JBL L46, worth working on?

[Hoxtongue]

Just acquired for free a pair of L46's from a family member. Dragged them out this past weekend from his camp in Northern Canada by snowmobile!
Saw them for years and couldn't leave them sitting in the cold and damp any longer. Plugged them in and they need to be refoamed and one tweeter is pushed in but still surprisingly sounded pretty good.

Also one cabinet has some splitting at the bottom, it was near a window that leaks. Not too bad, but will need some filling/sanding and oiled. Both have been used as coffee tables, so a number of water stains and a few chips on the corners.

Currently I have HPM 100's and a set of 40's that I'm very fond of. Been wanting a pair of L100's but pricing is keeping me away from them.

Not much info on these two ways, may fix them up and put them for sale to fund a better pair of JBL's. Let me know your thoughts! Here's some pics getting them back to the truck, it was an hour and a half snowmobile ride then 7 hours by truck home. (Annual ice fishing trip)

 

[showett]

Great sounding speakers. I have a set in my garage I got from the recyclers with rough cabs. I was originally going to sell the drivers after refoam but wanted to try them first and 2 years later they are still hanging on my garage wall. Tweeter diaphragms were still available last time I checked but they aren't silver.

 

[MJB1959]

I have some L46's, rubber surrounds on the woofer, screened dome tweet, sound pretty good to my ears, I have them at my friends house now, I also have the L100 and L26, as well as JBL s38 monitor's, I feel the L46 is the better sounding of my "L" series JBL's. The s38's are even nicer, allbeit they are a newer speaker, and a 3 way. But the L46 has a nice balanced sound, very solid cabinets and components, so, whatever you are aiming to do to them, they are worth perfecting.

 

[Hoxtongue]

Great sounding speakers. I have a set in my garage I got from the recyclers with rough cabs. I was originally going to sell the drivers after refoam but wanted to try them first and 2 years later they are still hanging on my garage wall. Tweeter diaphragms were still available last time I checked but they aren't silver.

Thanks for the reply, going to put some work into them to see how they turn out.

 

[Hoxtongue]

I have some L46's, rubber surrounds on the woofer, screened dome tweet, sound pretty good to my ears, I have them at my friends house now, I also have the L100 and L26, as well as JBL s38 monitor's, I feel the L46 is the better sounding of my "L" series JBL's. The s38's are even nicer, allbeit they are a newer speaker, and a 3 way. But the L46 has a nice balanced sound, very solid cabinets and components, so, whatever you are aiming to do to them, they are worth perfecting.

Thanks, any suggestions for replacements for the surrounds? Could I use foam ones? Was looking at these. https://www.simplyspeakers.com/jbl-speaker-foam-edge-repair-kit-fsk-8.html

 

[showett]

I went with foam. Get the correct fit for the JBL, I don't think generic 8" foam will fit.

 

[Hoxtongue]

I went with foam. Get the correct fit for the JBL, I don't think generic 8" foam will fit.

Gotcha thanks, do you happen to have a link to share for specific fit? Not having much luck finding any, thanks

 

[Macaroonie]

Rick Cobb is your man. Bay seller under loonytunes . He has the correct foams for JBL and a first rate reputation.

QUOTE="Hoxtongue, post: 12562991, member: 267963"]Gotcha thanks, do you happen to have a link to share for specific fit? Not having much luck finding any, thanks[/QUOTE]

 

[Hoxtongue]

Rick Cobb is your man. Bay seller under loonytunes . He has the correct foams for JBL and a first rate reputation.

QUOTE="Hoxtongue, post: 12562991, member: 267963"]Gotcha thanks, do you happen to have a link to share for specific fit? Not having much luck finding any, thanks

[/QUOTE]
Thanks found them, loonytune2001, I believe it's him?

 

[Macaroonie]

It's Looneytune2001 on the bay

 

[drumbum]

Just acquired for free a pair of L46's from a family member. Dragged them out this past weekend from his camp in Northern Canada by snowmobile!
Saw them for years and couldn't leave them sitting in the cold and damp any longer. Plugged them in and they need to be refoamed and one tweeter is pushed in but still surprisingly sounded pretty good.

Also one cabinet has some splitting at the bottom, it was near a window that leaks. Not too bad, but will need some filling/sanding and oiled. Both have been used as coffee tables, so a number of water stains and a few chips on the corners.

Currently I have HPM 100's and a set of 40's that I'm very fond of. Been wanting a pair of L100's but pricing is keeping me away from them.

Not much info on these two ways, may fix them up and put them for sale to fund a better pair of JBL's. Let me know your thoughts! Here's some pics getting them back to the truck, it was an hour and a half snowmobile ride then 7 hours by truck home. (Annual ice fishing trip)

Definitely worth working on. I won't be getting rid of mine, God willing.

 

[Macaroonie]

On the matter of the tweet being pushed in this has been covered over at the Lansing Heritage forum.
It's pretty easy if you are careful.
You will probably find deteriorated
Foam behind the diaphragm that will need cleaned out and replaced .
Take the 4 screws out from the front face. The faceplate should come away easily leaving the diaphragm stuck to the magnet.
There is double stick tape holding the two together. You will need hairdryer heat to relax the tape and a scraper blade to break the seal. Be careful around the lead in tinsels. The rest is self evident .

Have fun. M

 

[Hoxtongue]

On the matter of the tweet being pushed in this has been covered over at the Lansing Heritage forum.
It's pretty easy if you are careful.
You will probably find deteriorated
Foam behind the diaphragm that will need cleaned out and replaced .
Take the 4 screws out from the front face. The faceplate should come away easily leaving the diaphragm stuck to the magnet.
There is double stick tape holding the two together. You will need hairdryer heat to relax the tape and a scraper blade to break the seal. Be careful around the lead in tinsels. The rest is self evident .

Have fun. M

Thanks for this info, I pulled them apart last night and was wondering if it was just a silver cover, noticed it was stuck so I left it. Once I get it removed, is it just a cover that I could push out with my finger?

 

[Macaroonie]

In new condition these had mesh protective screens but I'm assuming that they are gone. Btw I'm wrong here thinking of 044 tweet. The 035ti has a self centering magnet that comes away when you remove the 4 screws.
This exposes the back side of the diaphragm and you will see the voice coil. You will also see the rear of the pushed in area. If you have delicate fingers clip your nails and probably using your pinkv gently massage the .dent back into shape
A Q tip sometimes helps.
Rebuilding is easy as tjere are plastii lugs that register the magnet to be concentric with the coil. Just be careful as you put it into position so as not to damage the edge of the coil. Once in replace the screws and that's you.

M