Speaker Asylum

Posted by Xanax&Coffee (A) on May 11, 2007 at 22:37:38

In Reply to: Heybrook HB1 speakers...are these worth parting out? Good tweeters/cabinets/crossovers, no woofers. posted by Mr Blue Sky on May 11, 2007 at 18:22:55:

I had an older pair of HB1s (acoustic suspension and with the terrible foam grills) and the woofers were definitely Vifa, and if IIRC, so were the tweeters, though I don't remember what model number.

I remember liking these quite a bit paired with any snappy/crisp sounding SS amps that I used them with - be it vintage or new - quality amplification was not an issue. The midrange was SUPER rich, thick and luxurious but not at all detailed. I did not notice anything in particular about the tweeter other than it was never sibilant or grating. One of the mids on mine gave out as well so I gutted them for parts - very good crossover components. If I had it to do over again I think I would have fashioned new grills from scratch and attempted to restore them instead. I think I still have the one working woofer lying around somewhere - I'll see if I can find it and get the model number for you.

Well, haha I doubt that helped you any but good luck!

• Re: Heybrook HB1 speakers...are these worth parting out? Good tweeters/cabinets/crossovers, no woofers. - Mr Blue Sky 23:05:14 05/11/07 (3)
  In Reply to: Re: Heybrook HB1 speakers...are these worth parting out? Good tweeters/cabinets/crossovers, no woofers. posted by Xanax&Coffee on May 11, 2007 at 22:37:38:

  Yes, please do give me the information on the woofer. I tried the speakers with the woofers they have in them now(Infinity) and thought they were the brightest and screechiest sounding monitors I'd heard in a long time. I'd be curious to hear them stock....let me know if you want to unload your woofer as well.
  
  

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  • Re: Heybrook HB1 speakers...are these worth parting out? Good tweeters/cabinets/crossovers, no woofers. - Xanax&Coffee 20:24:25 05/12/07 (0)
    In Reply to: Re: Heybrook HB1 speakers...are these worth parting out? Good tweeters/cabinets/crossovers, no woofers. posted by Mr Blue Sky on May 11, 2007 at 23:05:14:

    Well, I found the woofer - it is an 8" Vifa M21WG-09 w/treated paper cone.

    Vifa M21WG-09
    Diameter - 215mm (8-1/2")
    Sensitivity (2.83v/1m) - 90dB
    Impedance - 8 ohm
    Nominal power handling - 80w
    Free air resonance - 25Hz
    Frequency range - 25Hz-3kHz

    The bad news - and something else I forgot about - is that they have foam surrounds and during the three years or so that the woofer has been sitting on the shelf the foam has completely deteriorated. Now I do have some generic 8" foams and I can see if they'll make a proper fit but you'd have to find another used woofer and do the refoaming job on the second woofer yourself.

    The only place that I could find the M21WG-09's new is Wilmslow Audio UK which sells them for a hefty £40.00 each plus whatever shipping and handling charges would be. The foams surrounds that I have are almost certainly not exactly like the originals though so both woofers would have to use them (or not use them) or the speakers would be mismatched.

    The closest match I could find for a more modern replacement is the Vifa M21WO-39-08 which runs over $60 each at Madisound. These are not an exact replacement though and so would be a costly experiment.

    I hope someone else can jump in and help out (maybe someone else has one of these woofers lying around to make a pair or knows of some good replacements) because they really are nice little monitors with that traditional smooth British sound and it would be great to see them get restored.
    
    
    

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  • Re: Heybrook HB1 speakers...are these worth parting out? Good tweeters/cabinets/crossovers, no woofers. - Xanax&Coffee 23:26:39 05/11/07 (1)
    In Reply to: Re: Heybrook HB1 speakers...are these worth parting out? Good tweeters/cabinets/crossovers, no woofers. posted by Mr Blue Sky on May 11, 2007 at 23:05:14:

    I will certainly do that but it'll have to wait 'till tomorrow - I've been running around all day and I'm exhausted now. I'll leave myself a note so that I won't forget.

    BTW, there is NO WAY that those HB1s should sound the way that you described - NO WAY. Those infinity woofers must be so far off spec that it isn't even funny. Just not a good replacement...

    I'll look for the woofer tomorrow and get back to you first chance I get.
    
    
    

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    • Re: Heybrook HB1 speakers...are these worth parting out? Good tweeters/cabinets/crossovers, no woofers. - lespaulrules 13:54:46 05/15/07 (0)
      In Reply to: Re: Heybrook HB1 speakers...are these worth parting out? Good tweeters/cabinets/crossovers, no woofers. posted by Xanax&Coffee on May 11, 2007 at 23:26:39:

      I have a pair of HB1s that have sufferred the same fate, aparently it is common on these speakers as the foam suspension units degrade. I was considering replacing them with a pair of B&W 602 S3s but I am not comvinced that the sound quality is up to it, they look nice but the main reason for speakers is for the audio quality. The Heybrooks have a beautifully clean and bright top end without any sibilance and a full mid range, if anything they lack a bit of punch in the bass. I listened to some 602s and felt they sounded quite wooley in the bottom end without the crisp response that I was used to. I have therefore decided to replace my drivers and foam grille. I have found a specialist companny called "Pure Sound" (see link) in Devon who can provide brand new spare parts.
      

      • http://www.puresound.info/index.html   (Open in New Window)

      
      

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