Dayton Audio SD215A-88 8"
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Dayton Audio DSA215-PR 8"
do you think i can just spray paint them ? will need 2-3 coats of paint i guess
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Dayton Audio DSA215-PR 8"
do you think i can just spray paint them ? will need 2-3 coats of paint i guess
I think you could, although there are a lot of but's and if's.
It most likely immediately voids warranty. I would avoid painting the surround and not just because I imagine it will crack up over time.
On the cone the added weight will alter the T/S-parameters of the driver (Fs, Mms/ Mmd obviously), plus it might alter the behavior on higher frequencies (less important for a sub/ PR). The solvent might damage the cone, different solvents will affect different cones in a different way, good to sort that out first.
IIRC some recones of mine came with a impregnation agent, if you can find something like that it might add a protective layer between the cone and the paint.
It most likely immediately voids warranty. I would avoid painting the surround and not just because I imagine it will crack up over time.
On the cone the added weight will alter the T/S-parameters of the driver (Fs, Mms/ Mmd obviously), plus it might alter the behavior on higher frequencies (less important for a sub/ PR). The solvent might damage the cone, different solvents will affect different cones in a different way, good to sort that out first.
IIRC some recones of mine came with a impregnation agent, if you can find something like that it might add a protective layer between the cone and the paint.
IF you want to turn them into Modern Art decoration, go for it.
If you actually want to play some music through them, forget it.
As in FORGET IT.
If you actually want to play some music through them, forget it.
As in FORGET IT.
You might want to use two passive radiators. One might run out of excursion and they can be mounted opposite of each other to cancel cabinet vibrations.
With regard to painting, I agree with Rademakers, except I would not worry about solvents touching the non pressed paper cone. If the paper swells, I think it will dry to approximately the same density. Note however that the rubber surround can be picky about solvents and crack if it gets exposed to the wrong solvent.
With regard to painting, I agree with Rademakers, except I would not worry about solvents touching the non pressed paper cone. If the paper swells, I think it will dry to approximately the same density. Note however that the rubber surround can be picky about solvents and crack if it gets exposed to the wrong solvent.
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I'd cover the surrounds, but the cone should be fine. Usual notes about warranties etc.
Doubling the PRs is a good idea.
Chris
Doubling the PRs is a good idea.
Chris
JMFahey you are a pure functionalist 🙂 that is just one way to live life
thank you all for writing, i will think about it some more, if i can only paint the cone it might not be worth it.
thank you all for writing, i will think about it some more, if i can only paint the cone it might not be worth it.
SNIRAVIV,
Rademakers points in post #3 are correct, but that said, the few grams of paint added to either the woofers or the passive radiators are almost nothing compared to their weight, and will simply lower the FS slightly. The paint will slightly stiffen the cone, good for woofers. The aluminum cone passive radiator already appears to have been anodized or painted, so paint will stick OK.
I have spray painted dozens of woofers using spray can enamel paints (Krylon, Rust-Oleum, off brand stuff) with no problems. The woofers I painted had foam, paper or linen surrounds.
I have also painted many rubber tires black, which actually improved their resistance to UV cracking, which was a definite problem in my former high desert location.
Art
Rademakers points in post #3 are correct, but that said, the few grams of paint added to either the woofers or the passive radiators are almost nothing compared to their weight, and will simply lower the FS slightly. The paint will slightly stiffen the cone, good for woofers. The aluminum cone passive radiator already appears to have been anodized or painted, so paint will stick OK.
I have spray painted dozens of woofers using spray can enamel paints (Krylon, Rust-Oleum, off brand stuff) with no problems. The woofers I painted had foam, paper or linen surrounds.
I have also painted many rubber tires black, which actually improved their resistance to UV cracking, which was a definite problem in my former high desert location.
Art
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Weltersys ,
have you seen a painted woofer that has been used daily for a long period of time ( a year or more) ? cracking of the paint on the rubber surrounding the cone is my biggest fear...
have you seen a painted woofer that has been used daily for a long period of time ( a year or more) ? cracking of the paint on the rubber surrounding the cone is my biggest fear...
Try it on any surplus/junkbin/CHEAP speaker you have lying around and see for yourself.
My answer was the general_purpose-applies_anywhere one ("don´t do it").
Getting deeper, you can spray paint a paper cone, with a light coat of water based "latex/acrylic" "wall type" paint.
