Porkloin,
I just finished recapping my Ohm C2's. They sound fine. Don't know if I hear a differance. If I had two sets. Mod one set and compare, I could give a judgement. Recapping is a low cost maintenance, so I did it.
ADS metal grills touchup. Paint pens? Dents?
- Thread starter Old Guy8
- Start date
I just finished recapping my Ohm C2's. They sound fine. Don't know if I hear a differance. If I had two sets. Mod one set and compare, I could give a judgement. Recapping is a low cost maintenance, so I did it.
Porkloin
Oscar Heil Groupie
I didn't have the luxury of two sets, so I've recapped one and then A/B'd both on the Right Channel of the receiver. Of course, it doesn't give me an accurate picture of the differences in stereo imaging, but it's actually pretty apparent which setup will be the better of the two in that department. Once I run the same tests with the drivers refurbed, I'll do a thread on the experience..
hunter00
Super Member
Ive got a couple minor dents on the metal grills on my Braun L-1000 studio monitors ive often wondered about trying to fix,dont think i'll attempt it tho too rare and unobtainable to take a chance with them .I finally replaced the 50 yr old caps a couple yrs back as a couple of them finally started to leak...
Jelle,
I feel your pain. Those are too nice speakers to leave domes exposed. Before retiring, I was a tool designer in a machining shop. Sheet metal fabricating is out of my expertise. Parts Express sells 22" x30" metal grills with 6mm hole pattern. So someone must be making larger sheets. Possibly some flat grills could be made with some nice looking bolts to stand the grill off in front of speaker. Possibly bend over at edges to almost meet cabinet. A sheet metal fabricating shop could possibly make or just cut and bend edges. Paint black. Cost for custom grill, I don't know. New grills could be made, but maybe not formed exactly to same without form die tooling.Maybe ask for ideas in DIY. If you were able to do large share of work yourself to cut cost. I live in a city with manufacturing resources still. Might depend on where you live.
Last edited:
Would like to know what they sound like when finished. As yet, don't know the limit my wife will tolerate on number of speakers and cost. I might conside same refurbish someday. Have a Sansui 1000a tube receiver from garage sale, want to get rebuilt over winter.
Last edited:
Have you tried making templete from large stiff cardboard? If you get it wrong, trow away and start over. Cutouts to clear speakers. Bolt cardboard to speaker before transfering to metal. Just idea. Cardboard was used before cad systems. I've never seen your speakers so don't know how many bends they had, etc.Jelle said:
Even if you could borrow an original grill. Likely difficult to measure hole patterns. Have not seen one.
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
Hole pattern appears to be close to the Nova R2T3 perforated steel.
I got 5/64" drill is too small a hole 1.98mm
3/32" is too large a hole 2.38mm
the thickness is .040 about 1 mm
I need metric equipment. I have it for the cars but damned US hasn't changed completely.
Translation is that this is a 1mm thick aluminum perforated sheet, with 2mm holes on 3mm centers.
that PE stuff is way too holey.
But the open area of the R2T3 is only 40.31% I think this is too low for good sound.
Nova has your metal available in 1 x 2 meter sheets and larger. Probably not easy to find in the US.
Another place in the US has the R3T6 sheet for about 40£ so it isn't too expensive, but shipping...and then getting the material flat after pulling it from the tube (I guess). The bends just need a brake and these would be easy to make...just need to figure out a new mounting method as Richard So does not have any more of the pins left. Not an insurmountable issue, I'm sure.
Without a ruler, the 1590 grilles are about 35x19 so a few could be made from a sheet of perf aluminum.
Easy. well compared to me finding an electrical problem and fixing it in the amps and such.
I got 5/64" drill is too small a hole 1.98mm
3/32" is too large a hole 2.38mm
the thickness is .040 about 1 mm
I need metric equipment. I have it for the cars but damned US hasn't changed completely.
Translation is that this is a 1mm thick aluminum perforated sheet, with 2mm holes on 3mm centers.
that PE stuff is way too holey.
