Rubber vs Foam...
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 248
local
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OP
local
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 248 |
No this isnt a kinky question...
Is there a major reason why some companies still use foam surrounds around the driver rather than change ro rubber? What are the advantages or disadavantages between the two? I know the last set of home made boomers I made had foam around the cones (25 watt 8 inchers) and i blew the cone right out of the basket. It was funny. But...any thoughts?
1xAxiom ax 1.2
2xPolk Audio R30
2xMordaunt-Short 3.0
H/K AVR 225
Paradigm PDR-10 Sub
HTR MX-500
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Re: Rubber vs Foam...
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441 |
Most likely it's a cost factor. Foam is cheap.
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Re: Rubber vs Foam...
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044 |
My thoughts exactly. Of course, there may be some purists out there who swear by foam. Who knows...
I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
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Re: Rubber vs Foam...
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 20
hobbyist
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hobbyist
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 20 |
Rubber is much more durable; foam will deteriorate. This may be especially true in humid climates. Many years ago I owned a cheap pair of speakers with foam surrounds. The surrounds deteriorated in about ten years time. I own a pair of speakers with rubber surrounds that are about 16 years old, and I've had no problems with those.
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Re: Rubber vs Foam...
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 157
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 157 |
A friend of mine has a pair of old speakers with nearly completely missing foam surrounds. They still sound pretty good though. Is there an acoustical reason for them?
M60's VP150 QS8's HSU STF-2 Onkyo TX-SR805 Audiobytes for the PC
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Re: Rubber vs Foam...
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441 |
They're not supposed to add any sound, if that's what you mean, but they help the speaker cone maintain linear excursion (i.e. prevent any side-to-side motion which would color the sound).
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Re: Rubber vs Foam...
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,379 Likes: 7
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,379 Likes: 7 |
I guess sealing the gap between cone and frame is also a good thing, particularly for air suspension speakers where the compressed air in the cabinet is used to control cone excursion at resonance rather than "back pressure" from a tuned port.
M60ti, VP180, QS8, M2ti, EP500, PC-Plus 20-39 M5HP, M40ti, Sierra-1 LFR1100 active, ADA1500-4 and -8
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Re: Rubber vs Foam...
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 61
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 61 |
I had 80's vintage Large Advents until last year. The foam disinigrated after the first ten years. I bought new woofers. Last year the foam started to separate from the cones so I got out the rubber cement and fixed them...then dumped them and bought Athena AS-F2s.
Last edited by Twebbz; 05/23/05 09:02 PM.
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Re: Rubber vs Foam...
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 248
local
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OP
local
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 248 |
thanks for the replies, I was just always wondering why :0
1xAxiom ax 1.2
2xPolk Audio R30
2xMordaunt-Short 3.0
H/K AVR 225
Paradigm PDR-10 Sub
HTR MX-500
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Re: Rubber vs Foam...
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 248
local
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OP
local
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 248 |
how do you like the F2s? I bought a pair of AS -B2's at futureshop on boxing day for 200$, they arent as great as all the people on epinions.com and audioreview.com say but they are very good for the price. Some people compared them to mission and tannoy - which I dont understand at ALL (I also disagree lol)
1xAxiom ax 1.2
2xPolk Audio R30
2xMordaunt-Short 3.0
H/K AVR 225
Paradigm PDR-10 Sub
HTR MX-500
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