# Speaker Break In - Fabric Softener



## The Usual (May 14, 2008)

I have this thread going in a few places, and I thought I would share it with my Canadian brethren.

I decided to do the fabric softener treatment to my Celestion G12H30 speaker. Here are some clips with and without it, and I am not saying yet which is which. Let me know what you think. Which do you like, which sounds treated. 

Pretty shocking how different the speaker sounds before and after.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=921744&content=music


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 19, 2007)

Man........my wife would really be pissed if she caught me with a speaker in the clothes dryer not to mention the noise it would make !!!


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

link didn't work for me


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## dan_ (Feb 5, 2008)

hollowbody said:


> link didn't work for me


Same here.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I always see these threads. "Best way to break in a speaker". I will always believe the best way to break in a speaker is to just play through it. I loved how I gradually noticed my Celestion Blues sounding better. Then one day all of a sudden, Tonal bliss.
I under no circumstances would put some household chemical on my expensive speakers. Even if the general consensus is that its safe.


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## The Usual (May 14, 2008)

Try this

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=921744&content=music


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> I always see these threads. "Best way to break in a speaker". I will always believe the best way to break in a speaker is to just play through it. I loved how I gradually noticed my Celestion Blues sounding better. Then one day all of a sudden, Tonal bliss.
> I under no circumstances would put some household chemical on my expensive speakers. Even if the general consensus is that its safe.


I'm with you, Terry! The idea of fabric softener gives me the willies! It can soften the cone to the point where you are drastically lowering its power handling capacity. You might be wailing a "balls to the wall" solo and the cone will rip!

I prefer doping to stiffen the cone! Especially for the classic rock sound. A bit of rubber cement, cut half and half with thinner...

:food-smiley-004:


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## The Usual (May 14, 2008)

Hey Bill. Are you saying that you like modding speakers by adding more doping?? Intersting. 

I will say that I wouldn't have tried this on a Celestion Blue or someting I spent a lot of cash on, for fear of damage. But if this speaker holds up, I may do this more on others. 

I actually prefer the sound. I mean, guys are dumping cash on vintage speakers that are on the edge of death, or boutique versions of them (don't ask me how much I have spent on these), and I really think these sound better than some I have recently bought. Somewhere between new and old. Should I really be worried about tearing a cone in half because of this? How can you tell? What do you look for?


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

The Usual said:


> Hey Bill. Are you saying that you like modding speakers by adding more doping?? Intersting.
> 
> I will say that I wouldn't have tried this on a Celestion Blue or someting I spent a lot of cash on, for fear of damage. But if this speaker holds up, I may do this more on others.
> 
> I actually prefer the sound. I mean, guys are dumping cash on vintage speakers that are on the edge of death, or boutique versions of them (don't ask me how much I have spent on these), and I really think these sound better than some I have recently bought. Somewhere between new and old. Should I really be worried about tearing a cone in half because of this? How can you tell? What do you look for?


How can you tell? What do you look for? I dunno! You're in new territory here!

I've never heard of anyone doing this before. It may be a relatively new idea. So there's no history to the experiment. If you play the speaker for years and nothing happens then you're ok. If the cone rips then you know it was a bad idea.

I don't think you'll get any warning.

It's just the idea of fabric softener that bothers me. I'm assuming it works by softening up the material of the cone. Softer material means weaker, I would think.

That's just my worries! Scientifically, you have to test something to know for sure. That's what YOU are doing!

You spend the money on speakers and then tell us how it works out!:smile:

In one of my favourite "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon strips, the family is in their car driving over a bridge that says 'Limit - 10 Tons'. Calvin asks his dad "How do they know the weight limit for the bridge?"

"Easy!" his dad replies. "They just keep driving heavier and heavier trucks across it until it breaks. Then they rebuild the bridge exactly the same way!"

Calvin of course just says "Oh, I see." but the mother is angry and snaps at her husband "If you don't know the answer to his questions then just say so!"

I've always thought that the dad was very scientific in his thinking!:smile:

:food-smiley-004:


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Wild Bill said:


> In one of my favourite "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon strips, the family is in their car driving over a bridge that says 'Limit - 10 Tons'. Calvin asks his dad "How do they know the weight limit for the bridge?"
> 
> "Easy!" his dad replies. "They just keep driving heavier and heavier trucks across it until it breaks. Then they rebuild the bridge exactly the same way!"
> 
> ...


I always thought Calvin's dad was both hilarious and wise. I think that kind of wry humour is a great way to get kids to become critical thinkers...

And wrt the speaker/fabric softener thing, I'm with Bill too. Thanks for doing the experiment. Keep us all posted.

