IMF owners thread!
- Thread starter canuckaudiog
- Start date
captouch
Addicted Member
I've never had cats, so not sure how deeply they can scratch if they're motivated.
. I'm out now, but will check serial #'s when I get home. :thmbsp:
captouch
Addicted Member
Yeah, one original tweeter had blown, so a previous owner (AK'er who sold them to the guy I bought them from) bought a Falcon replacement. I did the reforming myself for the mids, recapped, and just because I was buying the RSPM caps and paying shipping anyway, I ordered a new tweeter so they'll match - Jeffrey mentioned the originals dry out over time and I did notice that the older/original tweeter was more subdued.
Yeah, I got them for $160, which was his asking at the time. But, including the new tweeter that's incoming, I will have invested over $100 in the renovation. Still well worth it of course!
captouch
Addicted Member
My serial#s are: 11260L/R.
I noticed your mids look different than mine, with a white ring around them. Maybe a different driver version.
Here's a picture of mine without grill covers, prior to refoaming:
You can see that the left tweeter dust cover is lighter in color than the right, which is the replacement tweeter.
wtaylorbasil
Active Member
IMF Owners Thread
As far as I know they are all from the 70s (IMF TLS 80 Mk II-extreme left & right; IMF TLS 50 Mk II-four together). One pair (TLS 50) has been refurbished and the other pair untouched has an original certificate of 1976 with the grill pull-out chord as fitted my IMF.
As far as I know they are all from the 70s (IMF TLS 80 Mk II-extreme left & right; IMF TLS 50 Mk II-four together). One pair (TLS 50) has been refurbished and the other pair untouched has an original certificate of 1976 with the grill pull-out chord as fitted my IMF.
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canuckaudiog
On a quest for high fidelity
The two different mids are essentially the same, very similar basket, exact same magnet, but the difference between the two is that your version with the rounded dust cap, is a cloth material (I believe) that vents, and also uses a polypropylene cone. The other mid, with the white ring, has the flat, shiny sealed dust cap and uses a paper cone.
I have both mids, which the earlier one is an Elac 4em/101 and the later one the Elac 4/200. I have yet to do a comparison with both, as I need to order foam rings for that, but it is something I plan to do as I'm curious why they made the change. I imagine the 4/200 is a better driver, but by how much, it's hard to say.
canuckaudiog
On a quest for high fidelity
Dang Eric, you've got your work cut out for you!
For me, it was about a 5 hour job total. The first one took me 3 hours since I wasn't familiar, than the second one took me only 2 hours.
For me, it was about a 5 hour job total. The first one took me 3 hours since I wasn't familiar, than the second one took me only 2 hours.
captouch
Addicted Member
I finished in about 4hrs and verified they play fine, but no time to really listen and enjoy before I had to head out. Looking forward to listening to them later this evening!
The job went smoothly and your video was helpful - thanks! It's just a LOT of caps to change out - like 30 as you know. I didn't bother ordering the polyesters at this point and I pieced together the caps a la carte instead of ordering the kit since I had a couple of Alcaps left over from my previous recap. I think the only difference is I ordered 50V 100uF caps like the stock caps vs the 100V that I believe the kit comes with.
I don't know about you, but the desoldering and old cap removal, for me, is quite a bit more time consuming vs placement of new caps and the soldering. You have to remove enough of the old solder to free the old cap, unbend the lead, etc.
I'll try to measure a few of the old caps to see how much they've drifted for those that are interested. I think someone asked about this previously.
My next, hopefully very brief IMF project will be to replace the original tweeter in my TLS 50 IIs with a new Audax tweeter from Falcon to match the other new tweeter that a PO took care of.
canuckaudiog
On a quest for high fidelity
Excellent! Glad to hear it went well. I'm glad I decided to make that video.
Too bad you didn't get a chance to hear them. Well, that's okay, glorious sound awaits you...
Too bad you didn't get a chance to hear them. Well, that's okay, glorious sound awaits you...
captouch
Addicted Member
Here's a pre and post shot of the RSPM IV recap. . .
Before:
and After:
I piece-mealed the cap selection vs ordering the kit and opted to use 50V caps (like stock) vs 100V for the 22 (yes 22!) 100uF caps to save some $. I used Low Loss for the 4uF and 6uF, and 100V for the 60uF since there was only 1 per crossover.
I measured the old caps and all were within 15-20% of spec using a cheap multi-meter. I was surprised there wasn't more variation, and it's possible that the measurement technique could account for an offset in the nominal value measured on my cheap DVM vs a tester meant for measuring capacitance. I mention this because Falcon sends a note along with their caps stating the frequency and test equipment used to measure capacitance and the fact that some testers don't measure properly.
