Database, on Flickr
ADS L2030 mock up riser by Audio Database, on Flickr
ADS L2030 mock up riser by Audio Database, on Flickr
IMG_20180117_180521 by Audio Database, on Flickr

Very nice. When Richard did my 1590's, I opted for new everything. To be honest, $840 for refurbishing all the drivers in a pair of 2030's doesn't sound that bad to me. Wish I could hear them when they are done. The one song you especially have to listen to when these are done, is a song called "book of hours" by Bozzio, Levin's, and Stevens. It will really test their imaging.

 

[MJB1959]

 

[GD70]

Yup, great track!

 

[toddalin]

Hey, I used to know Terry Bozzio!

We were friends with/used the same "dealer" (a jazz keyboard player still in the business ) and I would often see him there. We called him Bozo. This would have been ~'74.

He probably wouldn't remember me..., but certainly would remember our friend.

http://www.laweekly.com/event/thom-teresi-and-the-street-smart-jazz-band-8691634

 

[Rocky Starns]

Matt0404
I really enjoy your project. I am the original owner of a pair of ADS L2030s. You will be blown away when you finish your restoration. I have never heard anything that comes close to the precise imaging of the 2030s when used in line source mode. In addition, the incredible speed and dynamic impact will spoil you forever.
I run a Perreaux PMF2150B which mates perfectly with the 2030s. Due to their low impedance (4 ohm minimum; 6 ohm nominal), you need a serious amp to control the woofers properly. Use good speaker cable also. You can driive them with about anything but look for an amp that can handle the current in a linear way I.e. the Power doubles as the load impedance is reduced in half. The Perreaux is 400RMS at 4 ohm and 200RMS at 8 ohm as an example.
Please let me know if I can be of any assistance. If you need a copy of the owner’s manual just let me know.
Rocky

 

[Spiceman50]

Matt0404
I really enjoy your project. I am the original owner of a pair of ADS L2030s. You will be blown away when you finish your restoration. I have never heard anything that comes close to the precise imaging of the 2030s when used in line source mode. In addition, the incredible speed and dynamic impact will spoil you forever.
I run a Perreaux PMF2150B which mates perfectly with the 2030s. Due to their low impedance (4 ohm minimum; 6 ohm nominal), you need a serious amp to control the woofers properly. Use good speaker cable also. You can driive them with about anything but look for an amp that can handle the current in a linear way I.e. the Power doubles as the load impedance is reduced in half. The Perreaux is 400RMS at 4 ohm and 200RMS at 8 ohm as an example.
Please let me know if I can be of any assistance. If you need a copy of the owner’s manual just let me know.
Rocky

Awesome post Rocky Starns!!! .... And welcome to AK fella. Glad you found us. What a treat if you could post a vid of those L2030's in this thread.
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....-see-and-hear-it.782592/page-43#post-11235432
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....-see-and-hear-it.782592/page-43#post-11235432

 

[MATT0404]

Matt0404
I really enjoy your project. I am the original owner of a pair of ADS L2030s. You will be blown away when you finish your restoration. I have never heard anything that comes close to the precise imaging of the 2030s when used in line source mode. In addition, the incredible speed and dynamic impact will spoil you forever.
I run a Perreaux PMF2150B which mates perfectly with the 2030s. Due to their low impedance (4 ohm minimum; 6 ohm nominal), you need a serious amp to control the woofers properly. Use good speaker cable also. You can driive them with about anything but look for an amp that can handle the current in a linear way I.e. the Power doubles as the load impedance is reduced in half. The Perreaux is 400RMS at 4 ohm and 200RMS at 8 ohm as an example.
Please let me know if I can be of any assistance. If you need a copy of the owner’s manual just let me know.
Rocky

Wow, impressive to find an original and current owner of a pair of L2030's. And an equally impressive first post. Thanks for your insight! I'll be running these with a Mike Bettinger restored GAS Ampzilla and 12 gauge DIY speaker cables. This setup sounded wonderful on my old pair of L1530's, and I'm looking forward to hearing it on these beasts.

I should have some more progress to report over the course of the next week. At a bare minimum, the risers should be done and hopefully installed. If I had my wish, I'll have the drivers back by the end of the week and installed next weekend. That might be a little optimistic, though, so I'll try to remain patient. I still need to pull the switch panels and give them a thorough inspection and cleaning. Hopefully that remedies the intermittent tweeter issue I was experiencing prior to pulling the drivers.

 

[Spiceman50]

Wow, impressive to find an original and current owner of a pair of L2030's. And an equally impressive first post. Thanks for your insight! I'll be running these with a Mike Bettinger restored GAS Ampzilla and 12 gauge DIY speaker cables. This setup sounded wonderful on my old pair of L1530's, and I'm looking forward to hearing it on these beasts.

I should have some more progress to report over the course of the next week. At a bare minimum, the risers should be done and hopefully installed. If I had my wish, I'll have the drivers back by the end of the week and installed next weekend. That might be a little optimistic, though, so I'll try to remain patient. I still need to pull the switch panels and give them a thorough inspection and cleaning. Hopefully that remedies the intermittent tweeter issue I was experiencing prior to pulling the drivers.

