Do speakers deteriorate with age?

[Brian Gaff]

I have a pair of Tannoy IIIlz speakers which I've used for many years and
apart from cleaning up the switches in the crossover at the back, they have
performed well. always a little on the bright side, they do seem in recent
months to be getting significantly brighter, or kind of presence heavy. I
guess it could be my ears aging but I did wonder if it might be time to
either get them tested or fixed or to just bite the bullet and buy
something more modern.
So what do people think? To me they seem to be getting to sound rather like
JBLs these days!

Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!

[Jim Lesurf[_2_]]

Yes, both the loudspeaker units and some components in a crossover may
change enough with age or use to make a noticable difference. But it might
be your ears. Only way to tell is to get speakers and / or ears checked.

Jim

In article >, Brian Gaff
> wrote:
> I have a pair of Tannoy IIIlz speakers which I've used for many years
> and apart from cleaning up the switches in the crossover at the back,
> they have performed well. always a little on the bright side, they do
> seem in recent months to be getting significantly brighter, or kind of
> presence heavy. I guess it could be my ears aging but I did wonder if it
> might be time to either get them tested or fixed or to just bite the
> bullet and buy something more modern. So what do people think? To me
> they seem to be getting to sound rather like JBLs these days!

> Brian

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scots_Guide/intro/electron.htm
biog http://jcgl.orpheusweb.co.uk/history/ups_and_downs.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

[Phil Allison[_3_]]

Brian Gaff wrote:

------------------
>
> I have a pair of Tannoy IIIlz speakers which I've used for many years and
> apart from cleaning up the switches in the crossover at the back, they have
> performed well. always a little on the bright side, they do seem in recent
> months to be getting significantly brighter, or kind of presence heavy. I
> guess it could be my ears aging but I did wonder if it might be time to
> either get them tested or fixed or to just bite the bullet and buy
> something more modern.
>

** You posted almost the same question, couple of months ago.

Get a tech to check the ESR of the bi-polar electros in the crossover network - bound to find some bad ones. If so, have him change them for film types.

Mostly, as speakers ( and ears) age they get duller.


> So what do people think? To me they seem to be getting to sound rather like
> JBLs these days!
>


** Oh dear ...




..... Phil

[Brian Gaff]

Back in the old days I could hear the alarm clock in the Monkeys Daydream
believer, and so there have been changes. I have no print out from that
time to tell what my ears were like either!
I suppose this is where one needs to actually go out and hear speakers or
better still listen to some in your own home.


Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Jim Lesurf" > wrote in message
...
> Yes, both the loudspeaker units and some components in a crossover may
> change enough with age or use to make a noticable difference. But it might
> be your ears. Only way to tell is to get speakers and / or ears checked.
>
> Jim
>
> In article >, Brian Gaff
> > wrote:
>> I have a pair of Tannoy IIIlz speakers which I've used for many years
>> and apart from cleaning up the switches in the crossover at the back,
>> they have performed well. always a little on the bright side, they do
>> seem in recent months to be getting significantly brighter, or kind of
>> presence heavy. I guess it could be my ears aging but I did wonder if it
>> might be time to either get them tested or fixed or to just bite the
>> bullet and buy something more modern. So what do people think? To me
>> they seem to be getting to sound rather like JBLs these days!
>
>> Brian
>
> --
> Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
> Electronics
> https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scots_Guide/intro/electron.htm
> biog http://jcgl.orpheusweb.co.uk/history/ups_and_downs.html
> Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html
>

[Brian Gaff]

I did post this but I never saw any replies. If there were some my
newsreader or the usenet system ate them.

Yes unfortunately JBL engineer great almost indestructible speakers, but
they all sound like they are in a large bathroom or stone room wherever you
have them, to me.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Phil Allison" > wrote in message
...
> Brian Gaff wrote:
>
> ------------------
>>
>> I have a pair of Tannoy IIIlz speakers which I've used for many years and
>> apart from cleaning up the switches in the crossover at the back, they
>> have
>> performed well. always a little on the bright side, they do seem in
>> recent
>> months to be getting significantly brighter, or kind of presence heavy. I
>> guess it could be my ears aging but I did wonder if it might be time to
>> either get them tested or fixed or to just bite the bullet and buy
>> something more modern.
>>
>
> ** You posted almost the same question, couple of months ago.
>
> Get a tech to check the ESR of the bi-polar electros in the crossover
> network - bound to find some bad ones. If so, have him change them for
> film types.
>
> Mostly, as speakers ( and ears) age they get duller.
>
>
>> So what do people think? To me they seem to be getting to sound rather
>> like
>> JBLs these days!
>>
>
>
> ** Oh dear ...
>
>
>
>
> .... Phil
>

