Excited about new speaker restoration project (JBL 4435's)

[GD70]

Yeah, the cabinets most likely will be too big for me to handle safely myself, either the cabinets or my body might sustain damage.
The last major repair of big cabinets were my Cornwalls, they were difficult to handle by myself and I know the 4435's are much heavier.

This is where my 23 year old son would earn his keep!

 

[Lux Man]

The following is from another thread in August 2015 It's Valveglow's reply to Zonks comment that the 4435's just have no weaknesses.

Let's be honest Zonk. In fact there is a very obvious weakness, and one that cannot simply be "tweaked away". This significant limitation is centered around the spinal column and is found immediately upon trying to re-position the cabinets.

However - there is in fact a very simple solution that I have found - ya just don't move them unless there is a VERY VERY good reason.

 

[Zonker92]

Ha! I had forgotten that. I have mine on hidden casters, which is a big help. When I was reveneering them I would tip them on their ends, on a bunch of towels. Heavy, but without the drivers they were somewhat manageable.

 

[Valveglow]

^^^Fantastic, those!!!!^^^

 

[Marine0811]

Nice JBL's!!! Love the big ones myself

 

[doctorolds]

Oh man, what an awesome project, congratulations. I will definitely be following along with your adventure. Great looking foilcals also, we all need neighbors like yours plus he has vintage gear for sale on top of that. It must be your karma! I am sure they will turn out just as great as your previous projects.

 

[RS Steve]

Oh man, what an awesome project, congratulations. I will definitely be following along with your adventure. Great looking foilcals also, we all need neighbors like yours plus he has vintage gear for sale on top of that. It must be your karma! I am sure they will turn out just as great as your previous projects.

He just showed me the equipment he inherited from his dad, Sansui 9090db, Pioneer SX-1280, Pioneer SX-3000, 6 big Sansui kabuki type speakers, two top tier Pioneer EQ's, and a very fancy Pioneer turntable. I made an offer for most of it, he will let me know.

Looks like the only challenge left on finding missing parts for the 4435's are the port tubes, 4-1/8" diameter seems hard to find.

 

[doctorolds]

He just showed me the equipment he inherited from his dad, Sansui 9090db, Pioneer SX-1280, Pioneer SX-3000, 6 big Sansui kabuki type speakers, two top tier Pioneer EQ's, and a very fancy Pioneer turntable. I made an offer for most of it, he will let me know.

Looks like the only challenge left on finding missing parts for the 4435's are the port tubes, 4-1/8" diameter seems hard to find.

Just the usual crap hey, lol. My guess is that you passed on the speakers. Either way you are having one hell of a week. I checked my tubes and I don't have that size, sorry.

 

[Zonker92]

I found a metric buttload of cardboard tubes on eBay. I didn't find the right ones for you, but you might try to run some searches there.

 

[twiiii]

Well the 4435 is more efficient than the 250 giving you more dynamic range. And the bass has much lower over all distortion. The only question is can you hear above 17 khz, for that is the area where the 250 clearly wins. I much prefer the 4435 because its a two way speaker. The more crossover points the more compromised is the imaging/staging of the speaker. I've always wanted to hear a pair with the horn rotated 90 degrees standing on end. As you are refinishing the speakers this would be the perfect opportunity to get the tweeter higher up off the floor and decrease the foot print area.

 

[RS Steve]

Thanks guys, I have searched pretty hard so far with no luck. I think they have a cardboard tube in Home depot that they sell bubble wrap on that is correct diameter, I have to go check again.

 

[RS Steve]

Well the 4435 is more efficient than the 250 giving you more dynamic range. And the bass has much lower over all distortion. The only question is can you hear above 17 khz, for that is the area where the 250 clearly wins. I much prefer the 4435 because its a two way speaker. The more crossover points the more compromised is the imaging/staging of the speaker. I've always wanted to hear a pair with the horn rotated 90 degrees standing on end. As you are refinishing the speakers this would be the perfect opportunity to get the tweeter higher up off the floor and decrease the foot print area.

I can only hear to 14 khz, I like the two way design best also, I liked the 250ti's over the 4430's I used to own because of better bass and sound stage.

 

[Zonker92]

I've always wanted to hear a pair with the horn rotated 90 degrees standing on end. As you are refinishing the speakers this would be the perfect opportunity to get the tweeter higher up off the floor and decrease the foot print area.

Of course, one could always just set the speakers on their sides, although lord knows what that would do to the polar (?) response.

Or flip the horns on these:

 

[RS Steve]

Of course, one could always just set the speakers on their sides, although lord knows what that would do to the polar (?) response.

Or flip the horns on these:

Just like you to start trouble here Zonk, don't get me sidetracked with this custom stuff, my mind is already spinning with the job ahead. LOL!

 

[JustinCase]

Awesome!
I'll definetly be watching this thread. I remember seeing the cabinets in a CL ad- can't remember where though. Nice grab! Glad someone saved them for a resurrection.

 

[Lux Man]

Are you sure about 4 1/8" ? My holes are 4 1/8 but there is a lip all the way around on the inside which is the tube itself, factoring that in, I think an ID of 4" may be correct. I haven't searched the net yet to see if there is an actual spec. I'm just going by what I'm measuring here.

 

[Lux Man]

I did find the drawings on my pc for the complete speaker build and it does show 104mm for the port. I searched for where the drawing came from and so far I've come up empty but my assumption was that I got them on the Heritage site. Maybe some other 4435 owners can chime in after measuring what they have.

 

[toddalin]

Looks like the only challenge left on finding missing parts for the 4435's are the port tubes, 4-1/8" diameter seems hard to find.

Who was it who was wondering why anyone would take the tubes out of the cabinets when parting them out???

Of all the pieces in the speakers, the tubes were not available as replacements, even through JBL.

You may actually have better luck enlarging the diameters a hair and using ABS/PVC tubing.

 

[RS Steve]

Who was it who was wondering why anyone would take the tubes out of the cabinets when parting them out???

Of all the pieces in the speakers, the tubes were not available as replacements, even through JBL.

You may actually have better luck enlarging the diameters a hair and using ABS/PVC tubing.

Sometimes the simplest things can be the hardest to find, but heck, I have cut cars in half and put them back together, I'm sure I can get this solved.

 

[Lux Man]

Ha- here is where I got the drawings. which shows the 104mm port. So to the degree that you trust it- they are 104mm which are pretty readily available.http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?2355-4435-Diy