Replacing speakers!

[chase23]

Ok I recently found a pair of floor standing speakers in my parents garage. They happen to be the old Sony 'SS AV44'.
I wanted to replace all of the speakers since they seemed to be ruined... While im at it I wanted to replace with slightly upgraded components. Can someone help point me in the direction?

I will then need to pick up a 2 channel receiver after I figure out the 'new' speakers to put into the sony enclosures.

Help!


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[TLS Guy]

Ok I recently found a pair of floor standing speakers in my parents garage. They happen to be the old Sony 'SS AV44'.
I wanted to replace all of the speakers since they seemed to be ruined... While im at it I wanted to replace with slightly upgraded components. Can someone help point me in the direction?

I will then need to pick up a 2 channel receiver after I figure out the 'new' speakers to put into the sony enclosures.

Help!


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Unfortunately speaker design is not a pot luck supper.

You will not have anything worth buying an amp for if you do that. The bass driver has to be aligned to the box. The crossover splits the frequency specific to the original speakers. In addition it balances the levels between the speakers correctly. All speaker drivers play at a different volume with the same signal depending on their sensitivity. They all have different specifications. The Thiel/Small parameters define every driver and no two models are ever the same. It is like finger prints or DNA. The similarity is loose because every speaker of the same model should be identical. However in these days of Far Eastern manufacture sadly even that can be too much to expect.

We continually get posts like this. The fact is that if you want to build speakers you either build a kit, or study to gain sufficient knowledge to design your own speakers.

 

[lovinthehd]

To replace the existing drivers with originals to work with the existing crossover network would be ideal; if you simply choose drivers for their diameters and without regard to the drivers' operating parameters the crossover (and box) may not work. Crossovers are designed for specific sets of drivers. Don't know if you can still find oem drivers for those speakers, might check with places like madisound.com or parts-express.com. If the current drivers' surrounds are rotted out they can be replaced, both of those places have driver repair kits I believe, or check out GLS Audio/Orange County if you think otherwise the drivers are okay. Might be more cost effective to simply buy new speakers, too.

 

[j_garcia]

More or less the only drivers you would want to replace those with are the same ones. There's nothing special about those speakers, so the money to repair them would be far better spent on new speakers.

 

[chase23]

Very clear info guys! I appreciate it. I didn't think about the crossovers etc. Guess ill ditch the pair and find a newer set somewhere... Now for the receiver; should I look for a pair of speakers to match with a specific receiver? Or find speakers first & look for a receiver to match those?


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[TLS Guy]

Very clear info guys! I appreciate it. I didn't think about the crossovers etc. Guess ill ditch the pair and find a newer set somewhere... Now for the receiver; should I look for a pair of speakers to match with a specific receiver? Or find speakers first & look for a receiver to match those?


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Speakers first.

I found the crossover for those speakers. I think the designer must have been president of Red Neck Audio!

First order filter to the lower woofer, and the upper woofer is full range! No crossover there. A first order filter to the tweeter at around 10 K Hz.

You just don't design a speaker like that. You just can't make this stuff up!

That speaker may say Sony, but it's as close to "White Van" as makes no difference.

 

[lovinthehd]

Somewhat depends on the spl level you wish to drive your speakers. Higher sensitivity speakers need less amp than lower sensitivity speakers, higher impedance speakers are easier to drive with a wider variety of amps/receivers.

 

[j_garcia]

I start with the speakers and how they sound, since that's the most important aspect. Once you've chosen, then you can figure out what you'll need to drive them properly.

 

[chase23]

Thanks again guys. I usually check out second hand equipment on craigslist for a bargain! Ill have to grab a pair of speakers and go from there


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[everettT]

Have you considered building a kit that comes with a knock down cabinet? How much are you looking to spend?

 

[j_garcia]

The Philharmonic AAs are already built and upgraded versions of a complete knock down kit from PE (BR1). It will be tough to beat them for the $$.

 

[chase23]

Hmm haven't considered building a kit.


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[j_garcia]

Kits can be awesome AND fun too. Check out a lot of options in a variety of price ranges at:

www.partsexpress.com
www.madisound.com
www.gr-research.com

 

[chase23]

So a kit is basically buying speakers that match and fitting them into an already existing box/floor standing enclosure?


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[j_garcia]

You can get kits that you have to make your own box or buy a "knock down" box that is pre-cut but has to be assembled. Some kits also include the knock down already.

Example of complete kit:

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-br-1-6-1-2-2-way-bookshelf-monitor-speaker-kit-pair--300-640

 

[chase23]

Wow Ok got it! Never thought of doing that, very interesting .


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[lovinthehd]

I built a set of the BR-1 speakers, they're nice but now I'd just buy a built pair with the assembled crossover from Dennis Murphy as the Affordable Accuracy monitors....I even bought a set of Dennis' crossovers for them altho haven't installed them yet....

 

[little wing]

The Philharmonic AAs are already built and upgraded versions of a complete knock down kit from PE (BR1). It will be tough to beat them for the $$.

Agree - I bought my girlfriend a pair of the AAs and they punch way above their pay grade.