CerwinVega M80 out of storage - can be repaired?

[ishpan]

I purchased a pair of Cerwin Vega M-80 loudspeakers when I was stationed in Korea back in 1990-1991. They sounded superb and got a lot of use. I used them while in the military for 10 years and I loved them.

After I got out of the Air Force I put a bunch of my personal belongings in storage for about 8 years until I could find and buy me a house. The speakers were in there, boxed up the whole time. Recently, I took them out of storage and noticed that the orange rubber-like material around the outer edge of the 12" woofer became brittle due to the effects of weather. I removed the woofer's but I kept everything else. The wood chassis, tweeter's, and mid-range speakers seems to be no worse for the wear.

Can I replace the 12 woofer's and use the speakers? Should I replace all the speakers? Or should I just buy completely new speakers?

Any help or recommendations are appreciated.

Thanks,
Ish

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

Do you still have the woofers? If so, you can have them repaired.

I'll look to see if I can find a replacement woofer just in case you threw them out.

Adam

 

[TLS Guy]

I purchased a pair of Cerwin Vega M-80 loudspeakers when I was stationed in Korea back in 1990-1991. They sounded superb and got a lot of use. I used them while in the military for 10 years and I loved them.

After I got out of the Air Force I put a bunch of my personal belongings in storage for about 8 years until I could find and buy me a house. The speakers were in there, boxed up the whole time. Recently, I took them out of storage and noticed that the orange rubber-like material around the outer edge of the 12" woofer became brittle due to the effects of weather. I removed the woofer's but I kept everything else. The wood chassis, tweeter's, and mid-range speakers seems to be no worse for the wear.

Can I replace the 12 woofer's and use the speakers? Should I replace all the speakers? Or should I just buy completely new speakers?

Any help or recommendations are appreciated.

Thanks,
Ish

I hope you did not dispose of the drivers, as your only solution is refoaming.
Orange County Speakers can refoam and recone all Cerwin Vega drivers.

 

[Adam]

I just came across this repair kit for 12" foam surrounds. Perhaps it will be useful...maybe not.

 

[TLS Guy]

I just came across this repair kit for 12" foam surrounds. Perhaps it will be useful...maybe not.

I would never attempt a repair without cutting out the dust cap and using shims. The risk of having gap rub would be just too great. Sounds like an eBay fly by night job.

 

[Adam]

I haven't found an OEM replacement woofer, yet, but this Eminence woofer was recommended as a replacement by Orange County Speaker.

 

[TLS Guy]

I haven't found an OEM replacement woofer, yet, but this Eminence woofer was recommended as a replacement by Orange County Speaker.

It won't be as good as repairing the original drivers. That is by far the OP's best option.

 

[Adam]

It won't be as good as repairing the original drivers. That is by far the OP's best option.

If Ish still has them.

I just offered them up as a possible option in case the original woofers are gone.

 

[ishpan]

Thank you all for the super fast response.

When I noticed the foam was deteriorated I removed the 4 screws holding the woofers in place and unplugged them. I did not remove anything else from the inside. The 12" woofer's were disposed of however. I had no idea they could have been repaired.

I wish I had posted here sooner.

I guess my only option now is to purchase a replacement woofer. Do you think the midrange and tweeters could have been affected by the weather as well?

 

[TLS Guy]

Thank you all for the super fast response.

When I noticed the foam was deteriorated I removed the 4 screws holding the woofers in place and unplugged them. I did not remove anything else from the inside. The 12" woofer's were disposed of however. I had no idea they could have been repaired.

I wish I had posted here sooner.

I guess my only option now is to purchase a replacement woofer. Do you think the midrange and tweeters could have been affected by the weather as well?

Its not the weather, many foam surrounds just go that way over time. It is a common problem.

Using a different driver is seldom satisfactory. No two drivers have identical T/S parameters, so the box ends up being the wrong size. Even worse acoustic roll of of the drivers will be different especially on the upper end, and so the frequency response at crossover will be affected. Those Eminence drivers are not of the quality of the CVs.

If it were me, I would now put the money towards a new set of speakers, and part out your remaining drivers and crossovers on eBay.

 

[ishpan]

Thanks TLS Guy, after reading your last post only half-way I was beginning to lean towards a new set and selling what I have left.

Thanks again for your advice.

Ish