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Searching for a 14" driver...

Tikkun

Tikkun

New Member
Hi all, new to this.

I picked up a pair of Sansui SP-3500s over the weekend for $225 on craigslist. I have them paired with a rebuilt Dynaco ST-70 and I have to say I'm very happy with the purchase.

I'm currently deciding on whether I should go with these or a pair of Audioengine HDP6 speakers that I found for $360 brand new. Normally they cost $500. I do love their sound.

But a big factor in my decision is whether I can find replacement drivers for the 14" woofers in the Sansuis. The cloth rims around the cones (while they may last forever), are just too tight for my liking. There are huge swathes of the bass landscape that are utterly muted by these speakers, sadly. So I'd like to be able to customize these bad boys with more dynamic-sounding woofers, if I'm going to keep them.

The problem is, they're 14" and I can't seem to find 14" replacement drivers ANYWHERE on the internet. Do they exist? If not, I can't find any 12" to 14" adapters or anything like that either.

I'm basically searching for a pair of speakers to hold on to for the long term. These Sansuis could be it if I could replace the low-range drivers. But if not, I may just go with the Audioengines. They sound wonderful when hooked up to the old tube amp.

Help is appreciated.
 

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Not available easily. You can get 12" or you can get 15" if your budget goes that far. And the bass on the Sansui's will be OK, but what is your bass reference? That is also a factor.
 
First problem is that is a relatively large woofer to be installed in a vented cabinet of that size. Given the small port diameter, one would also expect vent length to be short as well with relatively high tuning frequency. Bigger woofers was always a selling point on a fast sales floor, regardless of the actual performance - especially during the time these speakers were current.

The woofers in the cabs are the correct ones given the design. A driver with a foam surround, greater excursion, and higher cone mass would likely sound like poop in those enclosures.
 
damacman said:
First problem is that is a relatively large woofer to be installed in a vented cabinet of that size. Given the small port diameter, one would also expect vent length to be short as well with relatively high tuning frequency. Bigger woofers was always a selling point on a fast sales floor, regardless of the actual performance - especially during the time these speakers were current.

The woofers in the cabs are the correct ones given the design. A driver with a foam surround, greater excursion, and higher cone mass would likely sound like poop in those enclosures.
Click to expand...

Be that as it may, do aftermarket 14" drivers exist?
 
If you do end up changing drivers don't toss the originals. Those original 14'' woofers are capable of producing in a much larger cabinet. I had a pair that I used as a 2 way in a large cabinet with an OLA tweeters crossed low and they sounded surprisingly good.
 
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