speaker repair

Considering their replacement cost, I have always thought that used Wilson Watt/Puppy combos are a bargain. After reading this post, I'm re-thinking that position. I have re-coned speakers in the past but I would look for professional help with speakers at this level.

Cleeds that is just a manner of speech but you are right it would have been more appropriate to say, "and express disappointment." No owner who spent that much on loudspeakers is going to be happy that they disintegrated. I have two pair of cheap Mirage loudspeakers in my workshop exposed to dust, alcohol vapor, Lacquer vapor and crazy amounts of very loud noise. They are 31 years old and perfectly healthy.
If I had a pair of Wilsons that did that I would be mad as hell but I would treat the manufacturer politely until they told me they would or could do nothing about it. Then I would fix the speakers myself and sell them for whatever I could get and I would tell the new owner what had happed. Then I would never go near another set of Wilsons and if someone asked me what I thought of them I would tell them the story. I had a similar situation with a Krell preamp. Dan himself told me to go to Radio Shack and buy a pot to wire to the unit from the outside! He no longer stocked the micro pot he used which was a custom design. I will never purchase another product from him not to mention that I want to buy the best sound not the best jewelry.   

If the speakers used foam surrounds, they deteriorate and dry out. Rubber surrounds do last much longer. 25 years IS a long time in any case, and the X-1's are an older design as well. I am not defending Wilson, but if you were listening to them on a regular basis all these years, you got a decent return on your investment. Either upgrade, or find someone that can refoam the drivers for you. Unfortunately the speakers are very heavy so you would have to remove the cones, snip the wires, and send them off. re-installing them the same way with some silver solder. 

Almost any foam surround is subject to deterioration with age, particularly if exposed to strong light or if the air has high levels of ozone (location in a city).  Rubber lasts longer, but rubber will eventually harden.  The longest lasting surrounds are old school designs with pleated paper or fabric surrounds.  I also happen to like the sound of speakers with these types of surround even though they restrict excursion so that they typically do not allow for reproduction of very deep and powerful bass.

Miller Sound in Lansdale, Pa. does excellent work on speakers.  Bill is a very honest person and will do exactly just what you need. tel:  215-412-7700