anyone interested in a group buy of replacement grill foams?

I am currently hunting down a company that can manufacture foam grilles

identical to the originals.

There's obviously strength in numbers.

Anyone with prior experience? all advice greatly appreciated.

I think the Sara used the same foam design, just a smaller piece.

i have been contacted concerning cost.

basically cost = total cost / number of people subscribed

so the more people the cheaper they are (muchly)


when linn had them they cost £200 I would hope to pay more like £50 but until i can give suppliers an idea of quantity, I can't get an idea of cost.

I would imagine that the numbers work with at least thirty members (120 grilles) I will probably overorder to cover latecomers.

I tried to get some made a couple of years ago, but the company that said they could do them, went cold when I sent them drawings and asked for a cost!

So good luck, and I'd be interested, but it depends very much on cost and closeness to the originals as I'm happy with my woodframe/cloth replacements.

A vey good idea david, I would be in for a set around the £50 mark.
Rgds
Stuart

I would also go along with this.

Regards

Mick

can you remember the name of the company you approached patrick?

can you remember the name of the company you approached patrick?

I'm afraid not! I found them somewhere on the web IIRC.

Alhough i've seen a set in the flesh, from picture and looking at it logically they look like they are made from the same sort of shaped, open cell, foam that is used to make filter elements for Ponds, Fish tanks and aquariums, This type of foam is quite coarse ad allows a free flow of 'fluid' through it, whether this fluid is liquid (water) or gas (air).

Just to give you some more avenues of investigation...

Quite. I use quite a similar foam for my recumbent tricycle seat. It is a type of air-conditioning filter-foam called Poret. Don't ask - I don't know how to get it easily or whether there are varieties of coarseness.

Although i've seen a set in the flesh, ....

That should have read not seen a set in the flesh.. :)

My Barik grills are just starting to age, when I handle them very small pieces come away from the edges, when I say small I mean the size of tiny crumbs. This at the moment is not a problem for me however in 3-5 years I can see me having to replace them.

I am a service engineer and whilst working the other day, I came across a piece of black ventilation foam with what seemed identical to the composition and type used in my Barik speakers.

Now at work we occasionally use a product called ‘Servisol Plastic Seal’, which we use to recoat damaged motor windings; this comes in the form of an aerosol which can be applied according to the amount needed, this sealant repairs damaged windings and forms a clear flexible plastic lacquered coating to help re-insulate.

Now when I saw the foam it got me thinking “if applied carefully perhaps this could help seal the foam on my speakers?” I first however sprayed one side of the ventilation foam that i had found but was a little too hasty and held the can a little too close and applied too much of the sealant, this resulted in some coagulation of the sealant in the foam.

I then turned the foam and applied from a distance so a fine mist coated the material, I carefully applied several fine coats whilst allowing the sealant to dry each time. When dry it was impossible to tell that any sealant had been sprayed on the foam except that the foam now had a black lustre’s as if new and to my eyes it hadnt blocked any of the pores which would restrict or deteriorate acoustics.

Now my grills are still pretty respectable so I am a little reluctant to go head first but if any one wants to experiment on a pair that are for scrapping then this is the product in question which is obtainable form various UK sources….

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=29005&criteria=RE80B&doy=29m10

No harm done if you are replacing the grills any how so feedback please if it works or at least seems to slow down the aging process of the foam.

Are the drivers/surrounds on an Isobarik mounted sub flush or does the foam require that areas be sculpted out of the back of it? Sheet reticulated foam is readily available if a flat sheet would do.

What are the sizes of the required pieces? Height Width and thickness.

... does the foam require that areas be sculpted out of the back of it? Yes.

Are the drivers/surrounds on an Isobarik mounted sub flush or does the foam require that areas be sculpted out of the back of it? Sheet reticulated foam is readily available if a flat sheet would do.

What are the sizes of the required pieces? Height Width and thickness.

Only the top grills have sculptures out of the back, and I reckon they are not really necessary... and I've always hated the sculpture on the front anyway

I once saw some light walnut briks with flat, charcoal grey grills (Falcon Acoustics foam, I think), top & front....they looked spretty good...

My 'Brik grilles are still OK, but those on my Saras are crumbling. Any chance of getting these replaced as well? Anybody else interested if it's possible?

Only the top grills have sculptures out of the back, and I reckon they are not really necessary...

I think the recesses on the reverse of the top grilles are essential. There is always the likelihood of something being placed on the top of a speaker, and if that something is heavy or sharp enough, it could easily cause damage to the drive units. The recess makes sense as the grille material has to be depressed further before contact with the delicate drive unit membranes is made.

Cheers

EJB

I understand your concern, however getting moulded foam panels made is not economically viable for the numbers that might be required. I imagine Linn may still own tooling for this type of foam. Can they not supply them? If it isn't economic for Linn to get them moulded, then it certainly won't be for a handful of Isobarik users.

