Tales from the Beobench

[justshoemark]

Good job they look tidy.

 

[Beobloke]

Thanks!

They have a couple of bits of trim missing and aren’t quite mint but they came up pretty well. More importantly, they sound superb. I haven’t heard a pair for years and had forgotten how good they are.

This pair will be sold but the other, active pair I have will be definite keepers when they’re done.

Anyway, I’m rewarding myself with a cheeky beer now as I won’t get ‘thirsty Thursday’ tomorrow as I’m driving up to Milton Keynes after work. Got to collect a recent purchase which is…….er…….a pair of B&O speakers! 😁

 

[Beobloke]

New toy, which is hopefully only on the bench for a clean.

Shocking I know, but I’ve never owned one of these before!

 

[Jules_S]

That's a really serious-looking bit of kit, lovely quality. Puts my little electronic gauge to shame I'm keen to know how you get on

 

[Beobloke]

That's a really serious-looking bit of kit, lovely quality. Puts my little electronic gauge to shame I'm keen to know how you get on

On/off switch is a bit dodgy but all working other than that!

 

[Beobloke]

Omar 880s are coming apart again - fully this time. The sound they make suggests a re-cap is desperately needed.

 

[Beobloke]

B&O Penta tweeter sections, too. Distinctly lacking in ‘sparkle’!

 

[justshoemark]

Is that from the active penta's.

 

[Beobloke]

Is that from the active penta's.

No, from the passives, but the crossover in the active ones is identical.

 

[justshoemark]

Ah I see. I had some active MK3 penta not that long ago and found them abit dull peheps they just needed a recap on the tweeter to bring the sparkle.
Be interesting to see what you think.

 

[Beobloke]

Why have modern capacitors got so bloody huge?!
Before:



After:



Mind you, those two caps that should have been 80uF in the original crossover measured 112uF when I removed them, so hopefully those new ones will be a bit more accurate!

 

[bencat]

Because like modern cars each new replacement model is bigger than the one it replaced as bigger is better , isnt it ?
Nice work by the way squeezing those on and getting them soldered must have been a bit of a faff .

 

[Beobloke]

Because like modern cars each new replacement model is bigger than the one it replaced as bigger is better , isnt it ?
Nice work by the way squeezing those on and getting them soldered must have been a bit of a faff .

It was! Especially as that's not a PCB that they mounted on, just a piece of wood with holes drilled in it. Luckily this meant I could drill new holes where required.

The crossover is intriguing as it uses film capacitors in the midrange/bass sections and electrolytics in the treble which is the exact opposite of the way pretty much everyone else does it.

 

[toprepairman]

Because you haven't replaced like for like.
You have gone from a 40V electrolytic to a 250V non electrolytic.

 

[Beobloke]

Ah, the exciting world of crossover re-capping.

The Omars are transformed. The boxy midrange has completely gone and they have really opened up at the top end. Very happy!

And the Pentas? They don’t sound any different at all! 😕

 

[ROOG]

I was going to say, that you would be bucking the trend if the 'like for like' replacements were bigger. Every re cap of older gear that I have done looks like there is something missing afterwards as capacitors get smaller.

 

[Beobloke]

Omar 880s - the final chapter.

With woofers re-foamed and crossovers re-capped, only one job remained. The appalling push-and-shove connection terminals. These rarely gripped any wires and, even when they did, they didn’t always make a connection.

Consequently, new terminals ordered and a bit of work with the file, and there we have it. Much better!

 

[Beobloke]

Now then, you remember that thing I mentioned in the Tonbridge Audiojumble thread that I really wished I’d bought, but missed out on?

Well, isn’t fate a funny thing?