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I have a pair of S45-2 speakers. They still play, though I sometimes wonder if they've lost some of their sound quality. I've read about capacitor replacements, but I don't know if it's needed in this case. Would anyone have a suggestions for a shop that could do an assessment of the speaker condition? I'm located in Connecticut, USA.
From what I've heard, it can make a big difference in the clarity of the treble!
My S45-2 was upgraded before I bought them recently with Jensen caps (if I remember correctly) so I cannot really claim to have first hand experience of this. But I do know that they sound exquisitely detailed and balanced now! :-)
Best value for money:
Beovox S45-2 Type 6312 – Beoparts-shop
Martin
Your capacitors are now some 40 years old, dried out or at least out of specs. I have done some 10 speaker pairs, from Beovox 1600 to M70s, few caps, maybe 2 out of 10 were inside specs (20 %), I even tried on my Beovox 3702, expensive caps in one speaker, and normal of the shelf in the other, and no audible difference. If you use Martins (Dillen) caps you will get caps as near as originals as possible, tested and new, no old stock, and normally he provides instructions for the change.
Collecting Vintage B&O is not a hobby, its a lifestyle.
By "Martins" caps, you mean the ones from described here: https://www.martin.com/en/site_elements/cpfc-capacitor-replacement-recommendation
I think he means the ones I link to in my reply above.
Kent Reuber: By "Martins" caps, you mean the ones from described here: https://www.martin.com/en/site_elements/cpfc-capacitor-replacement-recommendation
These https://www.beoparts-shop.com/product-category/beovox/beovox-s45-2-type-6312/
Søren Mexico:I even tried on my Beovox 3702, expensive caps in one speaker, and normal of the shelf in the other, and no audible difference.
Good afternoon Søren,
Just to be sure I've understood well: are you saying there is no advantage using high-end capacitors in a speaker? That any correct but average component will do?
And a side question for everybody: when electronically restoring a speaker what component should be replaced? Capacitors, ok but also those red coils also? Or anything else?
Thank you.
Hi Kent
I have just bought and fitted the kit from Beoparts for the M100-2 and it completely restored their performance, it did make a huge difference for those. I had previously had the filler drivers restored but as far as I know there is nothing else that can make such a huge difference with these beovoxes.
I have a pair of S45-2s also that I am going to recap in due course.
I cant recommend enough recapping them as, for me it has made a huge difference.
Luckily the damping material in both the M100s and S45s doesn't look like it deteriorates and drivers don't seem to deteriorate either. The coils and magnets also seem ok and I'm not sure if there is anything to be gained by changing the internal wiring - so you are left with the crossover and the capacitors as being the item that deteriorates over time.
Other factors would of course be the signal that is being fed to them, but at least if you recap the speakers then you know they are performing as they should.
matador43: are you saying there is no advantage using high-end capacitors in a speaker? That any correct but average component will do?
are you saying there is no advantage using high-end capacitors in a speaker? That any correct but average component will do?
Beovox S45(-2) are excellent speakers, highly regarded for their performance and well-balanced sound, considering their size and nature, being three-way and fairly conventional.
The best you can do is replace the old capacitors, which are more than 40 years old by now - more than anyone could or would expect them to stay within tolerances and specs.
Having said that - most Beovox S45(-2) will still play nicely - sort of - but still many owners are surprised when the old capacitors are replaced by new.
You should only fit expensive capacitors in B&O passive speakers, if you think it will make you sleep better at night, knowing that you paid out a lot of money for capacitors arriving in each their little wooden box, lined with black velvet.
The pretty boxes won't do any good.The expensive capacitors, regardless of their beautiful design and precision lettering, will be out of sight once fitted,and the speakers won't sound any different.
Any average component - what is that?
The kits available at Beoparts-shop contain capacitors manufactured exclusively for this purpose, aiming at matching the specs of the original capacitors (when they were new) as closely as possible.I use them myself in large numbers and I can only recommend them.
They may not come lined in velvet or have "Supreme Audiophile" written on them, but I perhaps wouldn't call them "any average".If any change in specs, properties or ratings would've made them perform better, I would have spec'ed them differently.
- But of course.., the problem may be, that they are not expensive. A fact that may keep certain people from choosing them.Now I think of it, - perhaps manufacturing the same capacitors in a different color with delicate lettering and nice boxes and selling them at ten times the cost, would be a good idea.I'm sure certain people would buy them then, and claim they can tell a clear difference after "breaking them in".But I'm not in the snake-oil business, neither is Beoparts-shop, and we all know, that sticking a photo of Einstein under your speakers should be the first step in any restoration, as that alone will greatly enhance their performance - relatively speaking.Would bring a smile to most peoples faces at least.
matador43: And a side question for everybody: when electronically restoring a speaker what component should be replaced? Capacitors, ok but also those red coils also? Or anything else?
Coils and resistors don't age badly. They don't dry or wear out. They don't change their value or "color" the sound to any extent of concern.They must of course be replaced if burned, physically damaged or otherwise proven bad, but generally they will be absolutely fine as-is.
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The above is a short comment, typed in not the best of moods.
I spent a good half hour typing a fairly long reply to this thread explaining this and that in detail - but - again - the server went down.
First I got the "The FORUM, BLOGS, MEDIA & WIKIS are currently unavailable" (which we over several years have gotten used to), then I got the "500 - server error" (which, as I understand it, is a sign of something more serious).Finally I got a "Run time error".
Frankly, I couldn't be bothered typing it all again, so the above is what it became.
I know that Keith is working very hard trying to make this impossible piece of forum software run on a more than incredibly unstabile server under less than adequate power conditions.He is about the most skilled person I know, when it comes to servers and software, but even he can't keep it running.
I find it very difficult to use this forum, and it has started getting to me.Well, now I think of it, a good amount of the time I am able to allocate daily for Beoworld, goes with removing spam anyways.I know it - I'm getting old.
Dillen:I'm getting old.
We all are.
I too was typing a long response starting by thanking you four your detailled answer but it also went somewhere but not here!
Anyway, by "any average" I meant what soren perhaps called "off the shelf" components: capacitors from any brand, any specs from the dealer round the corner.
Thank you still for the comprehensive answer.
matador43: Dillen:I'm getting old. We all are. I too was typing a long response starting by thanking you four your detailled answer but it also went somewhere but not here! Anyway, by "any average" I meant what soren perhaps called "off the shelf" components: capacitors from any brand, any specs from the dealer round the corner. Thank you still for the comprehensive answer.
I normally go for known good brands like Panasonic, Nichicon and the like, easiest way is to buy from Martin, you get the right ones, tested and with instructions how to
Thank you Søren.