Looking for advice regarding Spider sag in down-firing woofers - BIC SoundSpan TPR 600

[GordonW]

Should be able to get the accordion fabric surrounds. I think if you order standard Eminence 15" fabric surrounds, with flat inner edge (not angle inner edge), they should fit. That should be available from most recone shops.

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[Afor]

Should be able to get the accordion fabric surrounds. I think if you order standard Eminence 15" fabric surrounds, with flat inner edge (not angle inner edge), they should fit. That should be available from most recone shops.

Regards,
Gordon.

Wow, much appreciated, I will check that out.

I am fairly new to the game and have never done a spider and surround replacement only. (the closest I’ve come was to make and replace a voice-coil a few years back).
So this will be a good experience if the other fixes suggested here does not work.

I will keep updating here as I move forward.

Thanks again.

 

[Pete B]

Isn't that a 12" woofer?

 

[Afor]

Isn't that a 12" woofer?

Yes, you are correct 12" Woofer. I will have to measure the existing condition if I move forward/ before I order anything. The surround GordonW suggested looks like an exact match visually.

I am very curious to see if any of the other tricks will work first.
But before anything, I will take some time to enjoy what they are right now.
I just got them all assembled. The only things left to restore are the speaker grill cubes and make new foam covers for the lower part. Which by the way seem to have design flaws as well on all the SoundSpan TPR. The foam covering is pertified on every single one of these and has long fallen off or will crumble if touched, and all the speaker grill cubes suffer from a sag in the wood frame as well. I've studied pretty much every video and picture on the web and social media for the last 8 weeks and can conclude that all SoundSpan TPR speakers seem to have the same issues.

This far it has been a super fun restoration, and I think they look awesome.
But knowing what I know now I realize that I hugely overpaid for these. Funny enough, I thought I bargained pretty well. The guy was rambling something about how they sell for well over $1000. Long story short....I gave him $220.
Considering how much time and material I've gone through this far. I am definitely keeping these.

Thanks for all help up to this point. Ill keep updating here as I move forward.

 

[Afor]

A little update on the spiders.

Since I know I will have to replace these I will first make a few experiments.

I took the speakers apart again and started treating the spiders with the least aggressive method.
Applying water and using a hairdryer on high heat while rotating the woofer on my spin table.

Already after the first application the spider retracted back. But as Gordon mentioned earlier the “oil canning effect” is there. The stretch of the folds in the spider has produced excessive material. Therefore the spider becomes a little concave or uneven.

I have made 5 applications over the last 5 days. And the spiders have leveled out quite a bit.
See picture of the spiders before and after. Also, both woofers next to each other
the surround before: sagged outside the gasket.
and after: in level with the basket.



I will mount the woofers back into the cabinets and see how long they will stay this way. When I push the cone outwards now it retracts to a normal position so there is a new position memory in the spiders. The surrounds seem to be in a flat line how I would think they were as new.

My next step I will try a chemical of some sorts. I will update here as I get to it.

Two more photos from today of both spiders.

 

[Pete B]

You might try hitting the accordion edge with a bit of heat, maybe see what you think.
That's some great progress!

 

[Afor]

You might try hitting the accordion edge with a bit of heat, maybe see what you think.
That's some great progress!

Thank you, yes the spider pulled back down about 1/4”. I will definitely hit the accordion cloth with the hairdryer too.

I actually think the surrounds might be fine. They are stiff but move well with the spider. I will test playing some tunes when they are back in the cabinets.

 

[loudnoises]

Great work and excellent results.

If the surrounds are flush, I think you've done it.

How do they sound?

 

[Afor]

Great work and excellent results.

If the surrounds are flush, I think you've done it.

How do they sound?

Thank you, yes the surrounds are flush. Even when I turn the woofer to down firing position they stay flush.
I will mount all drivers back this evening and try to play some tunes tomorrow.
It will be interesting to hear how they sound and how long it will take before they sag again.

I’m also going to get a measurement device so I can compare and place some data to this.

 

[Afor]

A little update on the Spiders and woofers.

I mounted all back together last night. And left them playing for about 3 hours on low volume.

Further I let them play tunes all day today for 6-7 hours to see if the spiders would drop again.

I made a little video of how they sound.
They are hooked up to my SX1280 and streaming from a Sonos port. The volume knob on the reciever is set to -46. All bass and treble is set to flat on both the receiver and port. Loudness off.

I think they sound much better. But i realize it is really hard to know or prove.
I will have to wait until I get my measurement device delivered and set up.

It looks like the spider and surrounds has not dropped down yet. Maybe a 1/16” but it is hard to know. I’ll probably just set them up somewhere in the house while I’m waiting for all the materials to rebuild the deteriorated foam collars and the sagged speaker grill cubes.

I’ll update here once I move forward with either a chemical application to the spiders or a replacement. I still have not found a perfect spider. The one that is closest has less folds compared to this one.

Two pictures of the spiders after sitting in the cabinets for 18hrs.


Anyway, thanks for all help this far.

 

[ESP]

Thank you for a great thread this far.

 

[Afor]

Thank you for a great thread this far.

It is my hope that this will somehow help someone else with similar speaker issues in the future. AK has been of tremendous help for me the last couple of years. Their chat database with knowledge is just amazing.