Replacing driver screws with brass screws

@rixthetrick,

’That’s got nothing to do with glupson’s screws made of wood idea, right?’


I’m guessing that the difficulty of obtaining such screws would limit the likelihood of designers wishing to experiment with wood screws.

In practical terms steel screws are fairly universal, easy to implement, and are cost effective. Whether they are sufficient enough is down to the designer.

Let’s not forget that the loudspeaker market is an extremely competitive one, with literally hundreds of different companies with models to sell.

So is it not fair to assume that something as simple to implement as type of metal used, steel or brass, for the screws would have been considered in most cases?

We know that some major designers consider the choice of screw metal irrelevant.

Do we know of any that don’t?


As glupson asked earlier,

’Also, there is a mention of "tightened to spec" earlier. Do manufacturers publish those specifications?’

As far as I know they don’t. I know Harbeth suggest finger tight (up til resistance) but are we now suggesting that manufacturers should publish torque figures?

If so, should it be our responsibility to maintain that recommended torque ourselves? Or the dealers?

Is fleschler’s case with his Focus speakers which arrived by freight with very loose screws/drivers a one-off?

Do Focus Audio know about this, and what the implications for them might be?

What do Wilson, Magico, Tannoy, Zu, JBL, Revel, B&W, ATC, PMC, Vivid, Spendor, Sonus Faber etc have to say on this issue?

Years ago people used to hot rod and modify their cars, but now in the computer age, this no longer seems to be popular.

Doesn’t this also apply to computer designed loudspeakers?

On the other hand I’m happy to accept that some, possibly only a few, like yourself have been able to get good results through careful experimenting.

You know sometimes, getting a little carried away, I almost wish that loudspeaker design was something I had considered back in school. But then I start to consider all of the technical difficulties and then I have to bring that particular pipe dream to a conclusion.

cd318,
Amusing post. What does it really matter who thinks what when it is relatively simple to just try it yourself and see what YOU think?

In theory, is there a number of screws that would matter?

For example.

A driver is attached wth 4 iron screws and we change them tu brass of some kind. There is a difference in sound. Let’s say that difference on some imaginary scale would be 2.

Next driver is attached with 8 screws that we change from iron to brass just like in the first speaker. Would the difference now be, let’s say, 4?

Would there be a certain treshold number of screws under which after changing from iron to brass the difference in sound would not be perceptible?

glupson, I personally have no experience with the specifics of that which you’re asking. Perhaps if your real intent is to discover these answers for yourself, which anyone trying to answer would most certainly be speculating. With perhaps the exception of Tom theaudiotweak - who has a business that does this kind of R&D.

Perhaps, seeing as you’re inquisitive and creative enough to come up with such questions, you could compare and report your findings to us?

I am happy to read your results after testing some of your theories and own questions :-) Do you think you could make wooden screws? What wood would you use? What method of turning the thread would you employ? What would you most likely use as your thread size? Metric or Imperial?
What made you think of using wood as a material for s screw?