[Iain[_2_]]

lauantai 17. helmikuuta 2018 12.05.45 UTC+2 Brian Gaff kirjoitti:
> I did post this but I never saw any replies. If there were some my
> newsreader or the usenet system ate them.
>
> Yes unfortunately JBL engineer great almost indestructible speakers, but
> they all sound like they are in a large bathroom or stone room wherever you
> have them, to me.
> Brian
>
Speaker choice is such a personal thing, and there are
no "one size fits all" solutions either.
JBLs are particularly good at the West Coast Sound.

I have both Tannoy Lancasters and JBL L 100 Century,
both are good in their own genre.

Iain

[Trevor Wilson]

On 17/02/2018 9:05 PM, Brian Gaff wrote:
> I did post this but I never saw any replies. If there were some my
> newsreader or the usenet system ate them.
>
> Yes unfortunately JBL engineer great almost indestructible speakers, but
> they all sound like they are in a large bathroom or stone room wherever you
> have them, to me.
> Brian
>

**JBL are like most audio companies. Some of the stuff they make is
junk. Some is good and some is REALLY good. Indestructible? Not a
snowball's chance in Hell. JBL speakers can be destroyed in the usual
fashion.

If you don't like JBLs, then you should try to hear a pair of 250Ti
JBLs. The most un-JBL like speakers you will hear and absolutely
stunning sounding. Prodigious amplification and a decent sized room are
mandatory. I should also add that JBL was the first company, IME, to
deliver a really nice sounding titanium HF driver.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/jbl-250ti-loudspeaker

And a view from a reviewer with some ears:

https://www.stereophile.com/content/jbl-250ti-loudspeaker-opposing-view


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

[Brian-Gaff]

I was speaking relatively so I am sure there are many ways to destroy
speakers. Apparently ammonia fumes do them no good but who lives in a cloud
of ammonia?


Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
Remember, if you don't like where I post
or what I say, you don't have to
read my posts! :-)
"Trevor Wilson" > wrote in message
...
> On 17/02/2018 9:05 PM, Brian Gaff wrote:
>> I did post this but I never saw any replies. If there were some my
>> newsreader or the usenet system ate them.
>>
>> Yes unfortunately JBL engineer great almost indestructible speakers, but
>> they all sound like they are in a large bathroom or stone room wherever
>> you
>> have them, to me.
>> Brian
>>
>
> **JBL are like most audio companies. Some of the stuff they make is junk.
> Some is good and some is REALLY good. Indestructible? Not a snowball's
> chance in Hell. JBL speakers can be destroyed in the usual fashion.
>
> If you don't like JBLs, then you should try to hear a pair of 250Ti JBLs.
> The most un-JBL like speakers you will hear and absolutely stunning
> sounding. Prodigious amplification and a decent sized room are mandatory.
> I should also add that JBL was the first company, IME, to deliver a really
> nice sounding titanium HF driver.
>
> https://www.stereophile.com/content/jbl-250ti-loudspeaker
>
> And a view from a reviewer with some ears:
>
> https://www.stereophile.com/content/jbl-250ti-loudspeaker-opposing-view
>
>
> --
> Trevor Wilson
> www.rageaudio.com.au

[Trevor Wilson]

On 18/02/2018 8:24 AM, Brian-Gaff wrote:
> I was speaking relatively so I am sure there are many ways to destroy
> speakers. Apparently ammonia fumes do them no good but who lives in a cloud
> of ammonia?

**One can easily destroy JBL speakers by abusing them with regular audio
equipment. EXACTLY the same as any other speaker. Too much power and/or
too much LF excursion will do the job.

I still suggest that you try and hear some 250Ti JBLs sometime. You will
realise that JBL is capable of building genuine high fidelity speakers.

