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WHO are some good loudspeaker upgraders and refurbishers?

I live in Michigan and have a 50-year-old pair of Wharfedale Rosedales that I want to refurbish.  I am doing the cabinets and grille, and the drivers, remarkably, are still fine.  But I’d like to find an expert to upgrade the crossover, speaker terminations and l-pads.  There are several reputable companies out there: any recommendations?
merlin
5 responses Add your response
thecarpathian's avatar
thecarpathian
4,448 posts
 
Keep the faith, you'll conjure something up!
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,816 posts
 

That's an easy one: Danny Richie at GR Research. Watch his videos on YouTube, wherein he measures loudspeakers (and listens to them, of course), then designs x/o filters to correct response weaknesses (if the speaker exhibits any such). He also replaces junk (ferrous) parts with audiophile-grade ones, changing iron-core inductors to air-core, electrolytic capacitors to film, and sand-cast resisters to Mills wire-wound. The best in the business.

By the way, he will at no cost evaluate any loudspeaker sent to him, creating compensation filters if necessary, and sell the owner the parts necessary to build the improved x/o. No, he won't build it for you. This is strictly DIY.

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
But I’d like to find an expert to upgrade the crossover, speaker terminations and l-pads. 


Find an expert? Why?? The crossover upgrade will consist out of swapping out a handful of caps and resistors, soldering them together with some fresh wire if you want. The values of all these parts are written right there on each part. You write down the values, place your order, solder them in. If you want to get really into it you search around for advice on which particular caps to get the sound you want.  

Same with the wire. I would use ordinary copper wire by the way. Why? For the same reason I would just swap out caps. You're doing this because you like these speakers. Going to silver wire or different crossover will change the sound you love. Cap upgrades will change the sound as well, but in terms of improved refinement not its tonal character balance like the other stuff will do. 

There's some other stuff like fo.Q tape that falls in this category. These things will make your speakers sound just like new. That's probably the best way to describe it. Just the same, only better. Altogether they will probably cost you less than just the shipping alone to have some "expert" do the exact same thing. Only not as good. Your "expert" won't even know fo.Q tape exists. Let alone TC. But hey, don't take my word for it. Go and ask. You will see.
jre356
1 posts
 
Hi Merlin,
I’ve just restored a set of Rosedales. They sound great now. This is pretty easy to do. I can send you part numbers, sources to order if you’d like. Also the wire wound potentiometers are not l-pads and can be replaced for 5$ apiece. 
merlin OP
8 posts
 
Thanks, jre356.  That information would be very helpful.  And thanks to other responders for their input.  Are l-pads less likely to compromise sound quality than the potentiometers?
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