Help with a pair of old Advent Loudspeakers?

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nesticle
nesticle Posts: 86
edited January 2006 in Vintage Speakers
Hey I bought a pair of vintage advent loudspeakers about a year ago because they were in absolutely MINT condition, but after turning them up to moderate volumes, one of them started to sound funny, so I unplugged them right away and... well.. long story short it took me a year to get back to them and I realized half the surround on one of the woofers is broken. So my questions to anyone around here that owns these; whats the best plan of action? Do I try and get an inverted surround to keep it original? Would it change the dynamics any if I went to rubber instead of foam>? Should I get 'em both done at the same time? and finally... how much do surrounds usually cost to replace (professionally done of course)

Thanks in advance!
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,839
    edited December 2005
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    Welcome to the forum.

    Get them both done, do a Goggle search for refoaming, there's many places that do it or sell the refoam kits if you want to do it yourself.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,089
    edited December 2005
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    www.simplyspeakers.com

    http://simplyspeakers.com/graphics_products/Advent%20Kits.jpg
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • nesticle
    nesticle Posts: 86
    edited December 2005
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    Thanks for the responses guys. I can't buy them off the net (Because I'm only 18 :( ) but at least I have an idea of what im looking at spending. That site is definitely going in my bookmarks.
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited December 2005
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    18's old enough for a credit card... isn't it? Dunno how you canadians do it up there...
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • ND13
    ND13 Posts: 7,601
    edited January 2006
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    Which Advents did you get?
    "SOME PEOPLE CALL ME MAURICE,
    CAUSE I SPEAK OF THE POMPITIOUS OF LOVE"
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  • ttrentt
    ttrentt Posts: 31
    edited January 2006
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    nesticle wrote:
    Hey I bought a pair of vintage advent loudspeakers about a year ago because they were in absolutely MINT condition, but after turning them up to moderate volumes, one of them started to sound funny, so I unplugged them right away and... well.. long story short it took me a year to get back to them and I realized half the surround on one of the woofers is broken. So my questions to anyone around here that owns these; whats the best plan of action? Do I try and get an inverted surround to keep it original? Would it change the dynamics any if I went to rubber instead of foam>? Should I get 'em both done at the same time? and finally... how much do surrounds usually cost to replace (professionally done of course)

    Thanks in advance!

    It isn't that hard to re-surround them youself if you have some mechanical ability. I tipically use the "universal" surrounds off eBay, as long as they line up right. If they do not, I look for the correct version.
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  • ND13
    ND13 Posts: 7,601
    edited January 2006
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    If he has the Smaller Advents, he'll have to find the correct ones. They are an odd size, almost a 9" woofer. It's a very unique design and almost impossible to replace today, unless you can find another pair for parts. Without that particular woofer, it will never be the same speaker. It's what makes the Smaller Advent so special.

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10061

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10062

    My father bought those in 1973, new, at a shop in Memphis called Opus 1. Along with them, he got a Marantz 1060 int amp, a Roberts R2R, and a slick Philips TT w/ a Shure cartridge. That was a very nice sounding rig, that I was still using in college in 1986 with the original surrounds and voice coils. As you can tell from the photos, the VCs and surrounds have been replaced.

    The Smaller and Larger Advents from that generation are, imo, giant killers.
    "SOME PEOPLE CALL ME MAURICE,
    CAUSE I SPEAK OF THE POMPITIOUS OF LOVE"
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited January 2006
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    He has an inverted surround ALA 'The Advent Loudspeaker'. 9" woofer, in a 12" basket with the fiberboard/masonite ring. Same woofer in the DQ-10.

    Yes keep it original, partsexpress has the EXACT kit for that woofer. Changing from foam to rubber can alter the mechanical Q of the driver, and alter the sound (not for the better).

    Giant killers, yes. That woofer, in that speaker was often referred to as 'The Lease Breaker'. Legendary sealed box bass.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • nesticle
    nesticle Posts: 86
    edited January 2006
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    It's actually the larger Advent Speaker, and not the industrial one (I did a bit of research and found they made two versions of the Larger advent). They do have the inverted surround that Russman was talking about. And I plan to get the exact kit, because I'm not going to cheap out on a set of speakers like this.

    I kinda wish they were more like my KLH Model 32's with a cloth surround. 30 years old and they're still lookin' fine as ever! Oh well, the Advent is by far a better speaker.

    Anyway, thank you so much for your help guys. It's so damn awesome to come to a place where people are as passionate about stereos as I am.
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  • nathanso
    nathanso Posts: 61
    edited January 2006
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    http://www.nealspeakerrepair.com/

    Recently quoted me $35 for 10" Large Advents, $25 for 8" Advents. My 10" Large Advents were recently re-foamed by the previous owner of my DQ-20's and they both buzz on peaks. Neal suspects the center cones were not removed to allow the coil to be properly shimmed during gluing, i.e. it's not as easy a job as some may think. Since I live withing driving distance of Sac it's a no brainer for me to have a pro do the job so I'll be bringing Neal woofers from two Dahlquist pairs this month. No affil.
    System: PS Audio HCA-2, PCA-2 + HCPS, Acoustat Model 2+2.
    Tweaks: Behringer DEQ2496, SRC2496, SU9920.
    Friends don't let friends drive cones
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited January 2006
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    nathanso wrote:
    i.e. it's not as easy a job as some may think.
    Actually it is. Anyone with basic skills and rudimentary use of tools can do the job in 1-2 hours. It actually took me more time to clean up the old baskets than to attach the new surrounds on my Large Advents. They sound as good as new.

    Of course, if you have 8 thumbs and tend to superglue various bodyparts together everytime you attempt to repair something...maybe professional IS the way to go. Otherwise, give it a shot.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • burdette
    burdette Posts: 1,194
    edited January 2006
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    I was at our local Goodwill last weekend and saw something tucked under a table that looked familiar... one of those "finds" that I only read about. There was a single old Advent in a tank of a cabinet that looked like 1" solid hardwood. The model # was faded but it had the 'inverted' "orange" tweeter and a 10" woofer. The old tannish/yellowish grill of that sort of 'metallic' looking cloth. There was not a hint... no evidence in the least.. of the original surround for the woofer. It had long turned to dust. The cone was just 'hanging' there, suspended.

    It was $8.95. I almost bought it just for the wood... or it'd make a great small sub (8") cabinet. But I knew my wife would give me the crazy eye, so I passed.

    Anyway, just wanted to share. I should go see if it is still there and offer them $5.
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  • wbz
    wbz Posts: 18
    edited January 2006
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    Try this site for Advent info:

    http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/

    Lots of info in the forum about surrond replacement.
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