I have a pair of these. Cause I like lost causes I would like to refurb to a reasonable extent. To my ears classical music is nice and open and the stereo imaging is pretty decent.
If I was to do some checking, reasonable maintenance to keep any costs within the worry of these speakers what would you do?
The drivers are all pretty decent and everything on a visual check is as it should be......I think. 😜
If I was to do some checking, reasonable maintenance to keep any costs within the worry of these speakers what would you do?
The drivers are all pretty decent and everything on a visual check is as it should be......I think. 😜
Well, check the surrounds, if they are torn, replace them, check the capacitors of the crossover, replace electrolytic ones, keep foil capacitors and resistors (unless they are burnt), replace the terminals with better ones and that's the best you can and should do. If you need to replace the surrounds, that's a different topic (but you'll be helped there too 😉)
Good idea with the pictures, if you suspect anything to be wonky, make a pic of the driver and then a macro/detail of the issue.
You say "Linton 2". There was some variation within that model with regard to the drivers, so images are essential.
Linton 2 Specifications:
Two-way sealed box system
200mm bass driver & 50mm mid/treble driver
Four element crossover circuit
Crossover frequency 1,200Hz
Dimensions 480 x 250 x 240 (h x w x d in mm)
Volume 20 litres
Weight 8kg
For the record, the order of development of the Linton (spanning 1966 to 1977) was the 'Linton', 'Super Linton', 'Linton 2', 'Linton 3XP' and 'Linton XP2'.
I owned a pair of Linton 2 speakers back in 1974, now long gone. However I have in my possession a pair of Denton 2 which is basically the Linton 2, but with a smaller cabinet.
From your description, your bass drivers and mid/tweeters appear to be working OK, so I would concentrate on the crossover.
This will no doubt be populated by ELCAP electrolytic capacitors which should be replaced with modern equivalents as a matter of course.
I look forward to your pics - don't forget to include the crossovers.
Wharfedale labelled their inductors at the time, so please give their values as well as those of the capacitors.
Linton 2 Specifications:
Two-way sealed box system
200mm bass driver & 50mm mid/treble driver
Four element crossover circuit
Crossover frequency 1,200Hz
Dimensions 480 x 250 x 240 (h x w x d in mm)
Volume 20 litres
Weight 8kg
For the record, the order of development of the Linton (spanning 1966 to 1977) was the 'Linton', 'Super Linton', 'Linton 2', 'Linton 3XP' and 'Linton XP2'.
I owned a pair of Linton 2 speakers back in 1974, now long gone. However I have in my possession a pair of Denton 2 which is basically the Linton 2, but with a smaller cabinet.
From your description, your bass drivers and mid/tweeters appear to be working OK, so I would concentrate on the crossover.
This will no doubt be populated by ELCAP electrolytic capacitors which should be replaced with modern equivalents as a matter of course.
I look forward to your pics - don't forget to include the crossovers.
Wharfedale labelled their inductors at the time, so please give their values as well as those of the capacitors.
Here are some pics. It looks like either one tweeter is missing a cover or they are two different tweeters.
The crossovers do indeed look old. They also seem to be glued to the front baffle which would make replacing components difficult would it be possible to get new crossovers and keep the originals in place but disconnected.
I think the values can be made out in the pics?
@Galu
The crossovers do indeed look old. They also seem to be glued to the front baffle which would make replacing components difficult would it be possible to get new crossovers and keep the originals in place but disconnected.
I think the values can be made out in the pics?
@Galu
Attachments
The crossover will be screwed to the front baffle. The screws pass through holes in the black plastic coil formers. Two such screws can be seen at bottom left and right of your third image.
It looks like we have 10 uF, 50 uF, 0.8 mH plus one unlabelled inductor.
The alloy framed bass drivers indicate that this is an early version of the Linton, which is a good thing.
The tweeters are different, but both are Wharfedale units. I believe I have information on each of them, but will need time to locate it.
All you really need to do initially is to replace those unreliable ELCAP capacitors:
The 50 uF capacitor can be replaced by the current standard value of 47 uF. The 10 uF is a current standard value.
Wilmslow Audio is a good source.
