Question:black color in speakers fading and cones becoming brittle
 

After the question on speakers I was curious what the black color in speaker
paper was,what is it's purpose?Does it affect the sound when it fades?I know
lots of exposure to light fades it.My midranges in my Rockola have turned a
light shade of brown.I've seen car speakers that turned nearly white and became
very brittle and cracked.So I assume the more it fades the more brittle the
cone will become.Is there some kind of chemical that will restore speakers or
they just reconed once the cone becomes too brittle to be servicable.

On 09 Sep 2003 00:13:52 GMT, (Jjmscf) wrote:

After the question on speakers I was curious what the black color in speaker
paper was,what is it's purpose?Does it affect the sound when it fades?I know
lots of exposure to light fades it.My midranges in my Rockola have turned a
light shade of brown.I've seen car speakers that turned nearly white and became
very brittle and cracked.So I assume the more it fades the more brittle the
cone will become.Is there some kind of chemical that will restore speakers or
they just reconed once the cone becomes too brittle to be servicable.


I think its just part of the ageing process of the paper. UV light
(like the sun on rear mounted car speakers) will speed it up of
course.

Speakers arent always black - I have occasionally seen them sold in
red, blue and silver coloured cones.

I think the black colour is mainly chosen to hide them from view
behind speaker grilles etc.

One method I have seen used to strengthen cones is to paint PVA glue
all over them. If you use the right stuff it might provide a degree of
water protection too. This probably isnt the world's best way of
doing the job - but the only one I have heard of.

Do not paint any in the suspension (the ribbed part at the edge) as
this acts as a spring to return the cone to a centre postion. if its
"gunked" up with glue it might become rigid and not work.