Older Cabinets, How Long Can They Last ?

#44
Bubble said:
I'm looking at a good deal on a 20 year old Peavy 410. How much longer do you think it might last at 1/2 it's power rating ? From what I read about speakers, cloth roll (what we usually get) surrounds last at least 30 years. But how about the cone, coil, and spider glue ?

Home stereo woofers with foam surrounds are lucky to make it 10 years. I suppose it is cleaning solvent fumes that eat them up. A price to pay for getting full range at low volumes and power, loose foam surrounds move well at low volume.

But pro speakers are said to last much longer. How much ?
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Really depends on how abused they've been by previous users, moisture, extreme temperature, and so on. Cabs are one thing I like to buy new because I've had mix results buying them used. The old peavey tvx (I think that's what they were called) were actually built pretty solid. Speakers can be replaced also. I replaced all four 10" speakers in my ampeg 410 with American made eminence 200w speakers for less than $300.
 
#45
lpbfender said:
My Acoustic 361 rig I bought second hand in 1974 still shakes the house.

As previously written, temperatures extremes and dampness wreaks havoc.

Just had to replace two prong AC chord.
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I have one built in 1968 that still gets out of the house on occasion. It has been in mist, not rain, since I have owned it. Beats me what its history was before about five years ago when I got it. I expect it to outlive me. My stereo (record player, if you ask me) has Klipsch Heresy speakers I bought in 1979. They sound the same as always. I don't need speakers anywhere near as efficient and earth shaking these days, but they are what I have and they work just fine. Same with the Acoustic 126 I use as a practice amp. It has had a couple repairs, but only electronic parts that got tired. Other ancient equipment has passed through my hands or aged with me for a while and so far, the only recone anything has needed was a 1949 Gibson BR-9 combo amp that had a torn cone when I got it. I got it reconed because it is a field coil speaker and I didn't feel like getting into all the electronic modifications and addition of an output transformer necessary to replace it with a modern speaker. Other guitar speakers that are around range from early '50s to early '60s with no signs of age or failure. All will probably go to my son someday, who will then sell them because he's a trumpet player.
 
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#47
Thank you for asking the question in the original post and for all of the responses! I was thinking about this last week as I was emptying the dehumidifier in my basement studio / storage area...wondering how long my Bergantino ER's would stay in service.
 
#48
I have a pair of Hi-Fi Snells that required me to replace the surrounds about 25 years after I bought them. But then I have a B-15N that is >52 years old with the original speaker that seems fine. Doesn't go anywhere though.
 
#51
agedhorse said:
40-50 years maybe?

I have some pro audio speakers that are almost 40 years old, but treated well.
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This is key.

I have several sets of home audio speakers from the 70's and 80's with original surrounds that work fine. They haven't been abused and live in a mild environment. The same is true of my bass gear. Even keeping some in my garage hasn't had much of an effect. It's a clean, dry place and when there are temperature extremes I don't just grab the gear and immediately put it on stage.

Left in a damp environment repeatedly... much shorter. Used beyond their intended purpose? That can impact longevity with most things.

So the answer as usual is... it depends. If I treated my gear like Drew Carey's pool table I would expect premature failures.
;)
 
#54
This cab is 50 and the speakers are 30 years old. It sounds wonderful. It had been in unheated storage for 25 years when on a whim I hooked it up to my PF500 2 years ago. I was blown away with how deep and tight it was. It sounded even better after I cleaned the 1/2 inch of dirt of the speaker cones. As you can see, in a really stupid moment, I cut off the grill cloth and installed these ugly speaker covers. I wanted to show of my EVM's.:(

Sunn cab.jpg
 
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#57
RoadRanger said:
Sad thing is a lot of cabs end up having their drivers salvaged and the cab itself scrapped because they are just too darn big & heavy for us older guys to gig and worthless on the used market :'( .
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I find my 2x15 cab easier to move around than a lot of cabs I've owned. It is just the right height to bend it over the tailgate of an F150 and just shove it back into the truck.
 
#58
Bubble said:
I'm looking at a good deal on a 20 year old Peavy 410. How much longer do you think it might last at 1/2 it's power rating ?...
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Honestly, no one can say for sure. I'd suggest listening carefully for audio detail. If it isn't there (whatever IT may be for you), move on.

What kind of price are you looking at? You might check to see if exact replacements are available for the original drivers.
 
#59
So this subject got me wondering what the oldest still functioning speaker was. I did some digging and I found a phone in the U.K. That still works after 77 years. I know it's not a speaker as we know it but it's a speaker none the less. I'm curious to see if anyone can find something older that still works.

Here is the article
Oldest phone in Britain still working after 77 years and is better than a mobile
 
#60
zon6c-f said:
Original owner of Kustom 200
2x15 CTS sounds as good as when new

Subjected to every abuse I could throw at it and still rocks

Caveat will not compete against Marshall stacks but against a Super will hold its own

Also have a 70s Sunn --18vh

Same rich sweetness on steroids

Some old stuff is better some new stuff is better
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I had a Kustom with CTS speakers. I thought that they worked much better in those cabinets than the premium JBL's you had to pay extra for.
 
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