Refoaming a MW6511

[intangible]

I had the grills off and noticed a couple of small tears in the surround of a MW6511. I'm not sure how they got there, and I'm sure it makes any difference, as I wasn't able to tell just by listening to them, but I figure if it is a simple fix, then I might as well take care of it. Has anyone refoamed one of the older Polk drivers before? (Is it still called refoaming when the surrounds are rubber?) Can I just use any old 6.5" rubber surround, or do I need a proprietary part? Anyone have a good guide to the process?

[ben62670]

Sorry you are going to need a new replacement driver. I would contact Polk CS via the phone. Mention that you are a Club Polk memeber.
Ben

[skrol]

I'll offer this until you find a replacement.

I had a small tear in the surround of a car speaker once and repaired it with a little rubber cement (inner tube patch glue). The repair was permanent even with the temperature extremes, vibrations and grime of a car environment. Just use enough along the edge of the tear, enough to seal the air leak.

A product like Stix-All may work also but could effect the compliance of the rubber if too much is used.
Stan

[dorokusai]

I'm sure some kind of voodoo could be done to redo a rubber(butyl) surround entirely but you need a new driver. No, it's not called refoaming. While small tears and nicks can, from some member successes on here, based on severity....you're looking for a whole driver in the end.

It's not a rare driver on the used market so just keep your eyes peeled.

[intangible]

Oh well, I suppose I'll just leave it alone unless I run across a cheap replacement. As I said, it doesn't appear to be noticeably affecting anything. Thanks.

[F1nut]

Oh believe me, it is. Push your PR in while your ear is next to the tears. You will hear air rushing out. Not good.

[audio_alan]

Oh believe me, it is. Push your PR in while your ear is next to the tears. You will hear air rushing out. Not good.

+1

I picked up a set of SDA's with almost half of the drivers having small rips in them. They sounded "good", and I paid a fair price, so I wasn't too concerned at the time. But, I still looked for and found the replacement drivers a couple months later. Both myself and a friend (who was at my house when I replaced them) were amazed at the bass response after I replaced the drivers. We agreed it was a night-and-day difference. It was well worth the time, effort, and money to replace them.

Losing air = losing pressure = losing bass.

[gdb]

I can give you an intact cone-surround-basket assembly if you feel like performing the "surgery" Just pick up the postage and it's all yours.

[intangible]

I have no doubt it is affecting the bass response, but I have them crossed over around 70Hz, so the sound doesn't change much in the end.

gdb, I don't know that I'm comfortable messing around with the voice coil; I don't have the steadiest hands in the world. Thanks for the offer, though.

[zarrdoss]

You can patch them with some clear or black silicone and a q-tip from the rear. just do a even thin coat over the tear, or pin hole and don't glob it on. I hear you can also use rubber tire cement but I never have tried it.

[F1nut]

I have no doubt it is affecting the bass response, but I have them crossed over around 70Hz, so the sound doesn't change much in the end.

Well, you can't know that as you have only heard it/them with the tears. Besides, even crossed at 70Hz, you are losing bass.

[gdb]

I have no doubt it is affecting the bass response, but I have them crossed over around 70Hz, so the sound doesn't change much in the end.

gdb, I don't know that I'm comfortable messing around with the voice coil; I don't have the steadiest hands in the world. Thanks for the offer, though.

You could cut some tiny little patches from my donor piece and lay them over the tears ( I first typed "teats" ) with a little butyl juice and, bada bing.....yer back to relative airtightness, and flexiness within parameters! PS.... pull all your drivers and give them a JB Weld glue job, you never know when that vintage adhesive is going to let go !

[zarrdoss]

I really wish Polk would start making replacement surrounds for these, we all could have saved countless MW if they would. I successfully removed one surround off a blown Polk MW and put it on a MW with a ripped surround but it took all day.