Would flat pads actually interfere with the movement of the cones on either the top or front baffle? What about on the Sara?

I have a supplier of the right kind of reticulated foam who could precision cut the pads but I wouldn't bother if they weren't going to work ie if the drivers/surrounds aren't sufficiently rebated.

Were they held in place with self adhesive velcro?

yes they were held in with self adhesive velcro.

I am at the moment drawing out a dwg of the required profile so i can get a quote from a possible supplier, but you are quite right that with the current levels of interest this may well be a still born project.

oh well

yes they were held in with self adhesive velcro.

I am at the moment drawing out a dwg of the required profile so i can get a quote from a possible supplier, but you are quite right that with the current levels of interest this may well be a still born project.

oh well

I'd be interested in some replacement SARA foam

Cliff

I'd be interested in a set at the price you are talking about if shipping to the US didn't raise the cost too much. I believe the rebate on the top foam is necessary - you have to remember that the foam on the top is going to sag somewaht from gravity whereas the foam on the front wouldn't have that problem.

Linn no longer supplies foam grilles for Isobariks and SARAs. They make a replacement wood frame and fabric grill that sticks a bit forward of the speaker. If I have my prices right the cost for a set would be over $400US.

The most likely way to make this work is for someone to commit to buying a bunch of them with the idea of selling them on eBay over time.

Good luck,
Swam

Hi
will definitely take part in the 'ISO Grill group' if the price is around the mentioned GBP 50.
To get in contact please use: lehrhofer at utanet dot at.

regards
Johannes

I imagine Linn may still own tooling for this type of foam. Can they not supply them? If it isn't economic for Linn to get them moulded, then it certainly won't be for a handful of Isobarik users. The problem isn't tooling or cost. They were originally made for Linn by a company that I think was called Declon; either that or the foam was called that. I found out a couple of years back that the company was bought out by someone else who then stopped manufacture.

I would be interested as mine won't last forever.

Mick

Hi

I'll take 2 sets as I and my brother have briks so could do with some.

Cheers

Nick

My second pair of Isobarik foams are rotting. One no longer sticks to the velco and fails off within moments of being pushed into place. I have not come up with an answer to this and would be grateful for any suggestions.

I am also interested in picking up new grills if this effort works out.

I have just checked and my latest pair of grills lacks any cutout on the back on main or top grills. I clearly recall the originals had one cutout on the top grills. I got the replacement grills 10 or 15 years ago, when I got my stands from the Linn importer in the US.

On my early models (ser# 10883/4) that I bought around 1980 from Grahams, the tweeter is recessed, but it looks like the midrange might touch the grill will the rounded rubber support of the cone. Anyway, it does not seem to be affecting the sound.

I have not come up with a way to see if the grill and midrange are actually in contact as the contact area is concealed when the grill is in place. I'll see if I can determine this.

Simon

Will someone please accurately post the dimensions of the panels needed?

I notice on a picture of some Isobariks that the top foam seems very thick and has a bevelled (angled edge).

What thickness of flat foam would actually do? Would 15mm be ok?

Sara dimensions too.

Are we talking the original grills with the step patterns or just a plain foam grills?

I get 15mm reticulated foam flat pads precision cut for another job. If someone would tell me the dimensions & thickness needed I could look at what a set for these speakers would cost. I am NOT going to buy a set of Isobariks (or Sara's) to find out!

I also already buy the right type of Velcro (not cheap) but it works properly.

Are we talking the original grills with the step patterns or just a plain foam grills? David is talking 'identical to the original' which is what I would want.

Mick

Am I too late to join in the order for replacement DMS grilles?

Sorry, I've only just joined the forum, and am most anxious to obtain replacements.

I used Wilmslow's foam ( which I cut to size ) for me DMS's and preferred the look to the sculpted look of my very late issue (and current) Briks ... Im glad of all the work being put in but just wanted to mention a readily availble alternative ..... I havent checked Wilmslow's site recently but speaker foam was a standard of theirs for years. I recall cost was circa £16 and my grills on top do not show any signs of gravity so the indents dont seem conclusively needed in my present experience
cheers

...

Linn no longer supplies foam grilles for Isobariks and SARAs. They make a replacement wood frame and fabric grill that sticks a bit forward of the speaker. If I have my prices right the cost for a set would be over $400US.

...

I had my own wood frame and fabric grills made up by a picture framer. Less than $100US.

I'd also be interested in foam grills.

I assumed the plan had died.

Mick

just not enough interest.

we needed 100 people at least to make the costs work out.

I think at most I counted ten interested parties.