Either: Polypropylene (MKP) capacitors: https://wilmslowaudio.co.uk/monacor-mkp-polypropylene-capacitors
Or: Bipolar electrolytic capacitors (like the ones originally fitted): https://wilmslowaudio.co.uk/mundorf-electrolytic-ecap-capacitors
The choice is down to physical dimensions and cost really - determine which versions will best fit your crossover board and your pocket.
It looks like we have 10 uF, 50 uF, 0.8 mH plus one unlabelled inductor.
The alloy framed bass drivers indicate that this is an early version of the Linton, which is a good thing.
The tweeters are different, but both are Wharfedale units. I believe I have information on each of them, but will need time to locate it.
All you really need to do initially is to replace those unreliable ELCAP capacitors:
The 50 uF capacitor can be replaced by the current standard value of 47 uF. The 10 uF is a current standard value.
Wilmslow Audio is a good source.
Either: Polypropylene (MKP) capacitors: https://wilmslowaudio.co.uk/monacor-mkp-polypropylene-capacitors
Or: Bipolar electrolytic capacitors (like the ones originally fitted): https://wilmslowaudio.co.uk/mundorf-electrolytic-ecap-capacitors
The choice is down to physical dimensions and cost really - determine which versions will best fit your crossover board and your pocket.
The tweeter in your left speaker cabinet has an acoustically transparent external dust cap that should not be removed.
Here is what the synthetic purple cone looks like underneath the cover (note the open voice coil gap):
Please post pics of the rear of both tweeters, identifying which is which.
EDIT: The covered tweeter looks to have a black plastic housing (cup) at the rear as shown in the attachment below.
Here is what the synthetic purple cone looks like underneath the cover (note the open voice coil gap):
Please post pics of the rear of both tweeters, identifying which is which.
EDIT: The covered tweeter looks to have a black plastic housing (cup) at the rear as shown in the attachment below.
Attachments
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@Galu
Really appreciate your detailed response and valuable help.
I will take pics from the inside to show the tweeter. I will do this when I get the caps as I think the acoustic padding inside may also need replaced and the seal around the terminal port is needing changed. Which leads .e to another question. What is the best material to stuff inside and what is the best way to re-seal the terminal port area. It is round so standard tape won't work. I'm not sure about sealant as that may hinder getting into it on future. Cheers and thanks once again. I'm going to order up the replacement caps.
Really appreciate your detailed response and valuable help.
I will take pics from the inside to show the tweeter. I will do this when I get the caps as I think the acoustic padding inside may also need replaced and the seal around the terminal port is needing changed. Which leads .e to another question. What is the best material to stuff inside and what is the best way to re-seal the terminal port area. It is round so standard tape won't work. I'm not sure about sealant as that may hinder getting into it on future. Cheers and thanks once again. I'm going to order up the replacement caps.
The Linton 2 has a mid-range/treble unit which the bass driver crosses over to at a low frequency of 1,200 Hz - i.e., it is not simply a treble unit.
Your right hand cabinet would appear to contain the period correct mid-range/treble unit - as indicted by the stock photograph below:
The left hand unit appears to be like the one shown in the attachment of post #10, which may be identical to the right hand unit but for the external cover:
Please tell me what you see at the back. Are both of those little units mounted in a black plastic cup?
You open a can of worms by asking which is the "best" material to stuff inside! You could just order what Wilmslow Audio stocks: https://wilmslowaudio.co.uk/damping-materials/baf-wadding or this, which I would regard as better https://www.woollyshepherd.co.uk/loudspeaker-wool/
As for sealant, this version from Halfords dries like rubber and will allow easy future removal of the terminal plate, should it ever prove necessary:
https://www.halfords.com/motoring/p...nville-black-silicone-sealant-40g-173867.html
EDIT: I had to edit because I can't tell my left from my right! Your right hand cabinet contains the period correct mid-range/treble unit!
Your right hand cabinet would appear to contain the period correct mid-range/treble unit - as indicted by the stock photograph below:
The left hand unit appears to be like the one shown in the attachment of post #10, which may be identical to the right hand unit but for the external cover:
Please tell me what you see at the back. Are both of those little units mounted in a black plastic cup?
