CV D-9: Maintenance and Mods?

toxcrusadr

toxcrusadr

Omelette au Fromage
Just acquired a pair of these in need of refoam, the rest intact. Have not opened them up yet, what should I expect for caps in there and have you recapped yours? Any electrolytics will get replaced, just wondering if they used any films.

I've searched and read some threads but they are usually about the D-9's ability to pump out the jams rather than very much in the way of technical talk. Anyone know of any mods or tweaks for the D-9? Extra stuffing, filling the inside with nitrogen, coloring the edges with a green marker? Do tell.

Oh, and first impression? HECKIN' BIG. :eek:
 
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onwardjames said:
That CV glue is a bitchkitty, tho.

Good luck!!!!
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That there is funny..... :thumbsup:

I've got some CV VS-150's that have some ugly a$$ cabinets that aren't worth salvaging as they are banged up some and have 2 coats of paint on them; a thick yellow base coat and even thicker black. It will be easier for me to just build a new pair of cabinets from 3/4" MDF (double on baffle)and veneer them in real walnut veneer. I haven't even seen the crossovers yet in the year I've owned them but, if they are poly, they may not get changed out. Unless, I decide to build an all new set of crossovers with better coils and caps. Gibson sent me the schematic for the crossover so I'm set there. I really enjoy listening to the VS-150's as they play everything music wise that I grew up with (mid 70's to mid 80's) with authority and slam.
 
avguytx said:
That there is funny..... :thumbsup:

I've got some CV VS-150's that have some ugly a$$ cabinets that aren't worth salvaging as they are banged up some and have 2 coats of paint on them; a thick yellow base coat and even thicker black. It will be easier for me to just build a new pair of cabinets from 3/4" MDF (double on baffle)and veneer them in real walnut veneer. I haven't even seen the crossovers yet in the year I've owned them but, if they are poly, they may not get changed out. Unless, I decide to build an all new set of crossovers with better coils and caps. Gibson sent me the schematic for the crossover so I'm set there. I really enjoy listening to the VS-150's as they play everything music wise that I grew up with (mid 70's to mid 80's) with authority and slam.
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Nice. As if they don't hit hard enough already. That's an old car audio trick. It seems to increase the db's if you use two layers of wood on the baffle.

PLEASE include me on any thread that involves what you plan above.
 
onwardjames said:
Nice. As if they don't hit hard enough already. That's an old car audio trick. It seems to increase the db's if you use two layers of wood on the baffle.

PLEASE include me on any thread that involves what you plan above.
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Will do, James. I'm kind of looking forward to it. Seems like I read the VS-150's, and some of the other larger CV's, used a 1" front baffle....but I could be wrong.

@toxcrusadr Not meaning to thread crap on you here. I'm going to follow along with what you do as well. There is a dedicated Cerwin Vega forum that seems to have lots of info on it, too, that I check out on occasion. I personally like the big CV speakers. Maybe they aren't made for classical and jazz but that's not the audience they really went for. Although, Diana Krall sounds quite good on mine.
 
toxcrusadr said:
Ooh, what did they glue down, the caps or the drivers?
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I spent 2 WEEKS, spending various amounts of elbow grease, sanding, every surfactant you can imagine, to get the old glue off the baskets. It was a mutha.

Hoping you have an easier time with it.

Aside from swapping out the tweeter with some Seleniums (I cannot advise enough) mine were rather robust, and needed little.

Here's what I used, and believe me, these can keep up with that woofer.

https://www.parts-express.com/selen...MIgcPu4vzG5AIVh5yzCh2QYAJyEAQYASABEgLmg_D_BwE
 
A good friend of mine in Tulsa (Dave Miller @ Speakerworks) who has been in the business for over 30 years, uses MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) and I do as well. But, you want to be OUTSIDE as this stuff is stout...and wear gloves.
 
onwardjames said:
I spent 2 WEEKS, spending various amounts of elbow grease, sanding, every surfactant you can imagine, to get the old glue off the baskets. It was a mutha.
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Must be a 15" thing. The AT-10s and 12TR I did were no big deal.

In the AT series the caps for mids and tweets were film, woofer caps are electrolytic. One day I hope to replace them all with Sonicaps. Other than that I see no need for upgrades.
 
@teal'c yeah, I've never EVER experienced glue residue like that. I mean, I had a damned DREMEL going on that stuff. Amazing.

And, now I know what MEK is. I read that in another thread, and had never ever heard that before.
 
Hay,

Yeah, MEK will dissolve all kinds of interesting things. Or you can use a blend of toluene, xylene and alcohol. Ketones are best to be avoided, nasty. I've got a very nice pair of DX-9's that need new foam, recently did my DX-5's. The 5's have the yellow poly caps of some ilk, hecho in Mexico. Ain't no way those things compare to any modern poly cap, they get replaced. Thought I might try some modern electrolytics, see if it'd tone down the horns just a tad. I generally audition both to see what my ears like and do not like.

