Replacement woofers for Boston Acoustics T-830 floor standers...???

[StereoNut]

A buddy of mine has a pair of Boston Acoustics floor standers that need new woofers.  I don't know a damned thing about speaker designs, crossover points, etc... but I know you crazies can help.  He needs relatively inexpensive driver replacement suggestions.

Here are the specs:

T-830

Frequency response: 45-20,000Hz
Nominal Impedance: 8 ohms
Sensitivity: 98 dB
tweeter: 1" CFT3 dome
Midrange: CFM 3 1/2" copolymer
woofer: 8" copolymer
Recommended Amplifier power: 15-100 watts
Crossover frequencies 800 Hz, 4000 Hz
Dimensions: 32 1/2" X 10 " X 9 3/4"

[bpape]

Are the woofers blown/rubbing coils or just have shot surrounds?  If just the surrounds, I'd just get a refoam kit.  Otherwise, seems like the replacement stock woofers are $50 each if he wants to put $100 in them.

Bryan

[StereoNut]

Are the woofers blown/rubbing coils or just have shot surrounds?  If just the surrounds, I'd just get a refoam kit.  Otherwise, seems like the replacement stock woofers are $50 each if he wants to put $100 in them.

Bryan

Hi Bryan

It is the surrounds, but he doesn't want to be bothered with going the re-foam route.  Where did you see the stock replacements available from?  My buddy was under the impression that the speakers were too old for BA to have drivers available.

Thanks,
SN

[bpape]

Can't find it now and Boston doesn't sell them any more.  IIRC, the BA A70 used the same woofer - here are the specs so you can find something close from Parts Express maybe

Voice Coil Impedance:   5   ohm Rated Frequency Response:   40 - 5k   Hz   Sensitivity:   88   dB SPL (Average 500 - 2.5 kHz, 2.83V, 1 meter)   Rated Power:   40   watts   Program Power:   80   watts   Magnet Weight:   283   gr (10 oz)   Fo:   43   Hz Re:   4.4   ohm Qts:   0.75   Qms:   9.66   Qes:   0.81   Vas:   42   liters   Xmax:   4   mm   No:   .40   %   

[richidoo]

You can look in the yellow pages for audio equipment, pro audio, or look on the JBL pro website for JBL pro audio repair center. There should be several on LI. Then take the woofers to them, they will refoam for I would guess <$60?

It is very easy to refoam a woofer. Good quality parts and instructions are available at
http://www.speakerrepair.com/
That will cost about $30.
Pull the driver from the cab so you can get the actual driver part number.

Replacing them with new similar drivers will be about $100 each. It is important to maintain similar driver specs, so that the ports and crossover filters will still work as designed. It might not be easy to find a driver that specs the same.

Here's the part you need:
http://www.speakerrepair.com/page/product/boston-re-edge-kits/11-005-B-BOST.html

New York JBL service centers.
http://www.jblproservice.com/service/new_york.html
They will know where to get the part.

[topround]

call Bill Legall at Miller speaker repair, he can do miracles with speakers. Unless the woofers are missing!

[BobM]

Refoaming is super duper easy. Even Andy was able to do it no sweat. 

I would forego any kind of driver replacements, because you never know how the crossover is going to match up afterwards. At least with refoaming you know what you got in the end - essentially brand new speakers that are made properly.

[StereoNut]

Well, my buddy is making a go at re-foaming first.

Here are pix from his first 2 steps.

[StereoNut]

Step 3

[StereoNut]

All done!

[BobM]

It's all ready except the break in. Congrats.

[DonZ]

Hello, All,

I'm StereoNut's pal who appealed to him (and ultimately, you!) as to what I should do with the T-830s. Thanks to all your encouragement I took the "easy way out" (at least compared to researching woofers!) and re-foamed. They sound as good as new and I want to thank all of you and SN for helping me out. I hope I can be a contributor although my true inner audiophile has been dormant since college (where StereoNut introduced me to Cream and Clapton). It might be awhile before I comment (or, maybe not...  )

Thanks again,

DZ

[StereoNut]

Welcome aboard, Don!

[richidoo]

Welcome Don! There are a few non-audiophile types here... Anyone who appreciates good sounding music is welcome to contribute.