You open a can of worms by asking which is the "best" material to stuff inside! You could just order what Wilmslow Audio stocks: https://wilmslowaudio.co.uk/damping-materials/baf-wadding or this, which I would regard as better https://www.woollyshepherd.co.uk/loudspeaker-wool/
As for sealant, this version from Halfords dries like rubber and will allow easy future removal of the terminal plate, should it ever prove necessary:
https://www.halfords.com/motoring/p...nville-black-silicone-sealant-40g-173867.html
EDIT: I had to edit because I can't tell my left from my right! Your right hand cabinet contains the period correct mid-range/treble unit!
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@Galu
Once again many thanks for your valuable help.
Ive attached pics:
The "left" speaker with the grill on the tweeter, from the inside, has a plastic cup with the text "CJ18" written in white ink.
The "right" speaker that is pink in colour with no grill is within a wood fibre cylinder that also had wadding in it with a circular wooden cover (can be seen in pic).
Also when I removed the cross overs they were stamped with a date on the back "1978" 🙂
Once again many thanks for your valuable help.
Ive attached pics:
The "left" speaker with the grill on the tweeter, from the inside, has a plastic cup with the text "CJ18" written in white ink.
The "right" speaker that is pink in colour with no grill is within a wood fibre cylinder that also had wadding in it with a circular wooden cover (can be seen in pic).
Also when I removed the cross overs they were stamped with a date on the back "1978" 🙂
Attachments
The date on the crossovers is a surprise as it doesn't quite fit my timeline! 
The fact that both drivers are mounted in their own sealed and damped rear enclosures confirms that they are each proper mid-range/treble drivers.
It may be that the one on the right is original while the one on the left with the plastic cup is a later replacement?
As additional confirmation, I've now seen photos showing that Denton 2 mid-range/tweeters came in both covered and uncovered versions.
So it appears you are good to go with simply replacing the capacitors and experimenting with the amount of acoustic wadding in the main enclosure.
Do let us know how it all turns out.
EDIT: What is the date written on the rear of the woofer cone? 11/17/??
The fact that both drivers are mounted in their own sealed and damped rear enclosures confirms that they are each proper mid-range/treble drivers.
It may be that the one on the right is original while the one on the left with the plastic cup is a later replacement?
As additional confirmation, I've now seen photos showing that Denton 2 mid-range/tweeters came in both covered and uncovered versions.
So it appears you are good to go with simply replacing the capacitors and experimenting with the amount of acoustic wadding in the main enclosure.
Do let us know how it all turns out.
EDIT: What is the date written on the rear of the woofer cone? 11/17/??
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IMHO better to go for non polar electrolytic replacements for keeping the tonal balance closer to the original.
Film caps are superior in behavior and they don't have as much parasitic resistance (ESR) as the electrolytics.
Original parts imperfections were inevitably "designed in" to the original voicing of vintage loudspeakers.
I usually suggest sticking with NP electrolytic capacitors in vintage speakers for the reasons Salas has stated.
However, I have experimented with both NP electrolytics and poly caps in my Denton 2 (the smaller sibling of the Linton 2).
I perceived that polys, rather than being detrimental to the voicing, added a touch of 'sparkle' to a rather "laid back" tonal balance.
Simply a perception of course! 😉
However, I have experimented with both NP electrolytics and poly caps in my Denton 2 (the smaller sibling of the Linton 2).
I perceived that polys, rather than being detrimental to the voicing, added a touch of 'sparkle' to a rather "laid back" tonal balance.
Simply a perception of course! 😉
The ones I suggested in post #8: https://wilmslowaudio.co.uk/mundorf-electrolytic-ecap-capacitors
P.S. Bipolar = Non Polar = NP.
P.S. Bipolar = Non Polar = NP.
They look like custom branded German OEM FTCAP (F&T). Good quality+. They also state PLAIN on their jackets. Plain (smooth) foil suffers less loss than typical raw surface type caps. Safe middle of the road solution i.e. still chemical caps but better than the old caps even when they were new. Which most possibly are way out of their uF value and ESR spec by now anyway.