OA12s for the price of a newspaper!

För er som vill modda och renovera på egen hand.
For those of you who whish to mod and renovate by yourself.
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Skateriggboi
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Location: West coast of Scotland

OA12s for the price of a newspaper!

Post by Skateriggboi »

I've just rekindled my Sonab interest - not that the fire ever went out - with the purchase of a pair of OA12Rs for all of 40 pence at the legendary local Scouts "Fall Fair". (I thought it might have something to do with Mark E Smith or Camus, but it was just a huge jumble sale)

Cosmetically they're excellent, but the surrounds on the woofers have decomposed in the customary manner.

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These must have had my name on them, given my fascination for obscure Scandinaviana.

I'm really taken with these bijou Sonabs and am keen to get them up and running. Does anyone know of any reasonably priced replacement drivers, preferably available from a UK source? We don't seem to get these 165mm Peerlesses and Silver Flutes.

I did notice Wilmslow Audio offered this:
Wilmslow Audio wrote:Economy WA-165

Polypropylene Cone Mid/Bass

The WA-165 is a 6½" polypropylene cone unit with a rubber surround, giving it a tight punchy bass and and excellent midrange reproduction.

Suitable for reflex and closed box applications and an ideal replacement for use in Acoustic Research and Mission speakers, as well as many other commercial systems.

Technical Data:
Frame diameter: 165mm

Sensitivity (2.83v/1m): 87dB

Nominal impedance: 8 ohm

Frequency range: 40Hz-7kHz

Max power handling: 60w

Physical Sizes:

Frame diameter: 165mm

Overall depth (front of frame to rear of magnet): 75mm

Flange thickness: 5mm

Cutout diameter: 145mm
Would it suit, or is it a recipe for disaster?
lennartj
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Re: OA12s for the price of a newspaper!

Post by lennartj »

Please,
don't upset the balance of these speakers with an incorrect woofer, have the surrounds replaced instead.
If you search a bit you will find thorough descriptions how to do it yourself, but if you don't dare youself i'm sure there are firms that repairs loudspeaker elements in Scotland too.
I hope you didn't get a pair of OA12R's but an OA12L and an OA12R :shock:
/Lennart
OA52.2+Isoda mm (vita), OA52.LE under modifiering (vita), 4 st. OB52 (vita), OD-11 B65+CT62 (teak)
Skateriggboi
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Location: West coast of Scotland

Re: OA12s for the price of a newspaper!

Post by Skateriggboi »

If anyone can recommend a good UK drive unit fixer I'd be most grateful.
lennartj wrote:I hope you didn't get a pair of OA12R's but an OA12L and an OA12R :shock:
Shame on me for not noticing that particular refinement.

My only excuse is that my other Sonabs are ambidextrous:

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These OA4s were even cheaper - recovered, drive unit-less from a skip (dumpster) outside a shop being vacated by a hi-fi dealer and repairer near my workplace, about 20 years ago. I'm afraid I just fitted in the most readily available cheap units - they sound ok but the newly-acquired OA12s are so nice they deserve something better.
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bach4ever
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Re: OA12s for the price of a newspaper!

Post by bach4ever »

Congratulations! You got one of the best Carlsson speakers almost for free. Turn to someone who sell DIY kits, I think they can put on new foams for you. If you would consider to upgrade you can check with www.hifikit.se, search for "Carlsson". They sell authorized replacement woofers and tweeters. Especially the tweeter is worth to invest in, they are another animal than the original Peerless. If you do so you have to modify the filters as well. Hifikit can help you with all the information you need. If you go for this alternative you will get a speaker that will beat everything within it's price range and above!
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Spelar på OA 52.2, T+A Music Player och Power Plant, matas med Clearaudio Performance och iMac+WD 1Tb Wav filer
Vid TV:n: OA 51.3 + Canton CD 50 II + 4st BoSSO/MuPPS och Denon 1508
Skateriggboi
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Re: OA12s for the price of a newspaper!

Post by Skateriggboi »

Can it really be five and a half years?

I (sort of) took the good advice and rebuilt the woofers with replacement surrounds from Audiofriends in the Netherlands. Success with one, not with the other.

Another kit was ordered, and I have two fully functioning woofers. This must have happened about five years ago, and the OA12s have been used almost every day since. For such unobtrusive speakers, they generate a lot of questions from visitors; Are they electrostatic? Where have you put the other three (or is it five)?

Some day I'll get round to sorting the OA4s. Right now the OA12s and I are living very happily together.
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