Genesis 2 restoration
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Boto
Curmudgeon In Training
The tweeters aren't the same ones that they used most of the time, but I think they are the very early ones. See this site for a picture. It looks like there were 2 versions of the masonite tweeters, and one had a screen on it.
http://www.humanspeakers.com/genesis/gen2.htm
The bottoms are a 10" passive radiator. Are the cabinets real wood? They look like it. Very low s/n and the original grill badge. I have a pair that I rebuilt. Unfortunately mine are the vinyl version. They do sound great. I scrapped the contour switch and resistor circuit when I redid mine. I also used some Dayton 1% caps and binding posts on a new backplate that I made. I would highly recommend fixing them. These are great speakers.
http://www.humanspeakers.com/genesis/gen2.htm
The bottoms are a 10" passive radiator. Are the cabinets real wood? They look like it. Very low s/n and the original grill badge. I have a pair that I rebuilt. Unfortunately mine are the vinyl version. They do sound great. I scrapped the contour switch and resistor circuit when I redid mine. I also used some Dayton 1% caps and binding posts on a new backplate that I made. I would highly recommend fixing them. These are great speakers.
Putterman
Super Member
I hate to tell you, but those are not Genesis tweeters. If you look at the pic you'll see that they are inverted. Also they are awkwardly offset. The good news is that Genesis/EPI tweeters are fairly easily available on E Bay. Genesis 2's are too good a speakers not to use the correct tweeter.
http://www.humanspeakers.com/genesis/images/gen2a.jpg
http://www.humanspeakers.com/genesis/images/gen2a.jpg
bakes
Super Member
Agreed - those look to be semi-horn-loaded domes, and look a LOT like a set of tweeters I used as midtweeters in my KLH3s at one point - forget who made them, they were 30 mm domes maybe made by LPG or Morel. Decent sounding tweeters IIRC, but needed some help on the high end (I used some JVC ribbons as supertweeters crossed over at 8K but I digress...).
That said, the originals are available as Putterman said, and they're one of the better dome tweeters ever made IMO. They are early models, and once redone will put a smile on your face all day long as they just sound so damn musical. Not sure if AKer HomerJSimpson still does the green foams for them, but it's worth an email.
The refoaming is as easy as it gets, and the recap is simple as well. Have fun, and report back when you stop grinning.
That said, the originals are available as Putterman said, and they're one of the better dome tweeters ever made IMO. They are early models, and once redone will put a smile on your face all day long as they just sound so damn musical. Not sure if AKer HomerJSimpson still does the green foams for them, but it's worth an email.
The refoaming is as easy as it gets, and the recap is simple as well. Have fun, and report back when you stop grinning.
cube-tube
Super Member
Here's some good reading material for you. Full detail of the crossover components and everything.
http://mail.audiokarma.net/forums/showthread.php?t=356818&page=8
I just rebuilt mine not too long ago and glad I did. These speakers are so good in fact that I now have my X-Statik and NHT 2.9 speakers up for sale. These Genesis II's blow the other speakers out of the water every way, and the bass extension, detail and impact are phonominal.
And please, toss those tweeters and get the proper inverted ones in there!
http://mail.audiokarma.net/forums/showthread.php?t=356818&page=8
I just rebuilt mine not too long ago and glad I did. These speakers are so good in fact that I now have my X-Statik and NHT 2.9 speakers up for sale. These Genesis II's blow the other speakers out of the water every way, and the bass extension, detail and impact are phonominal.
And please, toss those tweeters and get the proper inverted ones in there!
Answering some of the comments above...
Searching eBay, I got quite a few matches for Genesis tweeters. There is one pair with black faceplates, and another pair that are with a bunch of other tweeters and midranges that have the masonite plates. I would guess these would be more suitable for my speakers, since they have masonite plates with other tweeters mounted in there.
I'm just curious though. If these aren't the original tweeters (and opinion here seems to think so), whoever put them in seems to have done a good job with putting the metal screen on, unless they were like that already. I will pull them out today and have a look at the back, and post pictures.
I sent a PM to HomerJSimpson regarding the green surrounds. I also e-mailed Rick Cobb.
My cabinets are vinyl, but in very good condition. Sticky though, very sticky, I will try cleaning them today.
I can't wait to get them fixed and hear how they sound.
Lee.
Searching eBay, I got quite a few matches for Genesis tweeters. There is one pair with black faceplates, and another pair that are with a bunch of other tweeters and midranges that have the masonite plates. I would guess these would be more suitable for my speakers, since they have masonite plates with other tweeters mounted in there.