As many pictures as I have seen on the L2030's Matt, it wasn't until your last picture I ever noticed those switches. I even asked myself out loud how in the world had I not noticed them before?

 

[2chman]

Even though I don't have the" room" in my house for those speakers, if I saw a pair for sale I'd sell my car, wife, daughter, blood ect and grab them!

 

[StimpyWan]

Even though I don't have the" room" in my house for those speakers, if I saw a pair for sale I'd sell my car, wife, daughter, blood ect and grab them!

That's not too much to ask...!!! Heck, if you sold a kidney, you might even find a C-2000???

 

[2chman]

Hmmmmm anyone need a kidney?

 

[virii01]

Awesome speakers. Once you recover from the cost of the restoration and enjoy them as is, set out to find a C2000 crossover to take them to another level (and then of course, another Ampzilla).
I'm running a little brother equivalent with 1230s and a pair of Son of Ampzillas.

 

[Blue Shadow]

Even though I don't have the" room" in my house for those speakers, if I saw a pair for sale I'd sell my car, wife, daughter, blood ect and grab them!

Hmmmmm anyone need a kidney?

For stereo gear? Really? and it is just speakers and a crossover.

For all that I would want a new set of Magicos and the gear to drive them. Not that the 2030s and c2000 aren't nice chunks of vintage gear but I don't think they could keep up with the state of the art in speakers.

 

[2chman]

For stereo gear? Really? and it is just speakers and a crossover.

For all that I would want a new set of Magicos and the gear to drive them. Not that the 2030s and c2000 aren't nice chunks of vintage gear but I don't think they could keep up with the state of the art in speakers.

I think the price to better them with new wold be 10k plus

 

[Blue Shadow]

I think the price to better them with new wold be 10k plus

Yes, probably very true. The Magicos I liked were 36k.

 

[2chman]

Ya those l1590 are sure sounding better now. LOL

 

[cnarv]

Matt0404
I really enjoy your project. I am the original owner of a pair of ADS L2030s. You will be blown away when you finish your restoration. I have never heard anything that comes close to the precise imaging of the 2030s when used in line source mode. In addition, the incredible speed and dynamic impact will spoil you forever.
I run a Perreaux PMF2150B which mates perfectly with the 2030s. Due to their low impedance (4 ohm minimum; 6 ohm nominal), you need a serious amp to control the woofers properly. Use good speaker cable also. You can driive them with about anything but look for an amp that can handle the current in a linear way I.e. the Power doubles as the load impedance is reduced in half. The Perreaux is 400RMS at 4 ohm and 200RMS at 8 ohm as an example.
Please let me know if I can be of any assistance. If you need a copy of the owner’s manual just let me know.
Rocky

I am also very impressed that you are an original owner of a pair of 2030's. I picked up a pair about a month ago, and have been working on them to get them functioning again. After receiving back 2 tweeters and 2 mid-ranges from Richard So, and replacing a switch with the help of SoundMotor, I have my pair working again.

For me, I will be powering these with an Adcom GFA-585. I've had the amp for only about 2 months, and it's currently being serviced.

I would be very interested in seeing a copy of the owner's manual, if you wouldn't mind sharing. So far my impression of these speakers has met my high expectations.

 

[colohiker]

I was lucky enough to get a C2000 (with owners manual) when I bought my L1530's from the original owner (for what turned out to be a stupid low price even though they are the most expensive speakers I ever bought). I'll admit, I have never listened to them not bi-amped but the "Dynamic Bass Extender" may make it worth the price of admission just because it flattens the bass repsonse down to 20hz. One of the reasons I haven't pursued the couple of L2030's that have come up locally is that I don't know if I would be gaining that much since I have the C2000 to compensate the bass in my L1530's

 

[Rocky Starns]

I am also very impressed that you are an original owner of a pair of 2030's. I picked up a pair about a month ago, and have been working on them to get them functioning again. After receiving back 2 tweeters and 2 mid-ranges from Richard So, and replacing a switch with the help of SoundMotor, I have my pair working again.

For me, I will be powering these with an Adcom GFA-585. I've had the amp for only about 2 months, and it's currently being serviced.

I would be very interested in seeing a copy of the owner's manual, if you wouldn't mind sharing. So far my impression of these speakers has met my high expectations.

I will make a PDF of the Owners Manual and post this weekend. You are going to LOVE the sound, particularly the dynamic range. Placement is very important and the manual has some good suggestions. I am running Audioquest cables right now but have used other good cables as well with great results.
I encourage you to do some serious listening using the ‘Line Source’ versus ‘Point Source’ settings for the midrange. I like the Line Source mainly because it reduces vertical reflections from the floor and ceiling. The only problem is that you have to be sitting down to enjoy the full effect. As you stand up you will notice the phase cancellation of the drivers that is reducing sound level off-plane and the associated reflections. When you have someone flip the switch from ‘Line to ‘Point’ you can really hear the difference. Sometimes for a party where people are primarily standing, I’ll run the system on the ‘Point Source’, which is only one midrange versus the four.
Rocky