Speaker haul this week...and a question.

[thurber]

This week I had a bit of fun and picked up:

1) Beautiful KLH Model 6's (with the re-cap issue) ($60)
2) Dick Sequerra Walnut Model 7's ($100)
3) Harms Labs Model _?_ (Free)

I am excited. The Sequerras sound really good, in a very unorthodox way (I think) when you get vinyl playing into them through a Marantz 1060 (but now I have a turntable maintenance issue, so that puts the kabash on that for now). I loved that they were small, walnut (match the Marantz precisely) and with the uncommon metal grill. Dusty but otherwise sound really quite good.

The KLHs have the issue which was the subject of another thread.

The Harms Labs either need the woofer replaced or re-foamed (I think the former, right? I am new to this). I may write to the company since they appear to be back in business. The speakers are 25% prettier than they look in the photos - the finish isn't yellow like it looks - very neutral and wood-like. They are very heavy and *very very* solidly constructed. Anyway, just thought I would share my fun. Here are the photos of the Harms labs ones and the busted woofer - anyone know what this needs? I know it's a really basic question.

Also see if you can find the easter egg in the photos.

 

[swechsler]

Yes, I'd say a refoam is all they need.

 

[thurber]

Ok, cool! Yeah I took another photo - looks like one woofer might have been replaced at some point, since the cone is a different material on each speaker. Maybe I should try to match the busted one to the replaced one, if I can figure out what the newer one is. The busted one also appears to be missing the ring that screws down - whatever you call that. Do you think I can just get a standard Amazon re-foam kit? And also, how do you measure the speaker to get the right size - do you measure the cone or from the edge of each surround?

 

[swechsler]

Since (according to you) the company is in business, I'd contact them and see if replacement drivers are available. You can also remove the woofer and check the numbers on the back - there's a decent possibility they used an off-the-shelf woofer, and if so, you can probably find a replacement, either used or new. The ring you mention is called the gasket and is pretty much cosmetic only. You can get generic replacements if it bothers you. For surround replacements, I'd contact Rick Cobb (rcobb@tampabay.rr.com) - he can get the correct surround for just about any speaker, and his prices are reasonable. But first work on getting a matching woofer.

I would not try to match the newer one, assuming that's the incorrect woofer. Anyone who would replace only one woofer in a pair of speakers obviously never went through the trouble of trying to match the driver to the cabinet (a task that is difficult to impossible, since there are so many different woofers, and the cabinets and crossovers would have been designed around the originals).

ETA: Here's a previous thread that show what they should look like. If I'm reading that thread correctly, what looks like midranges are actually woofers, and the "woofers" are passive radiators. Either way, the center drivers are not original, and neither is one tweeter, so this project may end up costing more than the speakers are worth.

 

[thurber]

Thanks for your help and advice! I am going to e-mail them and see what they say.

 

[swechsler]

I edited that posted after you responded, you may want go back and read what I added.

 

[thurber]

Weirdly, I think the woofer that is intact might actually be the original, if either is. Because both tweeters, as well as that woofer, are a more plastic-y material, whereas the busted woofer has a distinctly different fabric-y feel.

 

[swechsler]

Take a look at the thread I posted, it shows the original woofers.

 

[thurber]

Just saw your updated post. Yes, I hadn't noticed that - one tweeter is totally different, too. Ah well - I will see what I can do. Maybe Harms will have some ideas.

 

[Blue Shadow]

The woofer size is the determinant of which Harms speaker you have. These might be the HL-1 with a 5" woofer or the 1P with a 6.5" woofer. The bigun is a passive radiator.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/harms-labs-model-1.633880/

 

[SpruceMoose]

Nice doggie!

 

[thurber]

That's the woofer, @SpruceMoose!

 

[Justgotohm]

Haha, there’s a damn cute puppy dog

 

[thurber]

Aw thanks

 

[SpruceMoose]

I guess you have at least one bird in the house (tweeter).

 

[thurber]

Yeah luckily they respect each others' space.

 

[colohiker]

Harms Labs switched from Peerless to Polydax at some point (mid 80's?). When a tweeter blew in my Harms Labs III's years ago, he replaced the Peerless with a Polydax. A few years ago I was able to buy an older pair of HL mini-monitors and switched my III's back to Peerless. I would probably just find the least expensive replacement for either of the tweeters you have and sell the leftover one to recoup your costs.

 

[thurber]

@colohiker Ok, glad to hear from a HL owner. So your guess is that the tweeter with the 'legs' (the peerless) is original, and maybe he swapped out the other one later on? What do you think about the woofers and the mids? Do you have a guess as to which of those are original, or what they are?

 

[c-atle-79bay]

Your not the first I’ve heard that the met 7’s weird. I don’t have mine any longer but man they were nice and weird but nice.

 

[thurber]

@c-atle-79bay I guess they were part of a set which had a separate woofer and tweeter speaker? But also sold alone? That would explain why they are all-mid.