Interesting way to break in new speakers!

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Lewguitar

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Fabric Softener!

According to Ted Weber, he sometimes sprays fabric softener onto new speaker cones to soften them up. Sprays one coat, lets it dry and then sprays one more coat.

Says it helps speed up the breaking in process and helps remove the sharp "click" that the pick makes when playing through brand new speakers.

Lew
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

Just kind of spray it over the speaker so it "lands" on it or literally, spray it directly onto the speaker???
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

PUCKBOY99 said:
Just kind of spray it over the speaker so it "lands" on it or literally, spray it directly onto the speaker???
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Here's the quote from Ted Weber :

"It loosens the fibers and makes them more airy sounding. It causes the speaker to lose that clickiness of high frequency distortion on pick attack, etc. Can't use very much and I usually spray a very light coat on, wait several hours, then apply another coat."
 
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Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

PUCKBOY99 said:
Interesting!
Click to expand...

Another method, pioneered by my brother Bruce Collins (http://www.missionamps) and copied by many is to hook the speaker up to a tone generator or sound source and brush acetone onto the surround of the speaker while music or bass tones are playing through it.

You fill a dish with acetone and just keep dipping the brush in it and applying the acetone. You can actually hear the speaker develop a deeper, smoother tone as the surround loosens up.

This is a good method for speeding up the break in of fairly harsh sounding new speakers like the Jensen C10Q reissues made in Italy.

The fabric softener thing seems easier tho...and the fumes are probably much safer to be around.

Lew
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

Hey Lou....would you recommend the fabric softener method or the acetone method on speakers like Eminence, Celestion, ect? Do you think there is any long term difference between the 2?
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

I had Bruce do that for the speakers I ordered from him.....never heard them without the break-in, but they sure are nice.

I've got a Mojo version "Greenback" sitting around that I was thinking of building a 1x12 for.....maybe I'll use the fabric softener method on that & compare.
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

Curly said:
plus they would smell so fresh and clean!
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EXACTLY!!!

And this might be a stupid question, but...I'll ask anyway: Does it matter what kind of fabric softener? Fabreeze, Downy....sit it in a sink of Woolite with the wife's "goodies" ???? :)
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

hey, Puck!

you know the kind of world we live in ...
of course it matters what brand you use!!!

I just don't know which one - "Bounce" maybe?

just kidding, but this is actually a great alternative to acetone! that stuff is toxic!
so many players swear by Weber's speakers, but the one downside is that they often need a break in period before the tone is best.
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

As for which method works better...I don't know. The fabric softener thing is a new one on me! I don't post much over on the Weber boards but I do read them occasionally. Ted and TA Weber have always been great, no problems with them...but some of the regulars over there can be pretty nasty. Lew
 
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Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

Curly said:
hey, Puck!

you know the kind of world we live in ...
of course it matters what brand you use!!!

I just don't know which one - "Bounce" maybe?
Click to expand...


As long as it isn't the Walmart store brand......... :22:
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

One way I've heard to break in speakers is to put white noise through it for several hours.

This has been suggested to me for Studio monitors, although I dunno if it'd work for a guitar amp.

Craig
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

So . . . if one wants to restore the "clickiness of pick attack" to old speakers, we'ld use . . . starch? :laugh2:
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

I broke in my Jensen and Celestion by plugging them into the amp and playing music through it for about 2 days. I got that from a Guitar Player interview with Warren Hayes of Gov't Mule. It worked well, until everyone in the house told me to "turn that d@mned thing off!" :)
 
Re: Interesting way to break in new speakers!

ArtieToo said:
So . . . if one wants to restore the "clickiness of pick attack" to old speakers, we'ld use . . . starch? :laugh2:
Click to expand...


HAHAHAHAHAHA....Yeah, that thick blue liquid starch!
 
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