JBL LE8 Coaxial Whizzer Cone Speakers - need recone

Biscuit

Biscuit
I have a pair of JBL LE8 Coaxial speakers with the Whizzer cones. Ohm readings are good on both and I was getting ready to refoam them, then discovered that one of them is rubbing on the coil. Not good. The other seems to be OK.

So the question is what to do about the pair? Find someone to recone both? Is there a remedy to the rubbing? Who can supply the kit for this version of LE8 or who can do the work for me?
 
I don't think any OEM recone options are available from JBL for this frame.

As far as aftermarket parts go, I suspect you'll have a hard time finding a similar whizzer cone with an appropriately flat flare. Most likely, you'll have to settle for a standard aftermarket LE8T kit with an aluminum dustcap. Unless your whizzers can be salvaged...
 
Are the aftermarket recone kits any good?

(I've seen ancient NOS LE8T recone kits on eBay for very high prices.)
 
Are the aftermarket recone kits any good?

(I've seen ancient NOS LE8T recone kits on eBay for very high prices.)

I'm certainly no expert, but aftermarket JBL recones sure don't enjoy a good reputation with the fanatics. My concern, though, is that this may say more about JBL fanatics than the quality of aftermarket recone parts.
 
The LE8 is not a coaxial speaker. A true coaxial speaker has an independent tweeter that is "coaxially" mounted in the driver itself. Sometimes this tweeter uses the same magnet structure as the primary speaker, and sometimes the tweeter has its own magnet structure mounted behind the main structure.

Your version of the LE8 is a regular "full range" speaker construction that has a "whizzer" cone attached in order to augment high frequency reproduction. If you are forced to recone the LE8, you should be able to separate the whizzer from the old cone and transplant it to the new cone.

It is also possible to construct a new whizzer by finding a small sacrificial speaker with a cone shape very close to that of the old whizzer. Drop the old whizzer into the cone of the sacrificial speaker and mark the size. Then, use an exacto knife to cut out the needed area of the new cone. I hope that is understandable.

GeeDeeEmm
 
Thank you. I have reached out to Gordon for advice. Also thank you for clarifying that these are not coaxial speakers. With that I assume if nothing else I can have them reconed with LE8T cones and forgo the center cone. That not to spec it is better than not using the speakers at all.

I do have the original cabinets that they were removed from to inspect the speakers. They are either original JBL cabinets are cabinets built to the same spec as the original cabinets. They are 3/4" solid wood (I think walnut) ported to the front with the original grills. Very nice. I look forward to hearing what these babies are supposed to sound like.
 
If the dc resistance is right, you just have to center it. You don't have to remove the dust cap to do this. If you cant get it to center by just running a tone through it, sometimes you can center it by figuring out which way it needs to be pulled and clamping the surround while the glue drys in that spot. Then gluing the rest of the surround afterwords.
 
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