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Scanspeak 10" driver replacement - blown woofer

Hi, I have to replace 2 10" drivers on a pair of Vandersteen 3a's. The drivers are 25w aluminum cone, and the voice coils are fried. Vandersteen will rebuild for 289 each.

Question: Is there a comparable replacement on the market that would be cheaper then the rebuild, and close in performance? I found a company, Madisound speaker components, which sells many 10" drivers from 37.00 - 355.00

I have hooked the speakers back up and have found the bass to be insane with the big 10" hole in the back, apparently in the design the 10" drivers act as acoustic couplers, part passive radiator and part driver. I placed a large book over the holes and the bass is instantly tighter, but not as deep as they used to be.

How important is the quality of these acoustic couplers?
Would a SEAS presitige aluminum woofer be as good at 165.00?
Would I hear the difference?

I know it's impossible for you guys to answer all these questions, I am just trying to paint a picture of where my head is at. Have any of you had to replace your woofers with aftermarket products? What brand did you choose? and how did it work out?

Thanks again,
Mike
hanaleimike
elviukai's avatar
elviukai
135 posts
 
if i knew which driver i can build or rebuild drivers. Everybody who are talking about change of T/S after rebuilding driver can relax and chill out. Noithing will cange if the same VC, the same weight/qty glue, the same VC height in gap adjusted and of course the same original surround and spider are used if needed to replace. after rebuilding spider can be softened mechanicaly to speed up burn in.
rodman99999
6,107 posts
 
Thank you for your confirmation.
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Rodman99999, "Most of the higher end speaker builders(especially those that have their drivers custom made), hold the manufacturers to more stringent tolerances than you obviously think. Otherwise there could be no unit to unit consistancy in reproduction."

Sorry, but you could not be more wrong.

A lot of high-end audio manufacturers wrestle with this all the time. One of the (household name) loudspeaker driver manufacturers supplying Bud Fried with product in the mid 1990s, and part of the business arrangement was that they used to send a group of measurements/plots of the units shipped to Fried. Bud began to suspect something was askew, though the company insisted that they stood by their figures. And, I guess in most situations, nothing more would come of it. Except that Bud wasn't the type to just let it go. So, being that he visited Europe 3 - 4 times per year, he dropped in on them, and demanded they measure the drivers of the model they were shipping to him in his presence so that he could confirm everything was as they said. Well, they soon found themselves in the position where they had to admit the numbers were fudged.

I'm glad you have patronized Bill in the past. On his knowledge, customer service, and workmanship we can agree.
rodman99999
6,107 posts
 
The companies I'm referring to test every driver for consistancy/tolerances, plus match the drivers for use as pairs. BTW: What you just posted as Bud's actions concerning the source and quality of his drivers confirms what I said of, "most higher end speaker manufacturers"(ie: "He couldn't just let it go") KUDOS to Fried!!
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Two pairs of high-end audio loudspeakers I own (one fairly ubiquitous and highly respected, the other less well-knowned, but growing) were blessed with tolerances that not at all tight. I can easily identify the differences in the one pair, which I still have, simply through playing them.

By the way, I applaud you for maintaining this standard, but a lot of our hobby is more of a cottage industry with the good and bad that goes along with that.

But, yes, KUDOS to Fried!! They'll never be another like Bud.
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