Now the speakers "look" like new ????

[Wedweb]

Here is someone doing something with the woofers and tweeters.....painting them? I guess making them black again fixes any problems and makes them like new.

http://cgi.ebay.com/AR-4x-speakers_W0QQitemZ250234559246QQihZ015QQcategoryZ5 0597QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

What do you think?:thumbsdn::thmbsp:

[tentoze]

Moved to correct forum for auction links.

[elgato8905]

Oh man... Bad call.:no:

[MaxSeven]

It looks like he used the 'Wet Look' polymer black coating product from parts express. I have used it as well. The seller in this ad, however, did a poor job, as he painted the surrounds and frame parts as well -- making the whole speaker look too shiny. The surrounds and frame should most definitely have a flat black finish. This will give you a restored look, and it protects the speakers.

I am actually in the market for some AR's and I plan to 'Wet Look' the cones, and refresh the whole face plate regions. Usually the AR's cabinet face plates look really nasty.

[MRX37]

You would be proud to display these speakers.

Um, no I wouldn't... The stuff you put on them makes the speakers look like crap...

[Arkay]

Agreed that I would NOT do that. First of all, those weren't "wet look" cones when new, so it isn't restoring them to newness. Secondly, the coating WILL have some effect on sonic performance. A very minimal thing, like painting with liquid ink that weighs almost nothing, would be acceptable, but a coating really isn't, unless you are deliberately trying to change, not restore, the speakers.

The ones in that auction look poor. Sad to see that done to nice little ARs, when it could have been done right. The sloppy way he smudged the edges of the back with the stain illustrates the "amateur" job done on them, confirmed by the black stuff smeared ALL OVER the speakers. As Maxseven said, the frames and basket should be matte -- usually best just cleaned, not painted, but painting a basket is okay if the original was painted.

As noted, most of the AR fronts were pretty ugly, probably because they were never meant to be seen. I covered mine with a thin layer of felt, both to make them look .good and also to improve the acoustics. Looks great, sounds good, and it's also fully reversible (the felt is held on with thin double-sided tape, and it can all be removed to show the original front).

[ccheath]

Probably done by a 3rd grader.

[Cadillac Kid]

Probably done by a 3rd grader.

Yep, those look pretty awful.

[motorstereo]

As ugly as the old ar's are with their grills off they look better than that butchery. Slop some goop on some fine old speakers and then try to get top dollar for them. Yeh right

[MaxSeven]

Agreed that I would NOT do that. First of all, those weren't "wet look" cones when new, so it isn't restoring them to newness. Secondly, the coating WILL have some effect on sonic performance. A very minimal thing, like painting with liquid ink that weighs almost nothing, would be acceptable, but a coating really isn't, unless you are deliberately trying to change, not restore, the speakers.

The ones in that auction look poor. Sad to see that done to nice little ARs, when it could have been done right. The sloppy way he smudged the edges of the back with the stain illustrates the "amateur" job done on them, confirmed by the black stuff smeared ALL OVER the speakers. As Maxseven said, the frames and basket should be matte -- usually best just cleaned, not painted, but painting a basket is okay if the original was painted.

As noted, most of the AR fronts were pretty ugly, probably because they were never meant to be seen. I covered mine with a thin layer of felt, both to make them look .good and also to improve the acoustics. Looks great, sounds good, and it's also fully reversible (the felt is held on with thin double-sided tape, and it can all be removed to show the original front).

I agree with you for the most part, but if one didn't care about a 'purest' restoration, and the only goal was to make them look minty fresh, then I would condone (not that I am some authority mind you) the use of wet look and meticulous freshening of the surrounds, frame and screw heads. The cabinet front, also could be sanded and painted with a mat finish or that which most closely approaches the original finish. New veneers etc. Hell even new binding posts and crossovers? I know there are a lot of AR fans out there who would cringe at this idea, but to me, the aesthetics and build quality of the speaker is half the value (and attraction).

I'll reiterate that the guy in ebay made the ones he's selling look like complete and utter crapola, so he actually decreased the value in his very amateur attempt.

[MaxSeven]

Actually, I would have used a pneumatic sprayer with wet look loaded, and sprayed a very light finish on the cones, just enough to give them uniform coloration.

[jocko_nc]

Egads!

[Wedweb]

Everyone knows that this isn't me selling these, right? :)

He did state fully restored. Maybe the ones we all have are not quite to perfection as a fully restored speaker would be.....

I have a pair of HPM-100's I will eventually sell. I didn't do a thing to them because I know someone who wants a nice pair to bring to actual full restoration would prefer nothing "amateured" done to them.

Bo

[TrexT]

Look at the stupid money he's trying to get for them!!:no:

I still need to restore my set of 4x's, maybe I'll email him for pointers:no::sigh:

[Wedweb]

He has another set up for auction. Maybe he read this forum and did a better job.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/orginal-large-advent-speakers-restored_W0QQitemZ250235688957QQihZ015QQcategoryZ5 0597QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

He relisted the those originally "restored" ones....

http://cgi.ebay.com/AR-4x-speakers_W0QQitemZ260229901908QQihZ016QQcategoryZ5 0597QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[MaxSeven]

The newer auction is much better.

I wish I could find some Advents or AR's around here! I am itching to do my own restoration on some. I just love the thick framed cabs on the AR's.

[toxcrusadr]

But they were Hand Rubbed!

Well he was rubbing SOMEthing anyway.

[brutal]

:lmao:

6. Wooflers refoamed
7. Wooflers coated with "wet look" woofler paint for protection

:lmao: