Help! Do I need to re-seal my surrounds and speaker cones?

[JKent]

Well, the refurb project on my AR4x speaker has been temporarily halted due to circumstances beyond my control, but later this week I plan to finish up speaker #1. I have already spruced up the oiled walnut, installed new “vintage” style grille cloth and replaced the corroded potentiometer with a new L-pad. Yesterday a couple of Zen 20uF caps arrived, so I will be installing that soon.

While perusing the Layne Audio site I came across this:

Cloth Surround / Paper Cone Sealer: Re-seal those leaky cloth surrounds on your early AR woofers. This is a butyl latex compound made specifically for coating speaker cones and surrounds. It dries soft and tacky, and unlike the cheap PVA coating [basically Elmer's glue] everyone else sells, this stuff will stay soft practically forever, retaining its full sealing and damping properties. Goes on milky white but dries clear with a bit of shine. Can be tinted black [or any other color] with water based inks/ dyes. Use full strength on cones, thin with warm water to coat cloth surrounds. 1oz bottle $8, 2oz $12 [1oz is enough to coat a pair of average 12" woofers, use more if you need a heavier damping effect]. Safe to use on foam surrounds, but it is not going to keep old surrounds from rotting [nothing will do that]. Water based and non-toxic, no nasty fumes, just be careful if you have a latex allergy

So my question is; do I need this stuff? I guess my speakers are "early" (purchased 1969) and they do have cloth--not foam--surrounds. Has anybody done this? thanks

[Guest tdeutsch]

This sounds like the description off the Layne Audio website. And from what I've been able to tell, the fellow who runs it is MIA. I inquired about buying a bottle myself and never got an answer.

I think I heard that some folks here use Armor All on the cloth surrounds, but I think others recommend leaving them alone unless they are really leaky (with the speaker fully assembled, push in gently on the woofer, it should spring back fairly slowly and evenly). Whatever that means!

[dynaco_dan]

>This sounds like the description off the Layne Audio website.

>And from what I've been able to tell, the fellow who runs it

>is MIA. I inquired about buying a bottle myself and never got

>an answer.

>I think I heard that some folks here use Armor All on the

>cloth surrounds, but I think others recommend leaving them

>alone unless they are really leaky (with the speaker fully

>assembled, push in gently on the woofer, it should spring back

>fairly slowly and evenly). Whatever that means!

Hi Ted;

Layne has not been responding for several months now according to my reading here.

Until there is a response assume that Layne is out of business.

If you gently push on the woofer there will be a slight resistance.

It should just as gently return to it's former position.

I have read numerous times of Armorall's use here.

At least it is consistant in it's formulation and performance.

Some other members use other siliconized compounds and water them down.

One must use caution irregardles, as overdoing it, may cause more problems than not.

I have woofers over 35 years old and they certainly don't need anything on their surround, at least not yet.

Good luck.