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Fixing Technics speakers - some questions

Ido

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Hi there! Ido from New Jersey here. I hope everyone's feeling good and enjoyed the long weekend.
I have a pair of Technics SB-K22 speakers. I've had them for many years and they still work but the diaphragm and the dust cap are torn and need to be replaced (see image) . If you could answer the following questions (or at least point me in the right direction) I'd appreciate it very much:

1. Can I replace only those components or do I need to replace the entire driver(s) ?
2. Would you even recommend trying to fix and replacing components/ drivers or will it be too expensive and I might as well get new speakers?
3. Let's say I decide to replace the components / entire drivers - Can you tell me the right dimensions / model # / recommended replacement parts I should get to replace those? Is this an amazon purchase or I should go to some specialty store?
4. As you can see- I'm new to this - I not even sure if I know the terminology - I know the small driver is the tweeter/ horn - what are the other 2 called?
5. DId those speakers come with some grill cover? Is it possible to get replacement part for that as well?
I have experience with electrical work, soldering etc, I've done many DIY projects so I know I can do this - I just need help getting the right components.

Thank you very much in advance!

20210905_175826_HDR.jpg
 

solderdude

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1: you need the original drivers.
As the speakers seem to be more than 10 years old the importers most like don't have parts on stock.

Maybe someone knows a replacement for the midrange speaker. Both the woofer and tweeter seem fine.

5: They came with a front panel with cloth on it.
You would need to make them yourself.
 

hex168

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Choice #2, unless you want to do it for fun and the learning experience. This is not one of Technics' best. If you're interested in taking on the project, post the dimensions of the cabinet and drivers and we'll see if there is something relatively easy to do. Also let us know what your budget is and if you are comfortable modifying the front panel for different size drivers.

A good source for drivers is Parts Express, if you are in the US.:
https://www.parts-express.com/

The drivers are called: Woofer, Midrange, Tweeter. This speaker has a cone tweeter, not a horn.

Here is a thread on the same subject:
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/285646-speakers-upgrade.html
 

tomtoo

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Would also be interesting what the caps in the xover look like. They have some years on there back.
 
OP
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Ido

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Wow. Thank you for your input everybody! @hex168 thanks for the links - very helpful!
Okay - So I will try and replace all three (in both cabs) - This is just for fun and learning. I understand this is not top-shelf but it's great for my living room, if the replacements are at least as good as those - I'll be happy.
Budget - is it realistic to get 6 new drivers in decent quality in under 100 or 150? more than that and my wife will start asking questions...:)

I'm very open to modifying the cab if I need to - I do woodwork for fun. I'll also diy a cloth front panel.
cab measurements: 25-1/2 H x 13 W X12 D

Question about sizes - again see my ridiculous image below. When I browse the stores I only see one measurement (example: "6-1/2 Poly Cone Midbass Woofer") how should I measure those, see the midrange as an example. Is it #1 (side to side including the metal casing? or #2 - the diameter? or #3 - diagonal, screw to screw?? What does the 6-1/2 above refer to?

Thanks again!

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hex168

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More than you want to spend, but will give you an idea. Very well documented. You would need to recalculate the port for your box size; we can do that here. Front panel dimensions are close enough that the crossover will still work. (The mid-frequencies get reinforced by the cabinet until the wavelength gets long enough that the output starts to wrap around the cabinet instead of bouncing off the front. The frequency where the wrapping starts to happen depends on the cabinet width and needs to be accounted for in the crossover.) Read the whole write-up to learn:
https://meniscusaudio.com/product/zingers-speaker-kit/

I'll keep looking, as I have time, to try to find something in the specified price range.
 
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coonmanx

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First I would see if you can locate any information on the specifications for that speaker, including the crossover points. Then I would contact Parts Express and ask them what would be a good midrange driver to use. And finally I would ditch those crappy cone tweeters for some soft domes. They are cheap and readily available. Like this one...

https://www.parts-express.com/GRS-1TD1-8-1-Dome-Tweeter-8-Ohm-292-462

Or maybe this one...

https://www.parts-express.com/speak.../tweetertype/Soft-Dome?order=pricelevel12:asc

Or even this one...

https://www.parts-express.com/speak.../tweetertype/Soft-Dome?order=pricelevel12:asc

Peerless...

https://www.parts-express.com/speak.../tweetertype/Soft-Dome?order=pricelevel12:asc
 

AnalogSteph

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These are from 1980 +/- a few years, I guess? Flush mounting of drivers is now considered imperative, not so much in these days. They are also lacking the characteristic Technics acoustic lens but are not short of features otherwise, so I'd tend towards pre-1980 (or on the cheaper side).

