BillFitzmaurice.info

You don't cut through the glue to remove the dust cap, you cut just above the glue line. When you re-glue to close it up, you just extend the new glue line a little higher up.

Most JBL's have a fairly loose fit in the gap compared to some other manufacturers; this is why they are more forgiving of a slight misalignment, but I would still use a shim, especially on older speakers with fatigued spiders.

I forgot to say... Great find on the JBL's... used to be some of the best home spkrs back in the day...

I picked up a Voice of Music Record Player for $50 at a garage sale... it has 4 - 50C5 output tubes!
See it here... http://www.thevoiceofmusic.com/popup_pi ... &TITLE=811

Now if anyone has a set of the Small Advent's they want to sell cheap... the white plastic ones? : )

Interesting read, this thread. I spent my 15th through 25th years with one of these (JBL Paragon) in a large lower level room - like a huge, square living room.

http://www.audioheritage.org/html/peopl ... aragon.htm

It was one of the first ones made and was purchased by my Grandfather in the late fifties. He was the judge in my hometown and an audiophile.
I used to sit much like this gal, only centered, and crank up Black Sabbath, Queen, etc.

Due to my car projects, it looks like I'm going to have to sell a pair. I'd like to keep the L166, so I think I will refoam, lightly refurbish, and sell the L36. Given that I have the original documentation and packaging, what do you think they would be worth?

Ordered the refoam kits today and am pulling the drivers and cleaning up all the old surround material.

I've got a pair of JBL TLX12's in the loft that I bought as an ebay "Hi-Fi" package - The old class A Technics amp, is in use in the bedroom, and I'd like these JBL's in the kitchen, they need reforming too!

I just finished refoaming the L36 and will work on the L166 next. Didn't need to use shims, the spider is in good condition and aligned it perfectly. The drivers are face down in the cabinets now while the glue is curing to prevent the foam from curling up. I can't wait to listen to them tomorrow!

Also, I acquired a set of Zenith Allegro 3000 today, for free. Haven't listened to them yet.

I finished refoaming the L166 last night and did not have to use shims on those either, the spiders are still in great shape. No voice coil rub with the "hand excursion test". Unless the spider is ruined, I honestly can't see why anyone would go to the trouble to use shims. I love the musty smell of the inside of a vintage speaker cabinet! Sorry no pics, my camera lens motor broke.

I was able to fire all of them up this morning. The noise is...glorious. As a comparison, the L166 and L36 are very similar in sound, with the L36 maybe sounding a bit more "free", but the L166 have better bass and more volume capability. Both are very easy on the ears and have GREAT sound quality. The sound is so detailed and crisp that most radio stations sound like crap, and MP3s also sound like compressed garbage. A nice high quality CD does these justice, and I think vinyl would also sound amazing.

I'm now putting the L36 up for sale to pay for my car projects.

One more thing, do NOT get that glue on your hands. It ate away some of my skin or something and my fingers have been shedding skin like a snake.

Bump with finished stuff. I need a larger TV.

I only play one pair at a time. I find the sound of the L36 a bit smoother.

bassmonster wrote: Unless the spider is ruined, I honestly can't see why anyone would go to the trouble to use shims.

As I mentioned, JBL typically have a wider gap that can be forgiving. A fatigued spider will not always hold the coil former exactly square with the sides of the pole piece. You have to remember, the coil needs to be centered, but equally as important, sitting square with respect to the pole piece, otherwise it will rub at some point of excursion.

You likely wouldn't get away without using shims if it was a TAD, EV 15L, or something similar with a tight gap. After a few failed attempts and ruined cone kits, you quickly learn to use the shims as a matter of course.

bassmonster wrote:One more thing, do NOT get that glue on your hands. It ate away some of my skin or something and my fingers have been shedding skin like a snake.

I wouldn't be surprised if the glue they supply is a variant of PL, as the foam surrounds are a polyurethane foam. I know the black stuff JBL supplies now is a water solved glue of some sort, but it sure doesn't bond as well as the old MEK solved glue.