Matt


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## The Usual (May 14, 2008)

BTW, any of you guys actually listen to my clips?


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## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

I'm guessing Speaker A is the broken in one. Speaker B has a much sharper, more brittle sound to it. Definitely prefer A myself.


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 19, 2007)

The Usual said:


> BTW, any of you guys actually listen to my clips?


I couldn't hear a damn thing with my speaker clanging around in the dryer kqoct


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

> "Easy!" his dad replies. "They just keep driving heavier and heavier trucks across it until it breaks. Then they rebuild the bridge exactly the same way!"


My Dad, a retired mechanic, always used to tell us kids to "tighten that down until it breaks, and then back it off a half turn", which was code for "use the @#$%^ torque wrench, you moron!" 

I guess I'm not a very good student. 40 years later and I still haven't bought a torque wrench. I do keep a good stock of hardened bolts though... kkjuw


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

The Usual said:


> BTW, any of you guys actually listen to my clips?


I gave the Dirty Tele A and B a quick whirl and can't say I noticed too much, but then again, I listened to about 30 seconds per clip and was out the door to go to work. I'll check them out when I get in tonight, but it's definitely an interesting idea. Don't know if I would try it myself, but you never know. We all end up with stock speakers we don't use that we can afford to tinker with.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Wild Bill said:


> I'm with you, Terry! The idea of fabric softener gives me the willies! It can soften the cone to the point where you are drastically lowering its power handling capacity.
> 
> :food-smiley-004:


And thats not a good idea for an inefficient speaker like the Celestion Blue. I've been seriously thinking of going to the Celestion Golds for more power handling but it just isn't the same as the blues.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Wild Bill said:


> It's just the idea of fabric softener that bothers me. I'm assuming it works by softening up the material of the cone. Softer material means weaker, I would think.


But it's Mountain Fresh scent! How can you go wrong. 9kkhhd


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

Whatever happened to the good ole days, when everything smelled like stale beer and cigarette smoke?

I would think that softening the cone (if that is the effect that is created) would make it less efficient. The speaker cone is basically a piston, so any slop in the material would mean it moved less air (flutter cancellation), no?


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## The Usual (May 14, 2008)

Speaker A is treated. Most people are getting this right, for what it's worth. The mp3s don't sound nearly as good as the wav files, but the difference is pretty obvious.

I don't know if this will ruin my speakers so I am not endorsing it. Personally, I think it sounds really good, and I'd do this before buying some of the high end clones of vintage speakers. I have paid too much already on them, and they don't sound as good as this.

It's not for the faint of heart though. But neither was Jimi.


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## The Usual (May 14, 2008)

ronmac said:


> Whatever happened to the good ole days, when everything smelled like stale beer and cigarette smoke?
> 
> I would think that softening the cone (if that is the effect that is created) would make it less efficient. The speaker cone is basically a piston, so any slop in the material would mean it moved less air (flutter cancellation), no?


Actually, if you listen to the clips, you will notice a volume drop from B to A. The treated cone is quieter, at least it sounds quieter. In the room, the difference is very much like going from the H to an M.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

Personally, I would touch this idea with a 10 foot pole slathered in Febreze...


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## The Usual (May 14, 2008)

You would?


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

The Usual said:


> You would?


Actually I wouldn't....excellent observation!


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

yup, I liked A.

interesting, sorry I didn't read up, ..is it fabreeeze sprayed on ? or fabric softener cloth ? or you dab the liquid stuff and let dry ??

very interesting, but geeez that definately wouldn't smell like rock n' roll !

what happens if I try and treat my cones with guiness ~ !?!?!??!? :food-smiley-015::food-smiley-015:


hey, if it works, why not !


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

ssdeluxe said:


> yup, I liked A.
> 
> interesting, sorry I didn't read up, ..is it fabreeeze sprayed on ? or fabric softener cloth ? or you dab the liquid stuff and let dry ??
> 
> ...


Probably get a nice head!!!


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## The Usual (May 14, 2008)

It's liquid fabric softener diluted with 10 parts water. I sprayed it on a cloth and then gently wiped it on the cone ribs and dust cap, not doping.

I think the next one I try will be just water. I have an idea that water alone may soften them. After all, they are just pulp. Also it will be fun to hear all the reasons water will destroy them too. That way we can all think outside the bun.


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

nonreverb said:


> Probably get a nice head!!!


he..he...! lol ........ ok, I'll try it !!:rockon2::rockon2:

I like this idea, just for trying something new, very interesting, would love to hear the long term fx if any.


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