The cone tweeter looks generally fine, you can probably pull out the dustcap with minimal ill effects. Cone tweeters have all but fallen out of favor, not only do they struggle with breakup modes but their small voice coils tend not to cope with much input power at all.

The midrange looks a bit too far gone, and I am highly doubtful that anyone will be offering a recone kit for this specific driver. Maybe scouring eBay with the numbers on the back will turn up something.

Any major modification is basically going to amount to a redesign, for which you should be equipped with the necessary measurement facilities. If we are just talking midrange and tweeter replacement (tweeter wise, I'd look for something with a waveguide about the size of the original cone), I guess you can kinda get by with the help of windowing, but some open space and equipment will be required, even if it doesn't have to be a Klippel NFS.
 
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Ido

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Woofers seem to be fine so why replace them?

no, the one in the other cab is completely bust.
I'm not sure what does "crossover point" mean but I promise to do the research!
 

Zek

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the one in the other cab is completely bust.
All drivers appear to be damaged. I have the impression that it is not worth changing all the drivers because it is not known what the end result will be, maybe it is better to buy some used boxes in good condition.
 

Doodski

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All drivers appear to be damaged. I have the impression that it is not worth changing all the drivers because it is not known what the end result will be, maybe it is better to buy some used boxes in good condition.
I sold Technics gear around this time frame and I can easily testify that these speakers sounded pretty flat with those paper cone midrange and tweets. Replacing the drivers with modern dome tweeters, mids and woofs will be a very big improvement although I agree with @Zek for the total dollars spent perhaps something used or new would be better.
 

tomtoo

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From my point of view.
If one speaker is broken on one side, you have to change, both.
So you have to change at least two woofer and two midrange.
And we are not knowing the condition of the tweeters and the x-overs.

That looks not good.
 

coonmanx

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I sold Technics gear around this time frame and I can easily testify that these speakers sounded pretty flat with those paper cone midrange and tweets. Replacing the drivers with modern dome tweeters, mids and woofs will be a very big improvement although I agree with @Zek for the total dollars spent perhaps something used or new would be better.

I think it would, however, make a great learning experience and also it could be cheap. Those tweeters are $10 apiece. I'm sure some mids could be sourced, either off of the Bay or from Parts Express. I'm all about adventure and learning. So I might just take a dive, recap the crossovers and throw in a few drivers. Could be done for $100 probably. And if he is OK with that then I say "Carry on". But that is a personal decision. I have definitely learned from doing just that and have built three separate sets of speakers. And they did come out pretty good to very good...

It isn't always about the money... Sometimes a project can be fun and educational.
 

Chrispy

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I think option # 2 and shopping for new speakers is probably best. If you really want to build a speaker with new drivers, I'd look into a diy project where someone has already chosen appropriate drivers, crossover network and box for the outcome, rather than re-use anything you've got in those Technics.
 
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Ido

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Thanks guys.
I'm not going to buy new ones just yet. I'm in it for the learning experience and the pleasure of "making stuff work". Can anyone point me to good documentation on crossover- what is it and why do I need to worry about it.. I thought I'd be removing 2 wires from current drivers, then resoldering those to the new drivers (no talking about structural modifications to the box itself). Is there another (mandatory) component inside that I haven't seen? Is it something that definitely needs to be replaced?
Apologies for my flood of questions and thank you so much for taking the time to respond and comment!
Ido
 

Spkrdctr

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$200.00 USD gets a pair of Polk Audio T50 floor standers on special at Best Buy.
$70 USD gets a pair of Polk Audio T15 at Best Buy.
$120 gets
Sony Core Series 5" 3-Way Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) at Best Buy.
$150 gets Po
lk Audio Monitor XT15 Bookshelf Speaker Pair at Best Buy.

This is the best post on this thread. Throw those old useless speakers out and get some brand new nice speakers. Speakers have come a long way in the last 15 to 20 years. Prices have come down on some decent speakers as this list shows.

I recommend the Polk T50 floor standers for $200. The wife will see $200 well spent and not look at ugly old speakers that look like crap. Think about your wife. She probably will like the look of brand new and you will get a superior product that is new with a warranty!

What? You haven't ordered the new speakers yet? Get going before they are all sold out!
Your learning experience is pretty much just throwing money down the drain. The speakers will be very low performance and you will not have learned much at all about speakers. But, in the end, it is your money. Good Luck with whatever you decide.
 
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