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Watkins Woofers

T

tubed

Lunatic Member
I have some Infinitys with four different versions of the Watkins woofer.
Smaller magnet Aquaplas treated cone
Larger magnet Aquaplas treated cone
One poly gray cone larger magnet
Another clear poly cone a bit smaller magnet.

I think the Aquaplas treated gray paper coned Watkins with the smaller magnet is the earliest version and I think it might have the best sound characteristics, at least in its selected enclosure:scratch2:
 
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I have a pair of clear poly with large magnet and 1 paper woof with smaller magnet. The paper one has a much softer suspension. If you push on the cone it moves much easier. Have you noticed any differences like that?
 
I recently bought a pair of RS 1.5s and didn't realize that the Watkins woofers in the two are a mis-match. One is the grey poly cone and the other is a translucent-clear poly cone. I did take them out of the cabinet to confirm they are both Watkins and each of them do have 2 sets of hookup leads, so they are definitely both Watkins. Each of them also has a part number on them.

Does anyone know where I can find a document that might help me determine which is the correct Watkins woofer for an RS 1.5? Is is possible that different vintages of RS 1.5s shipped with different woofers or has one of mine been replaced with the incorrect replacement?

TIC
 
I've always "assumed" the clear ones were later editions.
Just based on my RSM's having the clear cones and they were purchased closer to the end of the run than the beginning.
Production runs according to schematics at Klaus' site....
RS1.5's Introduced 1980, discontinued 1983
RSM's Introduced 1978, discontinued 1984. I bought mine in 1983.
 
TIC said:
I recently bought a pair of RS 1.5s and didn't realize that the Watkins woofers in the two are a mis-match. One is the grey poly cone and the other is a translucent-clear poly cone. I did take them out of the cabinet to confirm they are both Watkins and each of them do have 2 sets of hookup leads, so they are definitely both Watkins. Each of them also has a part number on them.

Does anyone know where I can find a document that might help me determine which is the correct Watkins woofer for an RS 1.5? Is is possible that different vintages of RS 1.5s shipped with different woofers or has one of mine been replaced with the incorrect replacement?

TIC
Click to expand...

Found the basic Infinity datasheet for it. Gives part numbers. No 'substitute' is shown for the woofer.
 

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When I I found my QLS-1s, I immediately exchanged the original paper coned woofers with a pair of Watkins woofers with the huge magnet and gray polyurethane cones, the ones I believe used in the 2.5/4.5s.
They looked nice and the originals needed a refoam.
I've never got around to a switch, something I probably should do just out of curiosity.
 
On my QLS 1's with mismatched woofs, (poly in one, paper in other) the raised mounting ring around the poly woofer was rather chewed up. It seemed much worse than what would be caused by a lousy woofer pull. Now I know why! The overall diameter of the poly woofer frame is larger that the paper. Someone had tried to enlarge the opening to allow it to fit. Now that I have a 2nd matching poly woofer, I will need to slightly enlarge the opening where the paper woof previously resided. Won't use a chain saw like it appears was used b4. :)

On the models with no raised ring, are the woofers surface mounted or recessed? I wonder, if I remove the rings, if that would solve the issue. Diameter of frame would not matter as long as holes are still the same, which they are. Since the later models did away with the ring, it must not have been that important for time alignment.
 
When I replaced my Watkins's in my QLS 1s I discovered the same thing... used my router to slightly enlarge the ring diameter and all was well.

Regards...
 
Here's a nice little interview with Bill Watkins in which the interviewer who did measurement studies of various Infinitys and says he liked the QLS/Q2 treated paper woofers and states he thought the woofers used in the 2.5/4.5 were "dogs".

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.audio.opinion/pG2grJ5bqe8

In a phone conversation with Watkins he told me any of the Watkins woofers should work.

I haven't noticed a problem with the woofer cutout size.
 
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