Cones will absorb water base and leave most pigments (which are basically finely ground minerals) on the outside, where they do most effect , so it´s a reasonable bet.
"Synthetic/oil" type paint,solvent based, gets absorbed a lot and "carries pigment inside", so you paint your cone, it looks fine, then gets almost black again , you "lose colour" because it migrates inside, rinse and repeat.
It ends up absorbing a ton of paint and colour is never right, so you first paint it, let it dry a lot (at least 4-8 hours), apply a second coat which will be better because first one acts as a sealant and maybe a third light coat 4-8 hours later for better finishing.
A mess, and your cone will weigh a ton.
Surrounds (typically foam):
Water based paints will NOT penetrate it, will dry on outer surface, will cake and puddle and crack and flake off in use.
Solvents will attack and destroy foam.
Only way to add colour to foam material is to mix a pigment at the factory, such as the orange Cerwin Vega edges.
Just for fun, inflate a kid´s party rubber balloon to 3/4 of maximum size, and paint it.
Wait 1 day and finish inflating it to full size.
Water based paint will crackle and fall off.
IOf you used solvent based, it will burst ... if it didn´t already when solvent eat trough rubber.
Never read this warning on condom packs?
There´s a reason for it: oil, let alone solvents, destroys latex/rubber/foam
FWIW I often use latex surgical gloves when painting or silkscreening, they can stand small splashes or drops, but if they get actullay wet, they start sewlling and getting weaker and in minutes fingers start breaking away, go figure.
My answer was the general_purpose-applies_anywhere one ("don´t do it").
Getting deeper, you can spray paint a paper cone, with a light coat of water based "latex/acrylic" "wall type" paint.
Cones will absorb water base and leave most pigments (which are basically finely ground minerals) on the outside, where they do most effect , so it´s a reasonable bet.
"Synthetic/oil" type paint,solvent based, gets absorbed a lot and "carries pigment inside", so you paint your cone, it looks fine, then gets almost black again , you "lose colour" because it migrates inside, rinse and repeat.
It ends up absorbing a ton of paint and colour is never right, so you first paint it, let it dry a lot (at least 4-8 hours), apply a second coat which will be better because first one acts as a sealant and maybe a third light coat 4-8 hours later for better finishing.
A mess, and your cone will weigh a ton.
Surrounds (typically foam):
Water based paints will NOT penetrate it, will dry on outer surface, will cake and puddle and crack and flake off in use.
Solvents will attack and destroy foam.
Only way to add colour to foam material is to mix a pigment at the factory, such as the orange Cerwin Vega edges.
Just for fun, inflate a kid´s party rubber balloon to 3/4 of maximum size, and paint it.
Wait 1 day and finish inflating it to full size.
Water based paint will crackle and fall off.
IOf you used solvent based, it will burst ... if it didn´t already when solvent eat trough rubber.
Never read this warning on condom packs?
There´s a reason for it: oil, let alone solvents, destroys latex/rubber/foam
FWIW I often use latex surgical gloves when painting or silkscreening, they can stand small splashes or drops, but if they get actullay wet, they start sewlling and getting weaker and in minutes fingers start breaking away, go figure.
I have used many of the painted woofers for several years, the paint stayed intact. As to the surrounds, as mentioned, the woofers I painted had foam, paper or linen surrounds, but the rubber tires I painted flexed for years without cracking, using enamel paint.
I have never used spray paint, but have painted many, many cones. Particuallarily if paper. If you are good at spray painting you should be able to use a minimal amount so as to have minimum mass change, but with a sub it is hard to add enuff to maek a significant change. Cover the surround 1st, you do not want to paint it.
On the PR(s) extra mass does not matter since you have to tune the weight anyway.
dave
On the PR(s) extra mass does not matter since you have to tune the weight anyway.
dave
What is your purpose? Can you get the same visual result by changing the grill cloth? Or a covering just over the driver mounting holes? Or with trick lighting? Or glue-on film?
You can use all kinds of otherwise ordinary synthetic fiber cloth with no consequences for speaker sound - no need for acoustic specialty materials, esp if you have REW and a laptop mic for testing or even by ear in this A-B comparison. Hint: see if you hear a difference with three layers of cloth.
B.
You can use all kinds of otherwise ordinary synthetic fiber cloth with no consequences for speaker sound - no need for acoustic specialty materials, esp if you have REW and a laptop mic for testing or even by ear in this A-B comparison. Hint: see if you hear a difference with three layers of cloth.
B.
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