Biggles
 
drbiggles said:
Hay,

Yeah, MEK will dissolve all kinds of interesting things. Or you can use a blend of toluene, xylene and alcohol. Ketones are best to be avoided, nasty. I've got a very nice pair of DX-9's that need new foam, recently did my DX-5's. The 5's have the yellow poly caps of some ilk, hecho in Mexico. Ain't no way those things compare to any modern poly cap, they get replaced. Thought I might try some modern electrolytics, see if it'd tone down the horns just a tad. I generally audition both to see what my ears like and do not like.

Biggles
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I cannot explain it - I have zero need for some big ol' honkin Cerwins, but yet, I want some again. Let us all know if the electrolytics help, and anything else your very inquisitive mind unearths, doc.
 
I'll replace the NPE's at least then, and see how they sound. Very likely these will not be keepers, although I'd love them for the shop, but with rear facing ports, they would not work on the wall mounted speaker perches.

BTW Rick Cobb has the correct orange surrounds for $20/pr. Simply Speakers is $26.95 and Midwest is $34.95 (for a whole kit with shims, glue & dust caps).

Yesterday there was a train wreck in IL across from St. Louis (industrial area called East Carondelet). A tanker of MEK caught fire. Quite the conflagration. No smoking around that **** folks.

upload_2019-9-11_10-56-30.png

It's actually similar to acetone, just one extra carbon on the right side.
 
toxcrusadr said:
I'll replace the NPE's at least then, and see how they sound. Very likely these will not be keepers, although I'd love them for the shop, but with rear facing ports, they would not work on the wall mounted speaker perches..
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Yeah, I have the same issue with rear ported speakers and I hate having to bring them way out into a room. When I rebuild the cabinets on the VS-150's, I'm making a panel with the ports attached, and a flat blank panel, that I can move to the front and back. This will let me hear which one sounds best in the room they're in.
 
Hey that's a good idea. If you really had a pair you liked in all other ways but that one, a moveable panel would be just the ticket. Maybe some threaded inserts to mount it with screws?

I have never looked into whether the port location makes much difference in the sound. I guess it would depend a lot on the wall and floor materials, how far out the speaker is located, etc.
 
toxcrusadr said:
Hey that's a good idea. If you really had a pair you liked in all other ways but that one, a moveable panel would be just the ticket. Maybe some threaded inserts to mount it with screws?

I have never looked into whether the port location makes much difference in the sound. I guess it would depend a lot on the wall and floor materials, how far out the speaker is located, etc.
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Something similar to that, yes. Probably similar to how the "doghouse" covers on Klipsch Belles, La Scalas, and Klipschorns are done, but countersunk, and most likely using threaded inserts and 10/24 bolts. I had a pair of Klipsch Epic CF-3's and the Legend Series KLF-30's at the same time and, in my living room, the dual 10" front ported CF-3's sounded unbelievably better than the dual 12" rear ported KLF-30's. My wife, who could care less, said the KLF's sounded "anemic" in comparison. But, in the same room, a pair of 1978 Cornwalls didn't sound that great either. The CF-3's won out at that time but were sold not long after I built the Belle clones. I still kind of regret selling those.
 
onwardjames said:
I cannot explain it - I have zero need for some big ol' honkin Cerwins, but yet, I want some again. Let us all know if the electrolytics help, and anything else your very inquisitive mind unearths, doc.
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You bet. From my vantage point, CV’s are fun. If you don’t enjoy fun, take a hard pass. But if you like fun, CV’s are an easy escape. No, they ain’t for everything. But if Hot for Teacher at 200 watts is required, these excel. I really enjoyed my DX-5’s a lot. Those little 12” woofers hit like a freight train. The horns can be excruciating. So, listen from the back yard. Problem solved. When you’re tuckered out, wheezing and your ears are ringing, move them back into storage. CV, a welcome escape from audiophoolery.

Biggles
 
My ATs have a back port, I run them about 2" from the wall with no bass complaints. Low and rumbly to smooth and punchy. I've found it's more about what you're driving them with.
Rick Cobb's surrounds are pretty heavy duty and worked well on the 10s. The inner ring was tight and it took a while for the glue to tack up enough to hold on to the cone. Until then it kept popping off. Once it stuck all was well, even with a slightly cocked voice coil to compensate for damage/rubbing they've been going great for almost 2 years.
 
So they're the really high quality junk food of the audio world. Not gas station nachos, but thick cut bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers stuffed with Wisconsin aged cheddar. Really nice to visit, but maybe you shouldn't try to live on them.

I had a buddy who wanted a receiver and some speakers awhile back, he got a divorce and had his own place again and wanted his college days party sounds back. What he described as 'a visceral experience'. I found him some huge early CVs, forget the model, like RT-15 or some such. They got it done. :thumbsup: [EDIT: They were 212's]
 
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