Screw it, I'm going mono.

[doucanoe]

Not really, but I am excited about getting this Wharfedale SFB/3 up and running. I have been looking for one of these since I found one in the basement of a ratty record shop a couple of years back. It was cosmetically a little different and similar to the dark wood model and instead of grille cloth, it had brass expanded metal. Attached is a review of the SFB (sand filled baffle) /3 along with an ad for them also. From what I have read in the past, the idea was to keep it along the wall until you wanted to fire up your system. Then you would carry it (see handles) in to position and rock on brother john.

The SFB/3 was a three driver arrangement consisting of a 12” woofer, 10” mid woofer and 3” cone tweeter. The crossover was just a 4uF cap on the tweeter. The foam surrounds on these need replacement as you can well imagine. If anyone has any experience re-edging these drivers or have suggestions as to what type of surround to use, I would be glad to hear about it.

It should make for a nice vintage mono speaker/ mono tube amp set-up.

RC

 

[doucanoe]

Drivers shots.

 

[totem]

Learn something new every day, very interesting.

 

[doucanoe]

Review and Ad.

 

[Nat]

Gilbert Briggs discusses this speaker at fair length in his 1958 edition of Loudspeakers. He was very impressed by the Quad ESL, and it stimulated him to try to achieve something like its lack of resonance in a dynamic speaker -- hence the lack of enclosure and the sand filled baffle. It was one of his favorite speakers, and he liked using it at a more or less 45 degree angle to the wall, either near the wall or farther out, and suggested trying it both facing and edge on to the listener.
I remember him commenting -- maybe in a different book -- that the speaker was less appealing used in stereo pairs, so your going mono may be just the ticket.
I once saw one at the dump, but it had been there in the rain for a while, and was unrecoverable. I would have gone for it otherwise, since I've had a couple of his better speakers from that era (pair of Airedales (I think) and something else) and liked them very much.
Wharfedale pioneered the use of foam, but the speakers of that era used a flat isocyanate foam which did not last long. I think you could safely use regular foam surrounds for the woofers, and if the tweeter needs surrounds you could use flat foam cut to fit - that's what I did with the Airedale midranges.
And I can't mention Gilbert Briggs without saying what a fine author he was -- the books are clear, informative, funny, and surprising in just how aware he was of practically every issue that speaker designers deal with, and how practical and judicious his solutions were.

 

[clydeselsor]

Very cool man! And hey! There's nothing wrong with mono!

 

[Paratima]

You can rest one ear while the other one's listening.

 

[thilaseen]

Funny you bring this up right now as I am currently AK'ing (obviously) and playing with my most recent acquisition as from yesterday.
Big beautifully made cabs by Goodmans and inside, a pair of those 3" cone tweeters you have, as well as unmatched full range drivers. One is a Wharfedale Super 10 RS/DD and the other looks like the blowin. It's a Goodmans Twin Axiom 10.
Funny though that I've never heard of these 3" Wharfedale tweets before today. Mine are in "as new" condition, although I thought not when I first saw the very flimsy looking foam surround with a small gap on opposite sides.
Seems that's the design. Have fun with 'em. :thmbsp:

 

[ejfud]

Very cool speaker.

Any luck finding new surrounds?

 

[kfa888]

I'm still kicking my own ass for not picking these up...

 

[guidemeister]

No suggestions, but ya had me worried with the title of your posting. Thought you might be going deaf in one ear (heaven forbid!)......lol

 

[Twenty20Man]

now find a second one

 

[doucanoe]

Gilbert Briggs discusses this speaker at fair length in his 1958 edition of Loudspeakers. He was very impressed by the Quad ESL, and it stimulated him to try to achieve something like its lack of resonance in a dynamic speaker -- hence the lack of enclosure and the sand filled baffle. It was one of his favorite speakers, and he liked using it at a more or less 45 degree angle to the wall, either near the wall or farther out, and suggested trying it both facing and edge on to the listener.
I remember him commenting -- maybe in a different book -- that the speaker was less appealing used in stereo pairs, so your going mono may be just the ticket.
I once saw one at the dump, but it had been there in the rain for a while, and was unrecoverable. I would have gone for it otherwise, since I've had a couple of his better speakers from that era (pair of Airedales (I think) and something else) and liked them very much.
Wharfedale pioneered the use of foam, but the speakers of that era used a flat isocyanate foam which did not last long. I think you could safely use regular foam surrounds for the woofers, and if the tweeter needs surrounds you could use flat foam cut to fit - that's what I did with the Airedale midranges.
And I can't mention Gilbert Briggs without saying what a fine author he was -- the books are clear, informative, funny, and surprising in just how aware he was of practically every issue that speaker designers deal with, and how practical and judicious his solutions were.

