Advent Speakers...been awhile

[Audiodad101]

Hello all,
Advent speaker talk time again. I have looked at previous Advent posts and they were VERY helpful and got me to this point. Based on previous threads, I believe I have Baby Advents (or 1002) and Legacy i (i know wee don't say i, just first model)
I picked up 4 of the Baby's and 3 of the Legacy's for a grand total of $5 at the local church yard sale. Of course, they all need new foam, but what I've gathered so far is that they're worth the investment.
So here's my questions:
1. Both woofers have a foam ring over the surround. All the replacement kits I've seen do not include these. As you see, they are stuck on pretty good and there's no way to salvage them. So, do I need to replace the foam rings?
2. The 6 1/2" kit I found for the Baby's will cover the mounting holes. Will that matter?
3. I'm not 100% sure about the Legacy's either. I know it's not the ii, the tweeter is vertical. It's not the iii, different tweeter all together. But the Legacy info references a 10" woofer. Clearly mine is not 10". So I'm not convinced they are as I think.
4. General question. Do you have to replace dented dust caps?
Can anyone help me out?
Thanks.

 

[dly66]

Looking it up looks like what you think are the Legacy i are probably the Prodigy not sure I or II. There is apparently a version that is not a tower but a bookshelf with an 8" woofer. They don't seem to be as common as others in the line. The Prodigy is listed as having the 8" woofer instead of the 10" in the Legacy.

The rings on the woofer often carefully pry them away often leaving a layer of paper behind and glue back in place after installing the surround. Don't get new ones with the surround kits I have acquired. I have used leftover surround glue can be used to glue them back. Figure out a tool to used to pry them away trying to leave maybe a thin layer behind and not break it.

 

[Audiodad101]

Thanks for the response. I will try my very best to keep the foam rings intact. In the event that I cannot, can I get replacements?
Also, what's a good source for new surround kits?
Are the Prodigy speakers worth fixing?

 

[Audiodad101]

Hmmm, I did a quick look up of the Prodigy and they do have the 8" woofer but the sizes are differnent as well as the badging on the front. Mine are 13"W x 22"Hx8 1/2"D.
Any other ideas?

 

[dly66]

You have to hope someone familiar with that vintage Advent chimes in. Components look to fit the Advent Prodigy family but its not the tower and Prodigy IIs look to have the tweeter plate vertical. I believe the Prodigy series had the 8" woofer. The Legacy was 10" woofer with a 1" dome tweeter. One of those seemingly unknown variants. Seems like the same ones in this ad the person could not figure out what they were either:
https://mosoldschoolaudio.com/shop-...-8-woofers-1-dome-tweeter-new-surrounds-model

 

[RTally]

Hmmm, I did a quick look up of the Prodigy and they do have the 8" woofer but the sizes are differnent as well as the badging on the front. Mine are 13"W x 22"Hx8 1/2"D.
Any other ideas?

The Prodigy II has dimensions of 23 x 13 x 8 as shown in the Audio Equipment Guide for 1989, 1990, & 1992 (October Issues). The dimensions listed in the magazine are typically rounded off, so your speakers are likely Prodigy. Not to be confused with the Prodigy Tower, which is taller.

A Google picture shows a wide array of configurations for the Prodigy II. Some have the flat base as does yours. Others show a kickplate like on my Legacy II. Most show the tweeter mounting plate aligned vertically. I did not find any info on the Prodigy I non-tower, which may be what you have.

 

[RTally]

The Prodigy II has dimensions of 23 x 13 x 8 as shown in the Audio Equipment Guide for 1989, 1990, & 1992 (October Issues). The dimensions listed in the magazine are typically rounded off, so your speakers are likely Prodigy. Not to be confused with the Prodigy Tower, which is taller.

A Google picture shows a wide array of configurations for the Prodigy II. Some have the flat base as does yours. Others show a kickplate like on my Legacy II. Most show the tweeter mounting plate aligned vertically. I did not find any info on the Prodigy I non-tower, which may be what you have.

Check out the 1988 Stereo Review Buyers Guide, page 139. It shows the Prodigy Speaker that is your dimensions.

 

[Audiodad101]

You guys are amazing!!! I'll replace the surrounds and try them out.
Still the question about the foam rings. Since they came from a yard sale, I have no idea where these were stored but the foam rings are impossible to get off in one piece or without leaving a lot of residue behind. Can the foam rings be replaced? Do they need to be replaced? Also, there are so many sites selling surround kits. Any of these better than the others? It'll be my first attempt to restore speakers.
Oh, what about dust caps? Do they need to be replaced if dented (woofer or tweeter)?
Thanks!

 

[Olden Boy]

I'm not personally familiar with the Baby Advent series, but your larger Advents are the original Prodigy.

