I'd like to hear opinions, please, about foam vs. rubber surrounds for the S80.2 woofers.  I stayed with foam rings on my C75's, but good_hifi says that rubber surrounds were used with this speaker by other makers.  Rubber would last longer, and it would be valuable experience for me to try this operation with rubber and the different glue.

I also would like to shim these.  I was planning to get a crossover kit later, after seeing that I've succeeded with the surrounds, but don't see a dust cap for these from good_hifi.  

I'm still new at this.  Is this a paper dust cap?  Dillen suggested a slightly bigger replacement when commenting on Andy T's epic demo with the S120.  I'd welcome a PM from Dillen.  Maybe I could get some proven dust caps now with Dillen's kit I'll need anyway.

By the way-  These speakers had the horrid off-white vinyl coverings, peeling away everywhere.  The good news is that it can be completly removed fairly easily with the use of a heat gun.  Without the gun some of the particle board comes up with the viny.  I think I'll just remove the excess adheasive coating left on the box, (lot's of it), leave them plain and use some wipe-on polyurethane to seal them.  Industrial! Voila! 

Steve

If they have the plastic cones (which I think these have) then you can sometimes carefully remove the dustcaps without damaging them & reuse them. Simply loosen an edge to give you a start & you can often gently peel them off working your way round (with a small blade to assist if neccessary). You just need to be extra careful where the coil wires run through. I've done it several times with these types of cone.

If that fails then there are other ebay sellers THESE 90mm ones will do the job. I think the originals may be a sort of fabric mesh with a rubberised coating but paper ones will be absolutely fine.

I've never used rubber surrounds to replace foam ones so I cannot comment there.

Chris.

I would stay with the foam surrounds, and dust caps here, to remove the glue rests on the wood (not on cones) try with acetone, then sand to smooth finish, polyU satin finish, diluted 10 to 15 %, let dry, sand and 2nd layer polyU satin.

These cones seem to be paper with a coating.  One dust cap had been majorly dented and won't return to it's shape very well with the vacuum treatment.  Thanks for the link to the dust caps.

Steve

Thanks for the link.  I'm having success with lacqeur thinner.  I'll see if acetone is speedier. The wipe-on poly is probably similar to what you describe for a finish.  

The rear aluminum trim is perfectly flush with the cabinet, so re-veneering might not look so good.

Steve

stevepe:

Thanks for the link.  I'm having success with lacqeur thinner.  I'll see if acetone is speedier. The wipe-on poly is probably similar to what you describe for a finish.  

I dont use Poly for my Beo woodworks, but sand down with 200 grain and 400 grain, and then seal with boiled linseed oil (Danish oil), and once every 2 years I clean with thinner and sand if necessary, then linseed oil, this way you will always have the nice fresh wood look.

The poly and laquer will darken with the years

Søren Mexico:

stevepe:

Thanks for the link.  I'm having success with lacqeur thinner.  I'll see if acetone is speedier. The wipe-on poly is probably similar to what you describe for a finish.  

I dont use Poly for my Beo woodworks, but sand down with 200 grain and 400 grain, and then seal with boiled linseed oil (Danish oil), and once every 2 years I clean with thinner and sand if necessary, then linseed oil, this way you will always have the nice fresh wood look.

The poly and laquer will darken with the years

I like a simple renewable oil finish as much as anyone.  I'm a decent amatuer woodworker, myself, and I don't doubt your cabinets look as good as they can.

However– I'm stuck with the raw particle board left under the shinking pealing vinyl I've removed.  I think the poly will impregnate the raw particle board and toughen it up some.  

I may be in untraveled territory here, as I think the white cabinets are somewhat rare, the same as with the white beocenters.  Has anyone ever removed the white vinyl and applied wood veneer?  The aluminum trim on the back is flush, and might make a veneer look awkward, IMO.

I'm waiting to see if they are keepers for the living room, (after surround repair, and then recapping) before I get too involved with thae cabinets.   My C75's sound very nice and produce sound I'm impressed with powered by my Yamaha receiver, a CR-840, and a couple of 8" subwoofers. But sometimes I want to blast more than these little guys are capable of in a medium sized room.

Steve

Whoops. Still getting accustomed to postin on this site.

stevepe:

I may be in untraveled territory here, as I think the white cabinets are somewhat rare, the same as with the white beocenters.  Has anyone ever removed the white vinyl and applied wood veneer?  The aluminum trim on the back is flush, and might make a veneer look awkward, IMO.

I have never heard of vinyl coating on B&O speakers. I have a pair of original white S80.2s myself, and for all that I can tell, they are painted.

An extra veneer coating on top of that would certainly ruin the rear edge as the aluminum is beautifully flush, as you say.

Are you sure somebody hasn't already tried to fix them with adhesive plastic sheet? Doing that again might be the easiest way to save them and you could choose any wood imitation you like.

