Picked up some LS90s, rough shape, need replacement drivers
Truls-rohk
Posts: 14
The price was right, FREE
But of course they have some issues. Cosmetically the grills and all front trim and such was in such bad shape I just removed it. Back and Walnut veneer look ok, just some minor scrapes and issues. The cabinets are sound structurally. I'll figure out some sortof covering for the front baffle.
So I fired them up and was pretty pleased to find that they work. Unfortunately it seems that 3 of the MW7100 woofers are toast, and another one has a glue repaired surround (That one also seems to be close to blown by the push test, but does sound clean when playing).
I would therefore like to pick up 4 woofers to split between the pair, and have lurked and read some things here about changing out capacitors, etc. I did already contact POLK here and they were quick to email me back and say they have the mw7010 available at $75, but I don't really have the budget at this point to drop $300. I would even probably be happy with some "temporary" drivers, but wouldn't want to screw anything up either.
I did run across these http://www.mavin.com/store.php/products/super-65-woofer-mid-range-speaker-150-watts-rms-8-ohms-6-12-48-oz-magnet but don't know if they are a real good idea or not, anybody have any experience with them?
I realize it would probably be sub-optimal, but would any proper size speaker of the right impedance (guessing 8 ohms?) work as at least a temporary solution, and if so would you guys have any suggestions or ideas.
I will be keeping an eye out on craigslist too for perhaps other Polk speakers I could salvage from.
Got a little long winded there, Thanks for your help in advance!
But of course they have some issues. Cosmetically the grills and all front trim and such was in such bad shape I just removed it. Back and Walnut veneer look ok, just some minor scrapes and issues. The cabinets are sound structurally. I'll figure out some sortof covering for the front baffle.
So I fired them up and was pretty pleased to find that they work. Unfortunately it seems that 3 of the MW7100 woofers are toast, and another one has a glue repaired surround (That one also seems to be close to blown by the push test, but does sound clean when playing).
I would therefore like to pick up 4 woofers to split between the pair, and have lurked and read some things here about changing out capacitors, etc. I did already contact POLK here and they were quick to email me back and say they have the mw7010 available at $75, but I don't really have the budget at this point to drop $300. I would even probably be happy with some "temporary" drivers, but wouldn't want to screw anything up either.
I did run across these http://www.mavin.com/store.php/products/super-65-woofer-mid-range-speaker-150-watts-rms-8-ohms-6-12-48-oz-magnet but don't know if they are a real good idea or not, anybody have any experience with them?
I realize it would probably be sub-optimal, but would any proper size speaker of the right impedance (guessing 8 ohms?) work as at least a temporary solution, and if so would you guys have any suggestions or ideas.
I will be keeping an eye out on craigslist too for perhaps other Polk speakers I could salvage from.
Got a little long winded there, Thanks for your help in advance!
Post edited by Truls-rohk on
Comments
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Free isn't always free..................I like the replacement route too, since the cabs are so rough.HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable
2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable -
Welcome to CP. LS90's are great speakers, I love mine. I don't have any experience with the replacement drivers that you linked, personally I'd be a little leery of using them. Depending on their return policy it might be worth a shot. I believe the $75 per price you got from Polk was the list price. If you mention you're a forum member you get a discount, IIRC they're around $60 each. LS50's use the same drivers, I've seen cosmetically challenged sets on CL for $100 or so. Good luck!
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I've bought from Mavin before had no problem with them at all. They do get all kinds of Polk drivers (original) I have not bought any of those drivers. They do come up on eBay so just keep an eye out for them.
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Thanks for the replies thus far. You're right, free can get expensive for sure.
Does anybody know for sure if the 7100 or 7010 is in fact an 8 ohm speaker?
I might try those Mavin speakers (which is still a little more then I want to spend) I do have a line on some LS speakers semi local as well for $70 but they can't tell me if they are LS 70s or 50s and two of the drivers on those have already been replaced anyway from the look of them
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Truls, definitely go with Ken's idea of looking for cheap sets of LS50's(or 90's) someone just wants to unload for next to nothing on CL ,Goodwill store etc.... Scavenge what you can from them , and eventually you'll have your LS90's running with extra backup drivers and tweeters for years down the road.
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Yeah... definitely planning on keeping an eye out, eventually would like to fill out a home theater setup with LS speakers so would be good to have a bunch of that stuff around.
I might pick up those Mavin woofers if I get impatient, they do look pretty beefy and are supposedly a better driver then the 7010(according to the seller so truckload of salt I realize), but optimally yeah it would be nice to have all matching 7100s.
As for finishing up and making the cabinets look serviceable... I actually like seeing my speakers so I don't plan on replacing grills, but any suggestions for refinishing these things? I wouldn't mind doing something kinda custom to make them look a bit more modern. I'll probably fill in all the drill holes and such, smooth everything out and maybe paint or plasti-dip or something? -
Watch ebay for used or just whole set of LS90 or LS50 (LS70 may be if they use same drivers) in CL.
Klipsch RB81, KG3.5, B&W DM602.5, Polk.
Subwoofers: Klipsch RW10, Triad ProSub Bronze. -
I plan on it.
From what I've researched the LS70 uses a larger driver mw8100 -
Good news!
Took the offending drivers in to the local stereo repair shop and apparently all that was wrong with them is the spiders had pulled away from the baskets a bit in certain spots. He recommended that I bring all 8 in just to make sure and he would re-attach and check them all properly as well as cement the magnets in place for $100 total so I'm ecstatic!
No I'll just have to get to work on making the cabinets look ok -
Hope that will work Truls. For some reason I was thinking some polkies in the past had tried that type of fix before on their drivers and still ended up buying replacement drivers. Maybe others can chime in on this .
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Hmm ok, i'll temper my enthusiasm a bit then. But the guy seems to know his stuff pretty well and was confident about that being the issue and being able to fix them.
We'll see I guess -
Looks like your definition of 'Toast' is different than ours.
Hopefully, that fix works for you.
Klipsch RB81, KG3.5, B&W DM602.5, Polk.
Subwoofers: Klipsch RW10, Triad ProSub Bronze. -
Looks like your definition of 'Toast' is different than ours...
Breakfast food, preferably sourdough with butter and strawberry jam
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Am going the plasti dip route on the front panels of these speakers. Will upload some pics if I can here when they are done. I just put on the last or second to last coat this morning. Looks like it should provide a nice finish that actually kind of mimics the vinyl that was on there previously.
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I've never been to that Marvin site before. But looking around a bit it seems there are some drivers that look like copies of well known brands. Close out buys that have been rebranded perhaps? Also the descriptions....wattage and magnet weight get mentioned a lot.--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out. -
never mind
thanks Ken -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/POLK-AUDIO-S8-Woofer-Tweeter-Passive-Radiator-Crossover-MW8000-SW8000-SL5000-/291115439178?pt=US_Speaker_Parts_Components&hash=item43c7d5144a
http://www.ebay.com/itm/POLK-AUDIO-S8-WOOFER-SPEAKER-MW8000-/390811259369?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item5afe2a91e9
might want to jump on this
Not the right ones... -
I have some mw7100 for sale here, thanks to pittdog2 for the heads up.
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?160160-MW-7100-Drivers-for-sale-40-each -
I have some mw7100 for sale here, thanks to pittdog2 for the heads up.
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?160160-MW-7100-Drivers-for-sale-40-each
He won't be able to see your ad, not enough posts... -
You only have 9 posts, so I dont think you can view the for sale ads. They are 40 each or 70 a pair. I have 4 total.
