Wood cones?

nguyendot
nguyendot Posts: 3,594
edited October 2009 in Speakers
This seems like an interesting idea...

Have no idea how it would sound though. And wouldn't it rot?

http://cgi.ebay.com/MW-Audio-6-5-REAL-WOOD-CONE-Hi-Fi-Woofer-NEW-SPEAKER_W0QQitemZ160311090599QQcategoryZ3276QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3907.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D12%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D54
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Post edited by nguyendot on
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Comments

  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited September 2009
    No frequency response plots, no thanks.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,285
    edited September 2009
    JVC quite recently had some small extended-range wood cone drivers.
    http://www.jvc.com/Presentations/WoodConeSpeakers/index.html

    Think about it: what you want for a speaker cone material is something strong and light that can be made to move like a piston (i.e., rigid) without exhorbitant breakup. Paper is actually dang hard to beat IMNSHO; wood might be interesting but I have no ears-on experience. Some of the modern materials used in speaker cones get everything right but the breakup issue at higher frequencies and thus require complicated/exotic (expensive and inefficient) crossover networks to be successfully integrated into high-performance loudspeakers.

    I am very old-school when it comes to speaker design -- I like to see designers work with the properties of a driver, rather than have to work against them :-P

    End of diatribe :-)
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  • everpress
    everpress Posts: 862
    edited September 2009
    I've only read about wood cones in headphones. I've never experienced them; I've not got that kind of money. But, from what I've read, people swear by them. I know that people sometimes buy the lower-end of Grado headphones and make custom wood cups for the ears (to resemble the high-end ones) and spend a pretty penny on them because they say the wooden cups really make a difference. If the material of surrounding area that the sound is enclosed in can make such a large difference, I can't imagine why the cone itself wouldn't make a difference.

    I would, given the opportunity, love to audition a speaker set with wooden cones.

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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited September 2009
    Interesting; they also have this Peerless replacement:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Peerless-Copy-8-ohm-Tweeter-Replacement-for-Polk-ADS_W0QQitemZ150364380186QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSpeakers_Subwoofers?hash=item23026a5c1a&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,597
    edited September 2009
    Interesting... I wonder of you clean them with pledge or endust
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

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  • rallyshark
    rallyshark Posts: 417
    edited September 2009
    It looks really cool, but I don't know. Seems like it would be flawed due to the make up of the wood cone, since it would be impossible for it have uniform properties across the cone, unless maybe it's laminated or something?? If it were some sort of uniform wood fiber cone as opposed to the veneer looking wood cone, then it may work:confused: What the hell do I know though:D
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  • megasat16
    megasat16 Posts: 3,521
    edited September 2009
    No but Thanks! I only accept Bamboo cone woofers.
    Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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  • kcoc321
    kcoc321 Posts: 1,788
    edited September 2009
    https://www.midwestspeaker.com/onlineshopping.asp
    specs: https://www.midwestspeaker.com/documents/mvqxdpfavp5to455vgvqx0458-25-2009%2011-45-20%20PM.xls

    Pretty sexy looking though.:)
    0%5C%5Cdf1j33bpk3ahb2ruxstpztz58-25-2009%2011-31-53%20PM.jpg
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,347
    edited September 2009
    How about that frequency response...30hz to 6kz...Maybe replace 16 mids in the big guys...NO?

    I did read where the Bamboo ones WERE pretty impressive...Like mhardy said earlier.

    It was JVC's little stereo I read about..and it got great reviews!:D

    Great link to that series posted earlier...

    I keep looking for some of those little high quality systems at the Good Wills..:rolleyes:
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited September 2009
    I like the wool cone Silver Flute drivers for SDA's. They were recommend by a very reliable source at Polk. As for the wood. I took a look at the JVC models, and it appears they used a sheet of laminate to create them. The problem is the grain is only one direction. Not good.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited September 2009
    No off axis response, no thanks.

    How about a paper cone with a wood phase plug? :Dhttp://madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=177&products_id=8536

    I agree with Ben about Silver Flute drivers, they sound great for the price.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • jimmydep
    jimmydep Posts: 1,305
    edited September 2009
    Regardless of how they sound, you have to admit they look very cool....
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  • speakerguru
    speakerguru Posts: 1
    edited October 2009
    I just ordered a pair of the 6.5" wood cone woofers from Midwest Speaker (as far as I know they are the only place selling these in the US). Not only do they look cool, they sound cool. I listen to a lot of jazz and classical music and Midwest is right about the clarity of the instruments. They included a box design and spec sheet with all the parameters and the frequency graph. I would definitely recommend these. It does not have the standard screw hole mounting, instead of 4 or 8 hole it uses 6 screws. I just had to tap in new screw holes.
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  • John30_30
    John30_30 Posts: 1,024
    edited October 2009
    ben62670 wrote: »
    I like the wool cone Silver Flute drivers for SDA's. They were recommend by a very reliable source at Polk. As for the wood. I took a look at the JVC models, and it appears they used a sheet of laminate to create them. The problem is the grain is only one direction. Not good.

    If it's laminate, that means by definition there must be more than 1 sheet of wood. That implies that they crossgrained them, therefore not a problem. I'd think mixing layers of wood with layers of polycarbonates or resins might really turn out something wild.


    I know there's 1 Japanese maker who are pretty well regarded for their wood speaker cones, I'm sure I read a thread in AK about them.
    Lasareath wrote: »
    Maybe i can get African Padauk Cones made up!

    Highly doubtful. Padauk is one of the most splintery, rigid woods I ever played with. I'd think something that steam bends well like ash or willow is the way to go. You could just stain it red.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,285
    edited October 2009
    Lasareath wrote: »
    i was being sarcastic

    I thought you were being facetious ;-)
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