Hi Mika,

I now have this nice lady's whole B&O system she puchased new in Copenhagen in '83. She had these speakers buried in storage before and has now given them to me simply because I bought the beocenter and C75's and she like's me, I guess.  So I'm acquainted with her enough to know they had to have come this way.  It comes off nicely with a heat gun, like I said above.  The vinyl has shrunk and could never be repaired.

I'm curious to know if yours are definitley painted.  Maybe yours are in perfect shape, and still and haven't peeled apart and revealed that they are vinyl.  Or– B&O did it both ways- vinyl and white paint.

A vinyl wood veneer is very thin, and would be the most practical way to go in terms of making them look decent, particularly for resale.  I hadn't even thought of this.  But a real rosewood veneer is what one expects to find on these, correct? (I have never laid eyes on any of this series before having these)   

Vinyl wood grain wouldn't keep me from owning a good sounding set of speakers.  I don't think I would want to do this for my own use, though.  My home's decor would actually harmonize with plain partical board better than vinyl "wood".  I've fallen somewhat under the spell of  the "industrial" look, I confess, and in my region it's still the cool thing, (until it won't be)!

Why don't I say that these are "authentic" audiophile cabinets without the incosistent, inappropriate density, sound-muffling rosewood veneer!  

Maybe I'll have the only pair in the whole world!

I think before during and after photos are in order when the time comes.

Steve

OK, I believe you... but on mine, the surface is so hard that I can't imagine it being any kind of vinyl. On the wooden ones, it is indeed real veneer, and I believe the base board material needs to be that much thinner in those (I have a tatty pair of those as well, oak I think, waiting on me to decide on their destiny).

If you decided to go the re-vinylling route, you wouldn't of course be limited to wood imitation... there's everything, from lime stone to something Rich's wife would approve

I myself try to preserve originality when ever possible, but as yours obviously can't be helped anymore, I certainly am not going to blame you for making anything you like out of them!

stevepe:

I think before during and after photos are in order when the time comes.

Yes, we love photos here!

tournedos:

If you decided to go the re-vinylling route, you wouldn't of course be limited to wood imitation... there's everything, from lime stone to something Rich's wife would approve

Hey, I'm a bachelor, so it's decided– glue on some centerfolds and then shellac!

I have to admit to having some curious interest in these speakers. I too have some white Beovoxes from this era (MC120.2's) & I always assumed the finish was an off-white type of durable laminate as it just "feels" so hard wearing. I suppose it could be vinyl but it has lasted extremely well if it is - it is like new!

Chris.

Hi Chris,

Well, it's not cheapie vinyl at all.  It's tough.  It stretches and deforms when pulling it off with heat.  Definitely not a melamine type thing.  I don't know how these got messed up like they did.  All the corners and some edges in front are separated and shrunk and detached.  The particle board shows no signs at all of moisture damage.  Very straight, no swelling, with perfect seams.  

This system was brought down by a hamster.  No joke.  Chewed the wires on the remote and smoked the innards in the beocenter.  

Steve

I have both S80.2 and S120 in white edition as well as you might know.

I agree with laminate and that it holds up really well.

I was flipping through ancient forum posts and happened to come across this thread:

http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/t/6655.aspx 

...so it is very likely that the white surface on these speakers is indeed adhesive... something.

However, something very odd must've happened to your pair if nobody else has heard of it shrinking & peeling! Perhaps too long in a car in scorching sun sometime in the past?

Photos

Above is one typical corner.  This is the removed material.  It's not very flexible when at room temperature.  Some kind of textured moderately thick "plastic" sheeting. 

See the subtle texture?  But is it art?

And I've only got one opinion, from Soren, in favor of staying with foam surrounds instead of rubber.  Anyone else?  

Both are available from good_hifi.   I liked the fit on the c75 surrounds from them.  Those were foam. Good-hifi says other brands installed the S80 type woofers with rubber.

Thanks,

Steve

tournedos:

If you decided to go the re-vinylling route, you wouldn't of course be limited to wood imitation... there's everything, from lime stone to something Rich's wife would approve

The only thing my wife approves of any more is "NO MORE BEO"!  [:'(]

stevepe:

And I've only got one opinion, from Soren, in favor of staying with foam surrounds instead of rubber.  Anyone else?  

Both are available from good_hifi.   I liked the fit on the c75 surrounds from them.  Those were foam. Good-hifi says other brands installed the S80 type woofers with rubber.

Thanks,

Steve

No opinion here, just wanted to chime in and say "Nice project."  Keep posting the pics, you have readers.

stevepe:

Good-hifi says other brands installed the S80 type woofers with rubber.

Thanks,

Steve

They may say so but it's not true.
The S80 woofers were custom produced to B&O (which also makes them impossible to buy elsewhere).
Still wondering why so many parts suppliers lie to their customers or give out wrong information.
What's the catch ?

Regarding the surrounds from that seller, well, I've posted about that many times before and I'll also
stick with wishing good luck 'cause that seems to have a huge influence on what you will receive.

Martin