I'm just curious though. If these aren't the original tweeters (and opinion here seems to think so), whoever put them in seems to have done a good job with putting the metal screen on, unless they were like that already. I will pull them out today and have a look at the back, and post pictures.
I sent a PM to HomerJSimpson regarding the green surrounds. I also e-mailed Rick Cobb.
My cabinets are vinyl, but in very good condition. Sticky though, very sticky, I will try cleaning them today.
I can't wait to get them fixed and hear how they sound.
Lee.
Ohighway
Wannabe Minimalist
It looks to me like someone took original masonite tweeters, got rid of the diaphragm and magnet, opened up a hole and used it as a mounting plate for whatever tweeter is now in there.
As far as sticky vinyl cabinets go, I've had the best luck using Goop hand cleaner (the white stuff) to get the sticky off of them. Works great with very little effort.
As far as sticky vinyl cabinets go, I've had the best luck using Goop hand cleaner (the white stuff) to get the sticky off of them. Works great with very little effort.
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cube-tube
Super Member
The stock Genesis tweeters mounted on the black plastic plates are the newer, slightly improved versions of the older ones mounted on masonite.
If you checked out my link, you'll see that mine are the ones with the plastic plates, and boy do they sound amazing too! They're one of the very few tweeters I know of in existence that safely reaches all the way down to 1.8kHz and sound great doing so. The top end sparkle is equally impressive. Extremely smooth, natural and detailed.
You'll also notice in my link that my Genesis II's are the older, real wood ones. They were also already re-foamed by the previous owner.
Even though the old original crossovers were still functional and allowed the speakers to still sound good, getting all new components and wiring really brought these speakers up to a completely new level. I even went as far as to replace the terminal panels with nice solid aluminum ones and very nice binding posts. I also decided on getting new inductors instead of using the originals. This way, not only am I now using much better parts, but the stock crossovers/panels are still 100% complete.
One last thing to note, on the original crossovers, I noticed that each crossover used different capacitors. Kind of odd but apparently that happened a bit with these speakers as I've read about at least two others that were like this as well.
If you checked out my link, you'll see that mine are the ones with the plastic plates, and boy do they sound amazing too! They're one of the very few tweeters I know of in existence that safely reaches all the way down to 1.8kHz and sound great doing so. The top end sparkle is equally impressive. Extremely smooth, natural and detailed.
You'll also notice in my link that my Genesis II's are the older, real wood ones. They were also already re-foamed by the previous owner.
Even though the old original crossovers were still functional and allowed the speakers to still sound good, getting all new components and wiring really brought these speakers up to a completely new level. I even went as far as to replace the terminal panels with nice solid aluminum ones and very nice binding posts. I also decided on getting new inductors instead of using the originals. This way, not only am I now using much better parts, but the stock crossovers/panels are still 100% complete.
One last thing to note, on the original crossovers, I noticed that each crossover used different capacitors. Kind of odd but apparently that happened a bit with these speakers as I've read about at least two others that were like this as well.
Boto
Curmudgeon In Training
That's interesting. I'll have to give it a try.
Ohighway
Wannabe Minimalist
Yeah. That photo caps it. Somebody definitely deconstructed the original tweeters and used the masonite as a mounting board for the aftermarket tweeter. You can still see the black tape remnants on the masonite in the OP.
Here is how mine looked with the original tweeters. GREAT speakers, get them done right and enjoy.
Boto
Curmudgeon In Training
Here are some pictures of the backs of the tweeters. No obvious manufacturers markings of any kind, they are marked 8 ohm on the side of the magnet. Looks like plumbers putty was used to make a seal around the join.
The Genesis tweeters that I have seen had square magnets, so those are obviously not original. I believe the originals might read closer to 4 ohms, but I could be mistaken. You can see the notches in the foam where the speaker connections were in the originals. Definitely track some originals down, or get some of the Human replacements. You'll love them!
ConradH
Lunatic Member
Long ago I sold my Large Advents to buy the Genesis 2 right when they were introduced because they just sounded better and had a wider range. The original tweeters had a quality problem that caused them to simply lose connection and go dead. I came home from vacation and both mine were dead as a door-nail. Genesis replaced them no problem, but I remember the style was slightly different, though still Masonite. I don't think this was an uncommon problem in the early production. I eventually sold them to a friend who kept them until the green surrounds rotted out. No idea where they are today; he probably tossed 'em.