--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

[Phil Allison[_3_]]

Trevor Wilson wrote:

--------------------

>
>
> **One can easily destroy JBL speakers by abusing them with regular audio
> equipment. EXACTLY the same as any other speaker. Too much power and/or
> too much LF excursion will do the job.
>
> I still suggest that you try and hear some 250Ti JBLs sometime. You will
> realise that JBL is capable of building genuine high fidelity speakers.
>

** Pyramid shaped with 14inch woofer originally designed in the 1960s - plus 3 more modern drivers with an elaborate, 4-way passive crossover.

http://lenaleestore.com/jbl-250ti/click-to-enlarge-jbl-250ti-the-originals-n/

http://lenaleestore.com/jbl-250ti/n250ti-schematic-jpg/





..... Phil

[Phil Allison[_3_]]

Iain wrote:

-----------------

>
> Speaker choice is such a personal thing, and there are
> no "one size fits all" solutions either.
> JBLs are particularly good at the West Coast Sound.
>

** I thought they invented it?

JBL speakers typically used large, stylish white coned woofers with 4 inch voice coils squeezed into relatively small boxes and sometimes teamed with just a tweeter. The Lancer 99 for example.

The drivers certainly looked the part, heavy alnico magnets in very well finished, cast alloy frames.

For the most part, folk owned 30 or 40wpc amplifiers and JBLs made more of those watts than others did - particularly speakers from AR.



..... Phil

[Graeme Wall]

On 17/02/2018 21:24, Brian-Gaff wrote:

A Venusian?

> I was speaking relatively so I am sure there are many ways to destroy
> speakers. Apparently ammonia fumes do them no good but who lives in a cloud
> of ammonia?
>
>
> Brian
>


--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

[Brian Gaff]

NotVenus, but maybe Neptune. However a lot of ammonia is used on the space
station as a coolant.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Graeme Wall" > wrote in message
...
> On 17/02/2018 21:24, Brian-Gaff wrote:
>
> A Venusian?
>
>> I was speaking relatively so I am sure there are many ways to destroy
>> speakers. Apparently ammonia fumes do them no good but who lives in a
>> cloud
>> of ammonia?
>>
>>
>> Brian
>>
>
>
> --
> Graeme Wall
> This account not read.
>

[Phil Allison[_3_]]

Trevor Wilson wrote:

------------------
>
>
> **One can easily destroy JBL speakers by abusing them with regular audio
> equipment. EXACTLY the same as any other speaker. Too much power and/or
> too much LF excursion will do the job.
>

** You do not even need an amplifier for the latter - just a van with top hinged rear door. Pop the speakers inside while windows and side doors are shut tight and firmly slam the rear door.

The surge of air pressure pushes the woofer cone hard against its frame, creasing and ruining it.

Pyrotechnics can do the same if let off nearby.


..... Phil

[Johnny B Good]

On Sat, 17 Feb 2018 21:24:46 +0000, Brian-Gaff wrote:

> I was speaking relatively so I am sure there are many ways to destroy
> speakers. Apparently ammonia fumes do them no good but who lives in a
> cloud of ammonia?
>

The residents of less salubrious Old Folks' Homes?

--
Johnny B Good

[Iain[_2_]]

sunnuntai 18. helmikuuta 2018 14.11.16 UTC+2 Phil Allison kirjoitti:
> Trevor Wilson wrote:
>
> ------------------
> >
> >
> > **One can easily destroy JBL speakers by abusing them with regular audio
> > equipment. EXACTLY the same as any other speaker. Too much power and/or
> > too much LF excursion will do the job.
> >
>
> ** You do not even need an amplifier for the latter - just a van with top hinged rear door. Pop the speakers inside while windows and side doors are shut tight and firmly slam the rear door.
>
> The surge of air pressure pushes the woofer cone hard against its frame, creasing and ruining it.
>
That's just one of the reasons why experienced road managers insist
on flight cases, or in the case of large monitors, a marine-ply
board strapped to the front of the enclosure with transport ties
before any journey. Some roadies load monitors face down in
their trucks on a thick carpet or blanket. Monitors are always the
second thing to be loaded (after the crate of ale to motivate the crew)
who will be unloading:-)

Iain