RWD (Rick)
I want to recommend something, I have said it on Audiogon several times and people think I'm crazy, but what I am telling you I have done COUNTLESS times.
If your surrounds are starting to dry rot, they can be fairly well restored for several more years easily and inexpensively as long as they are caught before it is too late. Back in My SpeakerCraft/Marcof Electronics days, we used to buy different types of liquid latex to dampen speaker cones. We found that foam surrounds that were drying out would absorb latex like a sponge and that the latex firmed up and acted almost as a regenerator for the foam.... I understand that you can't go just anywhere and buy latex, but I have at least on a dozen occasions taken OLD latex paint, very carefully take the can without any shaking and open it, you will find all paint pigment seperated from the latex. Carefully just lift the latex without pigment with a brush and apply it to your surrounds. If these were my speakers, I would do this and YES it works beautifully. Just apply as many coats as your surrounds absorb. They do let you know when they are saturated. Let them dry 48 hours and you are back in business without anyone ever knowing that you did this, other than your surrounds having just a bit of wet appearance like a treated speaker cone, there is zero to be seen and you keep your speakers in tact with their original performance. This works!
I understand you being aprehensive and if you don't do it, I understand, but I have to offer the advice when pratical. I have seen this save hundreds of speakers inexpensively and with excellent results.
Good Luck, Tim
I want to recommend something, I have said it on Audiogon several times and people think I'm crazy, but what I am telling you I have done COUNTLESS times.
If your surrounds are starting to dry rot, they can be fairly well restored for several more years easily and inexpensively as long as they are caught before it is too late. Back in My SpeakerCraft/Marcof Electronics days, we used to buy different types of liquid latex to dampen speaker cones. We found that foam surrounds that were drying out would absorb latex like a sponge and that the latex firmed up and acted almost as a regenerator for the foam.... I understand that you can't go just anywhere and buy latex, but I have at least on a dozen occasions taken OLD latex paint, very carefully take the can without any shaking and open it, you will find all paint pigment seperated from the latex. Carefully just lift the latex without pigment with a brush and apply it to your surrounds. If these were my speakers, I would do this and YES it works beautifully. Just apply as many coats as your surrounds absorb. They do let you know when they are saturated. Let them dry 48 hours and you are back in business without anyone ever knowing that you did this, other than your surrounds having just a bit of wet appearance like a treated speaker cone, there is zero to be seen and you keep your speakers in tact with their original performance. This works!
I understand you being aprehensive and if you don't do it, I understand, but I have to offer the advice when pratical. I have seen this save hundreds of speakers inexpensively and with excellent results.
Good Luck, Tim