The foams are flat (or what remains of them) as you say Nat, and finding something that would be similar in compliance might be difficult. Close, is all that I will be shooting for.

The Briggs reading out there has been fun and interesting to say the least. I did read where he said he preferred the SBF/3 as a mono speaker. I have always had an interest in putting together a mono tube system so that works in my favor I guess. The intent would be more for background music, FM mostly.

I'm not sure how it will sound when restored, but from a unique and audio history standpoint, it's one of the coolest I have found.

Funny you bring this up right now as I am currently AK'ing (obviously) and playing with my most recent acquisition as from yesterday.
Big beautifully made cabs by Goodmans and inside, a pair of those 3" cone tweeters you have, as well as unmatched full range drivers. One is a Wharfedale Super 10 RS/DD and the other looks like the blowin. It's a Goodmans Twin Axiom 10.
Funny though that I've never heard of these 3" Wharfedale tweets before today. Mine are in "as new" condition, although I thought not when I first saw the very flimsy looking foam surround with a small gap on opposite sides.
Seems that's the design. Have fun with 'em. :thmbsp:

Thanks! I need to pull tweeter and check its condition. Did you have that protective "sack" around it with the drawstring? I thought that was a little curious.

Very cool speaker.

Any luck finding new surrounds?

Not yet. Like Nat was saying, I think that I might have to get a little creative with existing and available materials. I would like find some more people that have re-edged these in hopes to pick the best solution.

I already have a couple of mono tube tuners and just need to find a mono tube integrated and I will be set.

 

[doucanoe]

I'm still kicking my own ass for not picking these up...

I remember you talking about that one Kelly. I wonder what the surround material was on the 12" in the pic? The 10" surround is clearly the original (kind of rust in color) but it's black on the 12".

No suggestions, but ya had me worried with the title of your posting. Thought you might be going deaf in one ear (heaven forbid!)......lol

Not yet thank God :yes:

RC

 

[Duffinator]

Very cool speaker. I look forward to hearing your impressions of it when you get the surrounds replaced.

 

[Ohighway]

Didn't Wharfedale use felt as the surround material for some woofers ??

 

[doucanoe]

Didn't Wharfedale use felt as the surround material for some woofers ??

Yes, from what I have read. In fact, I have found some reference to felt in regard to the SFB/3 drivers. The surrounds on the 12" and 10" sure appear to be a foam of some kind and not felt. I will have to pull the 10" driver and post a closeup of the material. That driver's surround is much more intact.


It might be felt on the tweeter That has not come out yet either.

RC

 

[Nat]

They did use felt on some speakers-- my Airedales had green felt if I recall correctly -- but I think these had foam. I wouldn't worry too much about matching the compliance of the surrounds. I think any foam roll surround would be as compliant as the originals, and the spiders are more important than the surrounds in limiting excursion. I can't recall if the woofers have cloth spiders or those funny phenolic cut outs, but if its the phenolic ones, no question but that they would be the limiting factor.

 

[doucanoe]

I'm moving right along on with the restoration of the SFB/3. If all works well, it should be ready for action at the get-together the Saturday after next.

The drivers as I said, needed re-edging. After doing as much research as I could, decided that foam surrounds were going to have to do. The wiring and 4uF oil cap will also be replaced.

I located some foam surrounds the matched in size or as close as possible with minimum alterations. Decided to start with the 10" driver first because the surround matched the closest for what I needed. The surrounds on both the drivers are attached to the back side of the cone. Really not as putzy as others I have messed with because of the accessability of the frame. Here is what I came up with.

 

[doucanoe]

I think it turned out pretty nice!


Now, one more to go and then I start cleaning things up a bit, stripping the old wiring/capacitor and replacing with new.

RC