Looking to refoam AR-M4 bottom woofers

[bjaardker]

Picked up a pair of AR-M4 speakers at the pawn shop last week for $41. The cabinets aren't in great shape, but they're good enough. One thing is for certain, the sound is incredible. Only problem is that it's pretty clear the bottom woofers are in dire need of refoaming.

I've never refoamed a speaker before, so I'm hoping someone can point me to the correct foams to use for these speakers.

One other question I had; The Mid-Woofer on top is poly, but the bottom woofer that I need to refoam is a paper cone. If a refoam kit is going to be $25-$35, is replacing the driver in its entirety something that I should be looking at? Would it gain me anything?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

[JKent]

This site has step-by-step instructions: http://www.citlink.net/~msound/refoam/

MSound has the best kits. Either contact through the site or look for ebay seller "moonlistener"

Replacing the driver is usually (always?) a bad idea. The entire speaker system was designed to incorporate that specific driver. Using a different driver, even a "better" one, usually will have detrimental results.

Oh--don't play music through the speakers with bad surrounds. You run the risk of damaging the drivers.

Good luck

Kent

[michiganpat]

Jkent pretty much nailed it. I'd lean towards Msound for the kit, I've also bought raw foams from Meniscus Audio.

http://meniscusaudio.com/repairsparts-surroundscone-edges-c-131_141.html?page=1&sort=3a

they were able to get the very specific foams for my Smaller Advents and my father in law's Realistic Mach 1's

if you pull the driver, take some measurements and note if the connection is a flat edge on the cone, or the actual angle of the cone.

I've done the test tone method, where I glue the surround to the cone, let dry overnight, then the next day glue the surround to the basket while playing a 30hz tone through it to center the voice coil. for glue, I've always had good luck with Aileen's tacky glue, bought at any craft store or big box store.

[JKent]

I've also bought raw foams from Meniscus Audio.

Just FYI: MSound specializes in complete kits for novices but he WILL sell just the foams, just foams & caps, or whatever meets your needs. Tell him you are a CSP member.

Kent

[bjaardker]

Thanks so much everyone! I'm about to embark on my trip into the wild world of speaker restoration.

Maybe I'll try one with the shims method like Msound suggests and one with the 30hz method that MichiganPat recommends.

[michiganpat]

I plan on doing the 8" in my M5's this weekend with foams sourced from meniscus (they're local to me), using the test tone method....

done some becker 12", AR2ax 10" 2 pair of AR18 woofers, mach1 woofs, and Smaller Advent woofs successfully with the test tone method--no dust cap cutting required.