Recommendation for someone to do speaker re-cap in San Francisco?
- Thread starter thurber
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reydelaplaya
Super Member
I don't know your level of experience with a soldering gun/iron, but I'd suggest maybe trying it yourself. There are probably only a handful of caps in a speaker crossover. It could be a rewarding weekend project if you're up to it.
I say this because I was looking to buy some premade crossovers when I was building my speakers, but folks here suggested trying to build them myself instead. I showed the schematics, they pointed out what electronic doodads I needed to buy at PE, and within a couple nights, I had them built exactly to the schematics. I hadn't really picked up a soldering gun since I was a kid.
Give it a try, you could save yourself quite a bit of time waiting for someone else to do it, and money too.
I say this because I was looking to buy some premade crossovers when I was building my speakers, but folks here suggested trying to build them myself instead. I showed the schematics, they pointed out what electronic doodads I needed to buy at PE, and within a couple nights, I had them built exactly to the schematics. I hadn't really picked up a soldering gun since I was a kid.
Give it a try, you could save yourself quite a bit of time waiting for someone else to do it, and money too.
Wookie
Active Member
Try giving Robisme a PM, he's in Martinez, he might be able help.
reydelaplaya
Super Member
Glad to hear you’re thinking about trying it yourself. I’ll bet you’ll find it a lot easier than you anticipated.
Here’s what I’d recommend.
Pull your crossovers and post some good pics over in DIY section. If you can find the schematics, even better. Ask the folks there if they can help you with a parts list for what you’ll need to replace. Order from PE or Mouser, then post again in DIY when you start. I’m sure plenty of members over there would be happy to help walk you through the project.
Like I said, I did pretty much the same thing a few years ago with my own speaker crossovers (only in my case I was building them from scratch). Members in DIY gave pointers and tips to make sure it was a complete success - and it was. Those speakers sound excellent, and I had the added bonus of knowing, with some help from members in the forum, I did them myself.
Good luck with your project. Just take your time and I’m sure you’ll be rewarded.
What speakers are you needing recapped?
I know of a few places in SJ, Sounds Unique and Sertech electronics.
As others have stated, your better off trying it yourself. Crossover work is not to bad.
Kind Regards,
John
cwh
33
AK speaker enthusiast @drbiggles has been taking on some crossover repair work. He's in the East Bay.
Hey man,
Lay out your project, what you want done. Then we can far more easily figure out how to get it taken care of for you. If it's a fairly straight forward situation, you and I can do one of the speakers together. Armed with the warm knowledge of success and skill, you can do the second one yourself. Otherwise, you're going to pay me or anyone else some money.
Oh, PM Royzilla and see if he's up for some fun. He's in the city.
Biggles
Lay out your project, what you want done. Then we can far more easily figure out how to get it taken care of for you. If it's a fairly straight forward situation, you and I can do one of the speakers together. Armed with the warm knowledge of success and skill, you can do the second one yourself. Otherwise, you're going to pay me or anyone else some money.
Oh, PM Royzilla and see if he's up for some fun. He's in the city.
Biggles
thurber
Active Member
KLH Model 6 - likely need a re-cap...but they are (90% sure) the type where there grills aren't removable!
Thanks for the suggestions, guys!
If I do it myself, I am actually strangely most nervous about getting the rivets out/plate off - then getting through the epoxy while keeping everything looking nice. They are in such nice shape!
Thanks for the suggestions, guys!
If I do it myself, I am actually strangely most nervous about getting the rivets out/plate off - then getting through the epoxy while keeping everything looking nice. They are in such nice shape!
Geez, you just had to find a pair of speakers that are at the very top of the list for being a PIA to get into.
You may have to wait until it's dark, or find a dark room. Get a flashlight and look around the basket of the woofer, through the grill cloth. Look for the shiny screw heads that may or may not be around the woofer. Take your time, check and re-check.
If they're there, then it's easier to cut the grill cloth out (no grill frame on those). Once that's done, you can remove the woofer and easily replace the capacitors. Of course, you'd want to angle the razor, pull on the cloth a bit, so as to cut as much as the cloth you can. Then, hopefully, you can re-use the cloth and affix them to a new frame.
I have meat hooks for hands and I simply an unable to replace the capacitors through the cut-out in the back.
If you are sure that there are no screws holding the woofer in place, then you have a very early pair. There is no woofer basket/frame. The woofers are actually built-in to the front baffle or motor board. With these, you are forced to replace the caps from the hole in the back. Neat, eh? Let's just cross our fingers and hope that you find screws.
Biggles
You may have to wait until it's dark, or find a dark room. Get a flashlight and look around the basket of the woofer, through the grill cloth. Look for the shiny screw heads that may or may not be around the woofer. Take your time, check and re-check.
If they're there, then it's easier to cut the grill cloth out (no grill frame on those). Once that's done, you can remove the woofer and easily replace the capacitors. Of course, you'd want to angle the razor, pull on the cloth a bit, so as to cut as much as the cloth you can. Then, hopefully, you can re-use the cloth and affix them to a new frame.
I have meat hooks for hands and I simply an unable to replace the capacitors through the cut-out in the back.
If you are sure that there are no screws holding the woofer in place, then you have a very early pair. There is no woofer basket/frame. The woofers are actually built-in to the front baffle or motor board. With these, you are forced to replace the caps from the hole in the back. Neat, eh? Let's just cross our fingers and hope that you find screws.
Biggles
What are the serial numbers? If they're early enough (typically < 20,000, but could be a little higher) good chance they have the oil filled caps, which are usually still good(although maybe drift a little). So unless you're tweeters are not working, you might want to rethink a recap.
Oh that's almost definitely bad caps. And it will be a pain to get into. That said, others (not me) have done it. I wouldn't let anybody touch them unless they know exactly what they're doing.
