Doug G.

Yeah, beautiful! And, you're not alone. I am re-restoring (I originally did it in the mid seventies) an old Hallicafters shortwave radio my late father-in-law had and I got when he passed away in 2015. Even though it needs several parts replaced, particularly the old paper capacitors (it's from the nineteen fifties), and needs to be realigned. I restored the appearance first. Doug

If they are Advents with the metal plate for the crossovers, the caps are most likely 16uF. Those are very early units. Some research shows Advent may have originally used the `16uF/8uF combination in some of the early ones but it is unclear. Regardless, there were only 16uF and 8uF caps used in the original Advents so you would be safe buying some of each. It's not like they are expensive. Doug

Just for reference, it should not be all black when you get inside. Doug

In my post above, I indicated that the gray plastic trim pieces will always be gray. However, with age, they can discolor on the front edges and appear yellowish. This has happened to a couple of mine. I imagine sanding that edge may restore them but I haven't tried it yet. Doug

After Advent started putting tweeters with the large magnet in the Smaller Advent, they may have been trying to zero in on the perfect values of capacitors and 1975 is when they made the magnet size change. It's kind of like when they were settling on the values for the original Advents. In any event, the 3 ohm resistor indicates the tweeters will have the large magnet. It was needed to tone down the tweeter a bit to match the woofer efficiency. The original Smaller Advent did that with the smaller magnet and only needed the 1 ohm resistor. Doug

The New Advent and Advent/1, however, use the same woofer. The difference is the cabinet size. Also, the Masonite woofer and all-metal woofer would not be considered identical since the Masonite woofer has a bit longer excursion (Pete B. has measured them) but, in all practicality, they are the same. Same cone. Doug

And sometimes, an Advent employee used a black marker but it means the same thing - positive connection. Doug

Yes, the optical illusion is common with the Masonite woofers where they look like the rolls are poking out when they are not. There are subtle clues to tell. Doug

Masonite ring woofers have inverted roll surrounds, all of them, or SHOULD have. The later all-metal woofers have standard mount with the roll poking out, or SHOULD have. The only way they get switched is if a subsequent owner changes them or a "professional" changes them. Doug

Yup, get 'em fixed up so they sound new. Those are probably from 1973 or so, with those serial numbers. Doug

I am very sorry to hear of Carl's passing. Here it is almost two years ago and I didn't know. Doug

The trim pieces around the inside edge were never gold plated. They have always been a light gray. Originally they were wood and the gray paint can come off and make them look like they were some other color. Later, the pieces are gray plastic and as such, will always be gray. The original finish on Advents was always a rubbed oil finish and satin. If you have seen a gloss finish, they have been redone. As ajfink stated, the surrounds being in upside down doesn't really hurt. There's just the chance the roll will rub on the Masonite edge. That's why advent put them in inverted. If you ever notice any fuzziness in the sound, that's what could be happening and they should be refoamed the correct way. Doug

I think this is a good example of users, out in the field, changing things around in a speaker without considering the original design or why certain components are in a speaker. I realize cost is often a major factor in speaker design and construction but, the thing is, the components in a speaker ARE the components in the speaker and if you go changing them, you may well alter the sound but not necessarily for the better. Doug

I agree with Roy. These days, there seems to be almost a religion about automatically replacing capacitors in the belief they are automatically bad after x number of years. Although there are perfectly valid reasons for that (the electrolyte drying out, etc.), I just think it's better to leave them alone if they still are in spec. Of course, ideally, you would want to check the series resistance also but every time I have, they seem to be OK in that regard too. And, even more of a religion seems to be to replace the original style of capacitors with some other types, even exotic types, in the belief that these different types of capacitors will automatically improve the sound of the speakers. This all without considering the speakers were possibly voiced with the types originally included and using others may affect the sound of the speakers but maybe not in a positive way. I say all the above in spite of my belief, through experimentation over the years, that there really isn't that much difference in sound between different capacitor types. I just think it's better to leave them alone if they are working and the speakers sound good. All five pairs of my original Advents have their original capacitors and they all sound alike and all sound wonderful. Doug

Which tweeters do your Smaller Advents have? The green ones or the orange ones? The original green ones had a smaller magnet than the full sized Advents had to match the efficiency of the woofer. Later, Advent put tweeters in that had the large magnets in them and the cones are orange (although there may be some with green cones). The thing to do is actually look at the magnets. The smaller ones are 2.5 inches square and the larger ones are 3 inches square. I believe Advent changed the crossover when they made the change sometime in 1975. It makes sense that the crossover you have would have been used in the smaller magnet units and the crossover with the 3 ohm resistor in the later, large magnet units. Doug

If a pair of Advents, particularaly early ones like that, are truly like new and the grille cloths, cabinets, and operation are flawless, they have gone for about $300.00 on eBay. Anything less than what I described above ususally bring about $100.00. Doug

OK, great. They'll be fine. I have a set of all-metal woofers in one of my pairs of original Advents and they sound good. Doug

Hi Dean, I'm not Kent but I think I can answer your inquiry. You can use those woofers and they will be fine. I'm curious as to why you are unable to find masonite woofers on eBay, however. I see them on there fairly often. The cheapest thing to do, of course, is get some that need refoaming and do it yourself. That way, you can be assured of getting the correct surrounds on them too. If you can't wait (like me) and want woofers in them right away, I would get some all-metal ones (like in the New Advents or Advent/1s) and install them in your original Advents and then eventually acquire some masonites. Then you would have a spare set of woofers which is always a good idea. Doug

Sorry. Dang me - double post. Doug

cwb1014, I certainly apologize for intimating that you are a flipper. I also have respect for anybody who has owned a pair of Advents since new as I, even though I heard them back then, never owned a pair until about 6 years ago. Now I have 5 pair. Although I don't really have any ideas about how to best sell your Advents, I wish you luck although I hope you reconsider and find some way to squeeze them in. Doug

I am going to try and not be rude here but it is bad form to come onto an enthusiast site like this and ask advice on how to sell your speakers. We want to hear from people wanting to save and use their speakers, not flippers. As to when yours were made, probably 1973 or thereabouts. Doug

Hi PJ, Unfortunately, I don't know anything about the minis. Doug

I don't know how much help I'm going to be but my lowest serial number Advent with the 16/8/3 combination is a walnut and it is #187986 built on August 29, 1975. I don't know exactly when the changeover was but maybe from serial number 150,000 and higher are 16/8/3? My utilities are all later and all are 16/8/3. I believe this was the combination until the end of production of the original Advent Loudspeaker. I have also noticed that there was a change on the black tape on the tweeters that may correspond to the electrical changes. Earlier tweeters have the tape going all the way across the masonite square and on the later ones, it stops and is cut off straight before it gets to the left edge. I don't mean, of course, that the tweeters are different. Just that this may have been a simultaneaous change with the electrical changes. Doug

Wow! I thought that the 16/8uF combination is only in the later units from sometime in 1974-1975 on! But you say that that early schematic shows these? That's a whole 'nuther kettle of fish because most have assumed that the early units had the 16/16 combination! Doug

Thanks Pete. I just wrote up a rather lengthy post about refoaming that will probably bore most readers to tears but there you have it. I have been following your measurments regarding the New Advent and variations and this is the type of information that should be made a "pinned" thread if any. That and maybe practical applications such as refoaming/rebuilding as you mentioned in another thread. Regards, Doug