Anyway, I have to admit that I didn't detect a night and day difference between old caps and new caps - maybe my expectations were too high or mine had just aged more gracefully than others. I did notice a pretty big difference when I recapped my TLS 50 II's, as well as some cheaper speakers.
But I'm still glad I did it - now I don't have to worry about them for another 15-20yrs and there's no doubt that they're performing as they should.
At any rate, they sound absolutely great and I'm totally satisfied.
But as I posted in another thread, the TLS 50 II's are really great and fun sounding speakers as well, so you can't lose with either one.
Before:
and After:
I piece-mealed the cap selection vs ordering the kit and opted to use 50V caps (like stock) vs 100V for the 22 (yes 22!) 100uF caps to save some $. I used Low Loss for the 4uF and 6uF, and 100V for the 60uF since there was only 1 per crossover.
I measured the old caps and all were within 15-20% of spec using a cheap multi-meter. I was surprised there wasn't more variation, and it's possible that the measurement technique could account for an offset in the nominal value measured on my cheap DVM vs a tester meant for measuring capacitance. I mention this because Falcon sends a note along with their caps stating the frequency and test equipment used to measure capacitance and the fact that some testers don't measure properly.
Anyway, I have to admit that I didn't detect a night and day difference between old caps and new caps - maybe my expectations were too high or mine had just aged more gracefully than others. I did notice a pretty big difference when I recapped my TLS 50 II's, as well as some cheaper speakers.
But I'm still glad I did it - now I don't have to worry about them for another 15-20yrs and there's no doubt that they're performing as they should.
At any rate, they sound absolutely great and I'm totally satisfied.
But as I posted in another thread, the TLS 50 II's are really great and fun sounding speakers as well, so you can't lose with either one.
captouch
Addicted Member
There's some information here. Comments seem good!
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=472066
SansuiSurfer
Member
Howdy Guys, I have some IMF transmission line speakers, the say "Improved " on the speaker grills. The look similar to the TLS-80 speaker configuration, but mine are different with Flormica veneer and no speaker feet. Anybody care to guess which model they are? I'll see if I can post some picks later
SansuiSurfer
SansuiSurfer
canuckaudiog
On a quest for high fidelity
Formica.. And says improved. Hmm. Some pictures will be needed but as far as I know Formica was only used on the early IMF models when Bud Fried was distributing the product for John Wright in the US. It's kind of ugly but it's supposed to help make the cabinets more dead.
However improved would lead me to think its a later model, such as the reference standard professional monitor mark IV improved. It could also be the TLS 80IIa, which was the inbetween model made in 1980 before the Professional Monitor. It has the Elac drivers but looks a lot like the TLS 80. Perhaps that is what you have?
Also get a picture of the rear label on the speaker. That should clarify what it is. And if we can't figure it out, an email to Jerry Bloomfield of Falcon Acoustics will get it sorted out.
Welcome to the IMF club by the way.
However improved would lead me to think its a later model, such as the reference standard professional monitor mark IV improved. It could also be the TLS 80IIa, which was the inbetween model made in 1980 before the Professional Monitor. It has the Elac drivers but looks a lot like the TLS 80. Perhaps that is what you have?
Also get a picture of the rear label on the speaker. That should clarify what it is. And if we can't figure it out, an email to Jerry Bloomfield of Falcon Acoustics will get it sorted out.
Welcome to the IMF club by the way.
SansuiSurfer
Member
Thanks for the welcome on the IMF corner Canuckaudiog.
Surfing around the net I found a picture of my IMF monitors, it looks like the
IMF Professional Monitor 3 Version 2 .
They have the racetrack Kef 6x9 and painted 110 mids. They are nutbustin' heavy bastards and 4 feet tall.They have little caster wheels under them to move them around for dusting. Here is a pic, sorry it is not too clear.
SansuiSurfer
Surfing around the net I found a picture of my IMF monitors, it looks like the
IMF Professional Monitor 3 Version 2 .
They have the racetrack Kef 6x9 and painted 110 mids. They are nutbustin' heavy bastards and 4 feet tall.They have little caster wheels under them to move them around for dusting. Here is a pic, sorry it is not too clear.
SansuiSurfer
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canuckaudiog
On a quest for high fidelity
Ahh okay yep, that is the Pro Monitor 3. Great speakers. They have a warmer sound to them over the later models. Very enjoyable. Recapping them will do a lot of good if you haven't done that already.