Linn KANNs Cannot

[jdfromla]

Hi All,

I'm still pretty noobular here at the AK but I have a set of little Linn KANNs (or KANs) with woofers needing new butyl surrounds. Here's my questions:

Uno: I believe these woofers are the same KEFs you might find in a Rogers LS 35a. Where can I find another set?

Too: Does anybody replace the butyl surrounds with new butyl surrounds? A couple local places said they could do them in foam.

C: What did they glue these drivers in with and how do yo break the seal? It seems like it requires enough force to wreck the drivers in order to get them out of there.

I already replaced the mechanically damaged Hiquophon tweeters with new ones. These speakers have incredible midrange and I'd love to get them going again. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

[botrytis]

DO NOT REDO WITH FOAM - will change the physical parameters of the driver.

I think Linn made there own drivers so the LS3/5A drivers would not work - but not sure....

[GordonW]

Sorry to say I don't really have any productive input for this thread... but the title made me think of the funniest exchange (IMHO) of dialogue, from "Once Upon a Time in Mexico", the movie:

Johnny Depp's character: So, are you a Mexi-CAN, or a Mexi-CAN'T?!

Danny Trejo's character: "I'm a Mexi-CAN!"

Regards,
Gordon.

[hifi_nut]

The Linn Kanns did in fact use Kef´s B-110 in mid / bass duties like the LS3-5A´s.

However it is my understanding those drivers were OEM´d from Kef under proprietary specifications, so most probably you can´t get away with juswt any B-110.

I´ll re-inforce the previous poster´s opinion NOT to use foam in these drivers. They sport the heavy bextrene type of cone so favoured by Kef, and won´t be properly loaded by foam surrounds.

Some firms, however, specialize in re-coning. IMO, that´s the path you should follow.

Jorge

[Aage]

Funny, I've never seen butyl surrounds go. Would you be able to post photos of what they look like?

[jdfromla]

I would if there was some butyl left!. They just age-cracked and flaked apart. Could be related to the relatively high ozone levels we have here in the City Of Angels. I don't really want to re-cone them totally if I don't have to. Would love to find someone who could re-surround them. The new tweeters were 200 bucks for the pair so I would like to get my money's worth.

Please keep the suggestions coming. I appreciate the responses. There are no irrelevant ideas except for maybe GordonW The Evil Thread-Jacker but that was still pretty funny.

[vicdiaz]

There's an UK company (Stirling Broadcast) that still produces the LS3/5a and IIRC they repair the B110s.

[vicdiaz]

DO NOT REDO WITH FOAM - will change the physical parameters of the driver.

I think Linn made there own drivers so the LS3/5A drivers would not work - but not sure....

At that time Linn did not made their drivers. These were OEM'd from KEF/Scanspeak/HiQphon.

The original B110 for the Kan was slightly modified by Linn. They impregnated the magnet/basket with some sort of black tar paint and the cone was brushed with some kind of silicone.

Late Kan (1986-on) B110 cones were not covered with the silicon, but still, the black tar paint was used on the magnet/basket assembly.

I've read somewhere that there is a replacement driver for the B110 made by Monacor. Supposedly it has very similar characteristics but I've never listened to a 'Monacored' Kan so cannot comment on how it sounds.

[botrytis]

The reason I said what I did was the 2nd generation Kan speakers did not use a bextrene cone according to Linn, they used either a black fiberglass or some other woven cone.

[vicdiaz]

Those are not Kans, those are "Wanabees"

;)