DSS-9's Are they worth repairing?

[Nosence]

I own a matched pair of NEVER-Used Pioneer DSS-9 Floor Speakers I want to use as one half of a surround system in my living room. They were "the" top of the line when I bought them new. Never had anything good to hooked them to until now.
Unfortunately the foam edges are shot! I'm not sure I want to go to the trouble of finding someone to replace the foam?? The kits are $21.65 on ebay and then finding someone with the time and expertise to re-foam them. Maybe another $100 labor? Maybe better to buy 4 new ones?

 

[Ghonk]

http://www.thevintageknob.org/pioneer-DSS-9.html

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Looking around a bit I see that your woofers are dual voive coil graphite cone speakers in something of a hybrid arrangement. One 8 ohm and one 4 ohm VC, with the 4 ohm coil getting fed only very low freqs like a sub woofer. My guess is that you would never be able to replace them with something that works correctly with the crossover. If you plan on keeping and using the speakers I would have them refoamed.

I see some very positive comments about those speakers. Do a search. For instance...

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=195768
http://www.thevintageknob.org/pioneer-DSS-9.html

Cheers,
James

 

[stereofanboy]

Don't play these speakers before they are refoamed. I've seen several pairs of old Pioneers with cracked graphite cone woofers because someone continued to play them after the foam was gone. I don't believe the recone kits are available for these either, so if you crack them, you'll probably be out of luck.

If you can't find someone local to do it for you, Geoaliwil on eBay does refoaming. He may not have a listing for those rare speakers, but you can contact him through one of his other auctions.

You might try doing it yourself, it isn't very difficult. Watch a couple of YouTube how to videos and jump right in, just be careful with those woofers. The graphite cones are kind of fragile and can be cracked if you aren't easy enough on them.

Personally, I think it'd be worth the cost of refoaming them even if you have to send them to someone like Geoaliwil. With shipping and all, it wouldn't be cheap, but it'd still be a lot less than buying new speakers of similar quality today.

If you don't want the hassle of getting them fixed, you might consider parting them out. Those old Pioneer graphite woofers are becoming rarer every time someone cracks a cone, and a pair with intact cones would bring good coin on eBay. The tweeters are valuable, too.

 

[krowmagnum]

Yes, the DSS-9's are most definitely worth repairing. :thmbsp:

I paid a local repair tech to refoam mine and it cost me about $100 for both woofers. If you don't have anyone local, you can always send the woofers to Simply Speakers who charge $50 per speaker to inspect, refoam and test DSS-9's: http://www.simplyspeakers.com/pioneer-speaker-repair.html

And you get a 7 year warranty on the work.

 

[HyKlas]

I've been looking for a pair of those for a long time. That said, I wouldn't care what it cost to get them going again.

 

[Skylab]

I have a pair, and they are absolutely fantastic speakers. Like yours, the foam was shot on the pair I got when I bought them a couple years ago. I sent the woofers to Parts Express in Ohio for a refoam. They did a superb job and the speakers have been making great music for me ever since!

But however you go about fixing them, for sure do it...they are well, well worth it!!!!

 

[krowmagnum]

I've been looking for a pair of those for a long time. That said, I wouldn't care what it cost to get them going again.

I would have easily paid more than the $100 I spent getting mine refoamed because the DSS-9's are practically in a category all their own. I've heard a lot of speakers but I haven't heard anything quite like the DSS-9's.

 

[craig h]

Re foamed mine myself. Time consuming but they came out great. Be extra careful when removing the rubber rings and cleaning the edges . Those carbon fiber cones are very very fragile.I took extra time to glue the surrounds on neatly centering them repeatedly with a 30hz signal. These do sound good and are very rare Pioneers. Definitely candidates for repair. Good luck!

 

[Nosence]

Pioneer DSS-9's Are they worth repairing?

Thanks for all the great comments!

I think its too much work for me. (I never could hear the difference in speakers with my no talent ears.. Lol.)
Local speaker guy says parting out and selling on ebay is the best way out. I just hate to send my "end-tables" to the shedder.
ity:

 

[Copa1934]

Thanks for all the great comments!

I think its too much work for me. (I never could hear the difference in speakers with my no talent ears.. Lol.)
Local speaker guy says parting out and selling on ebay is the best way out. I just hate to send my "end-tables" to the shedder.
ity:

PM me. Where are you located?

As for repair, I've done S710 and S910 which use the same cone, just different VC and frame, the DSS having cast aluminum.

Of the 4 woofers I did, I managed to crack (roughly 1/2" from the edge in) one of the 910 woofers. It's not hard to do as these are "brittle". Rather than foam I found rubber replacements that fit nearly perfectly. The gap between the roll and the cone is small enough most people would never detect it. I've played them quite frequently. I've run the Telarc 1812 Overture, Nickleback and Dark Side of the Moon with no issues to speak of.

You pay shipping there and back and I'll do them for you. If interested, PM me and we can work out details.

Personally, I would LOVE to have a pair myself. I'm told they're a step up from my 910 and they sound damn good to me. Currently my favorite pair of speakers.

 

[Gibsonian]

I refoamed a pair as well, and had no problems. Definitely doable, just wouldn't want them to be your first pair. Slow and careful. Sad to say both of my woofers have since cracked (kids,dogs). Prolly going thru PE to get a recone, just won't be original material anymore.ity:

Some exotic materials there:

Polymer graphite cone woofer

Boron cone midrange

Beryllium ribbon tweeter

 

[Copa1934]

I refoamed a pair as well, and had no problems. Definitely doable, just wouldn't want them to be your first pair. Slow and careful. Sad to say both of my woofers have since cracked (kids,dogs). Prolly going thru PE to get a recone, just won't be original material anymore.ity:

Some exotic materials there:

Polymer graphite cone woofer

Boron cone midrange

Beryllium ribbon tweeter

I'm going to be experimenting with Fiberglass or Kevlar. I have a set of spair 910 woofers, one missing the cone entirely, the other is mostly complete. I'm hoping to come up with a usable solution, rather than a somewhat, sort of, almost correct fit.

 

[Nat]

Those woofers are very fragile -- they can crack if thumped wrong when the foam isn't securing them. And they are essentially unobtanium. So be careful. If I knew what I know now a decade or so ago when I was given a pair, I wouldn't have given them away to a student who managed to break the cones before he got the speakers out of the study hall.
Ah well.

 

[genesound]

I've been looking for a pair of those for a long time. That said, I wouldn't care what it cost to get them going again.

I'm still looking for a set. I need grilles for my originals. They are broken and need recovering. Might have to repair and re-cloth these. I replaced the rotten foam with rolled rubber in the 90s, had my pro reconer buddy do them, we went to JBL coning school together in the 70s, I was a mixer, he ended up being the coner for all the major Hollywood recording studios in the late 70s and 80s. They brought them to him personally at 1526 N. Ivar Ave in Hollywood before it was torn down to become Mecerdes Benz corporate offices. Bleahhh.

Sure would like to find another set for reasonable $$.