But the open area of the R2T3 is only 40.31% I think this is too low for good sound.
Nova has your metal available in 1 x 2 meter sheets and larger. Probably not easy to find in the US.
Another place in the US has the R3T6 sheet for about 40£ so it isn't too expensive, but shipping...and then getting the material flat after pulling it from the tube (I guess). The bends just need a brake and these would be easy to make...just need to figure out a new mounting method as Richard So does not have any more of the pins left. Not an insurmountable issue, I'm sure.
Without a ruler, the 1590 grilles are about 35x19 so a few could be made from a sheet of perf aluminum.
Easy. well compared to me finding an electrical problem and fixing it in the amps and such.
Last edited:
When Jelle said wanted hole pattern, I assumed hole pattern of mounting holes, not mesh. My mistake. So the 1290 grills are held on with some special pins, no longer available. Every DIY'er should have a lathe. I could have used one recently. Jelle could use one or friend with one if trys this project. .
soundmotor
super modified
Cambric is not the actual material ADS (& many other speaker companies used behind their metal/plastic grilles). They used interfacing. It is also a "fabric" type material and you can order black at Jo-Ann fabrics. The main difference is how much it attenuates the output from the midrange/tweeter. Although there are grades of cambric, it is a weave and a very tight one at that. Interfacing is fused threads and fairly open by comparision. It can also ordered in die-cut sheets that retain their shape making it easy to apply with spray adhesive. I am not saying cambric won't work, obviously it does for you, but that it isn't what ADS used behind their grilles.
soundmotor
super modified
I don't recall the exact ratio they used but when specifying perf stock it was done by the percentage of open area per square inch. Haven't thought about this in awhile but am pretty sure all the 90s & earlier home speakers used steel not aluminum stock for the grilles. For some of the grille designs, they paid for the perf tools too.
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
Looking at this with fresh eyes, the pattern of the R2T3 is not the same and has less open space than the ADS grille material. The ADS Steel, yes, not aluminum, didn't know I needed a magnet to get this build thread but good comment @soundmotor, I'll edit my earlier post.
The ADS part has the adjacent holes what appears to be almost half way up the neighboring holes. This appears to be a proprietary alignment and with the fewer holes on the edge, it was for sure a special perf tool designed for this job.
This is the 1590 with maybe more thickness to the cambric since they have a light coat of paint.
Because the standard perf plate is a hole diameter on a spacing diameter it is uniform down and across. These grilles show a different pattern, down vs. across. Exact 1290 grilles, need to find em on a pair of speakers. Adequate replacements could easily be made but they will most probably not match the originals.
The ADS part has the adjacent holes what appears to be almost half way up the neighboring holes. This appears to be a proprietary alignment and with the fewer holes on the edge, it was for sure a special perf tool designed for this job.
This is the 1590 with maybe more thickness to the cambric since they have a light coat of paint.
Because the standard perf plate is a hole diameter on a spacing diameter it is uniform down and across. These grilles show a different pattern, down vs. across. Exact 1290 grilles, need to find em on a pair of speakers. Adequate replacements could easily be made but they will most probably not match the originals.
soundmotor
super modified
The pattern is called offset perf vs. straight perf. Also, the backer is interface material, not cambric. (Fused "cloth" vs. woven linen.)
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
Yes that interface is a non-woven and should be a more open fabric.
soundmotor
super modified
It is also what ADS and other companies used on the back of their grilles.
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
Well maybe we have sparked the interest of those needing metal grilles to further the investigation and make their own.
I'm sure there are many who need replacements. Many ways to make them. Matter of money to budget and if they can DIY some or all.
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
Yup sorta my swan song on this issue in your thread about restoring adequate original grilles. Maybe now we can get back to our regularly scheduled thread and those that are moving forward with replacements can get a brand new thread to enjoy and post Q&A with results.
We'll get back to hounding you on your grilles in a couple weeks after you have decided to do the project and had to some time to actually get to it. Enjoy the speakers, Ohm and ADS.