I have since bought some very late absolutely mint kustone bariks.

so make that nine.

hi,
just caught this thread.
I've had this idea in my head for a while, lets see how practical it is.
The foam is available from Wilmslow audio, it looks very similer but I don't think it is the required thickness. It is available it two different thicknesess though.
1. Top
I think that thicknessnes can be stuck together with a spay glue to be made thick enough without any loss of music as the foam is accousticly transparent but not visibly transparent.
2 The top grill has inner recesses so a two circles cut out of the under layer would mimik the original cut out.
Then a full size thin layer and then two strips of thin layer to create the recessed stripe effect of the original.
3. clamp the foam lightly between two sheets of the correct size of plywood an then router round the edge with a chamfer bit and the foam should be chamfered cleanly.

4 the front grill has a stepped pattern so vertical strips of the thin foam should form the stepped pattern ok.
See drawing.
Again chamfer the edge with a router.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.baldam/grills.jpg



I think that this could produce a very convincing set of grills.
If you prefer a square edge then miss out the routering, it will be an an awful lot easier anyway.
Or a smaller piece of ply on top and then stanly knife it at an angle running the blade round the top edge of the ply to give an angled finish to the edge.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.baldam/dogrun.gif

Hmm. Interesting.

Mick

hi,
just been on Wilmslows site and they don't do a very thin one as they used too. thickness they do 15mm.
So my design would still stand total thickness would be 45 mm which is a little thicker than standard.
The design could be modified on the top to not use the bottom layer as I dont think the cut outs are vital but if they are they could still be sculptured out of the bottom layer of two.
But I daresay there is a supplier of a thin foam somewhere for the bottom layer.
Anyway I just pose this as a starting point for other ideas along these lines.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.baldam/dogrun.gif

I felt that the smooth Wilmslow foam helped the WAF element as they seemingly 'receded' without the ridging of the originals...... I think I used the thin foam and needed 3 sheets and VERY good scissors .....actually I asked a seamstress to cut them out for me. If it were a choice between no grills and Wilmslow's I dont think you'll regret it for a minute

HI,
I have a small amount of wilmslow foam so I'll have a go and report back.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.baldam/dogrun.gif

we only need one other person to show an intrest i will take the other 99 :-)

If needed I can go to some ancient backup files and find some smart pics I sent to the fella I sold em on to it shows the Wilms-foam in use...... poor chap I think he blew them up! or the xovers went ...... in box types ..bit sad .....they sounded fabulous.

I'll try and find the photos by tomorrow

hi,
recently sold on Ebay, Flat foam replacements.
please grilleless Barik owners dont subject any more Bariks to this shame. Have we any more ideas to smarten up your favourite boxes.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.baldam/foam.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.baldam/dogrun.gif

Hi Rossini,

If you're serious, count me in.

Are you serious???? (I'm new here!)

no i was only joking.... but i would buy 2 pairs!!

First time on this board. I would be interested in buying a set of foam grills. Mine are crumbling.

You can't polish a turd.

Just go for the cheapest option. I suggest spraying the whole box black.

i would be interested if they could do it for my Saras

I just bought a used pair of Sara's, which of course have no grills, and would be interested in a pair of the facsimiles if this ever happens. Why do all the Sara's I have found for sale are either in really bad shape but have grills or are in really good shape with no grills? I obviously bought the latter! It seems buying two pairs is necessary! Anyway, the foam design looked pretty good and I'd be in for a pair. Linn sells a Balsa wood and cloth version for the Sara's for $300. U.S. which is almost what I paid for the speakers with stands and cables. If I had opposable thumbs i would try and make some, however that would be a hospital visit for sure. In the meantime, I might just cut some black cardboard to cover the speaker face and protect the woofer and tweeter from dust and my cleaning ladies fingers, and just remove them for listening. If anyone can take a good photo of their Sara grills, I could print this out life-size, glue it in a piece of card stock and from the couch, in dim light, before i listen to anything, it might look alright!

www.foamengineers.co.uk

have a look here (link kindly provided by steve watkins)

Hello

I contacted Wilmslow who were helpful and gave me the folowing reply:

Although we do not stock the original Linn foam grilles, we can supply a
sheet of black acoustic foam which can be cut to size using a sharp craft
knife or scissors.

Overall size of foam - 1270 x 457 x 15mm thick
Price - £23.50 each including VAT - You will need 2 sheets
Postage - £3.00
Total cost - £50.00 inc VAT and P&P

I was hoping to spend a little less than that as there is a good risk that I'd make a pigs ear of it.
I too would be interested in a group buy for a pair.
Are the originals sculpted with some kind of router or formed in a mold?

Regards

Richard

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ACOUSTIC-FOAM-SPEAKER-FRONTS-1250mm-x-650mm-20-PPI_W0QQitemZ150110502255QQcategoryZ23794QQssPageN ameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemhi,

Take a look here.
Thick enough to be sculptured, see his other items for other thicknesses.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.baldam/dogrun.gif

Hello

I had also found this on ebay, just after my last post.
I'm in two minds about this as I don't have a router, so may consider just
making an iso grille close copy. However it is relatively cheap, so it may be worth a go.

Regards Richard

Don't know if this thread has dried up, but I would be interested in some replacement foam grilles.

so would i