There's lots of misinformation online regarding the Jensen Advents. For example, the imprecise title of this archived review (Julian Hirsch's assessment in Stereo Review), though the model is clearly identified in the article:
http://www.hifi-classic.net/review/advent-prodigy-1.html

I'm hardly an expert, but I own most of the 8" 2-way models (Graduate, Prodigy/Prodigy II, Prodigy Tower/Prodigy Tower II). The Model A1104 (I've seen it referred to as the Futura) would seem to be a 3rd Gen Prodigy Tower variant, though it's ported, where the earlier models are sealed. Graduate and Prodigy lines are bookshelf speakers, Prodigy Tower lines are small floorstanding speakers (though I've used mine on short stands, as well).

The woofers used in the Graduate and Prodigy variants appear to be very similar, possibly functionally interchangeable; I've swapped Prodigy woofers into a Prodigy Tower (or maybe the reverse) with no sonic difference I could discern.

As for replacing the trim rings, they're mostly cosmetic. I wouldn't worry about them.

 

[Audiodad101]

Thanks again for the info.
Still left with question about dust caps? Dented, do they need replacing?

 

[Audiodad101]

Follow up to re-foaming the Prodigy's. OMG, I am impressed. So much so, I pulled down the Sansui's SP-1200's that were in the garage and put up the Prodigy's. (Powering them with a HK 550 VXI) More detail and definitely more bass. Had to turn the loudness control off actually. Re-foaming wasn't as bad as I thought. A little messy until i got it down, but hey, they were $5 yard sale speakers so who cares what they look like? Can't even see with grille on anyways. I ordered the 2 sets of surrounds for the Baby's I have. Can't wait to hear them come to life!
As always, thanks for everyone's help.

 

[WillMeyer]

The rings are typically laminated paper on most of the Advents. The Advent Laureates use the same woofer as the baby, except it uses two per cabinet. The Laureates use foam trim rings; a 4 piece design that looks pretty good. The 8 inch woofer of the Prodigy is the same woofer used in the Heritage (like the Laureate, the Heritage uses two woofers in each cabinet). The Heritage uses black plastic trim rings areound the woofer. You occasionally see these come up for sale on the major on-line auction site. I've bought them and used them to replace the laminated paper rings in my Prodigies.

I've never seem foam trim rings in Advents other than the Laureates.

Some of the Prodigy Towers did come standard with the plastic trim ring. I had a set of the Prodigy Towers in the rare black factory finish, they had the plastic trim ring as standard.

As an aside, I have a set of Legacies (10 inch woofer). Great speaker - very easy to listen to. In any case it has the same type of laminated paper trim ring. The Advent Maestroes used the same woofer, and they had a attractive plastic trim ring. I'm monitoring that same auction site for a set of the trim rings to show up.

I'm an Advent fan. I have a pair of Heritages, Legacies, Prodigy II's, Babies, and two pair of Laureates. Overall my favorites are a toss-up between the Legacy and the Heritage.

 

[Audiodad101]

I know there's so many other brands of speakers out there but I am becoming an Advent fan as well! I need to change my profile pic LOL!

 

[vintagerocks]

The Baby Advent woofers are not the same as the Laureate woofers. The magnets on the Laureates is about twice the size of the magnets on the Baby woofers. In the attached pictures, the Laureate woofer is on the right.

 

[Audiodad101]

Wow, big difference.
So what's the difference in low end between the two?

 

[CT Jim]

The laminated trim rings can be removed with a sharp utility knife!
Working a small area at a time you can hold the knife pretty tight to the frame and slowly score the glue behind the ring along the frame. This takes 5-6 passes per section, sometimes more.
Once removed usually intact you can clean the frame as you reform. Once done with that work you can sand the backside of the rings so they lay better when glued. You are not sanding perfectly smooth, but rather making the surface clean enough so when you glue them they lay flat.
I used to reglue them and let dry over nite with the woofer upside down so the ring was on the table and the weight of the woofer kept it tight till the glue dried.
Even if you break one of the paper rings, you can still reinstall it this way, and it looks fine.

 

[classic carl]

Thanks again for the info.
Still left with question about dust caps? Dented, do they need replacing?

The correct surrounds can be bought from Simply Speakers. They also sell trim rings and dust caps. Dust caps can be saved by pulling them back out. Try a vacuum hose or some sticky tape. Another method is to use a small needle and carefully pull the dust cap back out. I've done it many times.

 

[CT Jim]

I sometimes would also apply some water with a small artist brush to the dust cap. Once wet they pull out a little easier. Especially if you put a pinhole in the cap and then carefully pull the dent out. Once dry they're fine!

 

[Yodathedog]

I would also suggest that when removing soft/foam trim rings to keep the blade pointed at a downward angle and work very slowly and try to keep from any jerky movements. Even if the blade is jerked, if it's pointed down, the chance of ripping the ring is greatly minimized.

 

[Audiodad101]

i am also restoring two pairs of Baby Advents. i need to replace the grilles but cannot find the exact one. all i see online is for the Baby ii's with the badge on the bottom, right of center. the grilles i have, have the badge bottom center. it appears to be glued on with a plastic bracket behind the fabric.
any ideas where i can get them from?