Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

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HIFI4EVER
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Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by HIFI4EVER » Fri Feb 03, 2017 10:36 pm

Hello, I recently purchased a pair of old and seemly abused sp3 speakers. (not 2) I'm using for home speakers now.

1. I hooked them up and neither horns working. I put speakers wires directly to them and nothing. ( I'm looking at ebay replacement diaphragms hoping that will fix it)

2. The black widow woofers seem okay but if pushed out manually a little ways there is a slight scratch starting

3. Did these come with L pads or is the open square hole in the back a port?

4. If I buy and L pad should I go 100 watts and if I go 16 ohms will it help preserve the horn?

5. There is no polyfill in the box can I put some in for an improvement or will it harm it?

6. Are there more power capable horn drivers to use?

7. If I send the crossovers to peavey for a rebuild what is the total cost roughly with parts?

netrecce
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Re: Old peavey SP3 cabinet and driver questions

Post by netrecce » Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:09 am

You'll be better off restoring to original spec's. Download your SP3 Owner's Manual with Spec's here:

https://assets.peavey.com/literature/ma ... 300649.pdf

Notice the spec's say SP3's had 15" Scorpion's... not Black Widows. The 22A horn drivers can be updated. Call Peavey customer service for update recommendations. If you can't repair the crossovers yourself, it's usually less expensive to buy used replacements on eBay or Craigslist than pay someone to rebuild them?

If your SP3 project turns out to be more expensive that you can afford. Cut your losses early. Maybe turn the cab's into 15" subwoofers... or just part them out.

HIFI4EVER
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by HIFI4EVER » Sat Feb 04, 2017 11:08 am

Thank you for the help. I was wondering what the difference is between the two woofers and how they act different in there too?

netrecce
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by netrecce » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:26 pm

Your SP3's were designed for 15" Scorpions and will probably sound better with Scorpions.

15" Black Widows are more powerful but have less clarity in the low-mid or high-bass frequency range. Remember that speaker cabinets are designed as a complete unit. The cabinet, internal crossover, horn and driver, and the low range woofer all work together. You can change a component to something different and it will work... it may sound good... but may not be as optimal.
.

HIFI4EVER
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by HIFI4EVER » Sun Feb 05, 2017 2:13 pm

Okay, well that is a bummer.

I guess the next question is to finish them I need horn diaphragms.

I read if I buy after market the screws wont't fit from the peavey 22a. Anybody know where I can find the screws to fit the new ones that need to be longer or what size they are?

I would consider replacing the horn driver voice coil, but not sure how tight to make them and 1 locating pin is missing from the back piece.

ALSO... before I buy them, is there maybe a recommendation for a better suited driver to thread on the horn for HIFI?

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thunda
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by thunda » Sun Feb 05, 2017 2:26 pm

the 22xt driver is a direct replacement for the 22a and sounds better to boot. there are aftermarket replacement drivers that will work too but some need screws that are 1/8" longer to mount - just take your old screws to the hardware store and match the threads with a longer screw...
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HIFI4EVER
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by HIFI4EVER » Tue Feb 07, 2017 6:26 pm

Okay, I'll order some.
Is the xt a thread on piece? I see the diaphragm fits 22a and xt.

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thunda
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by thunda » Tue Feb 07, 2017 9:31 pm

no, it bolts directly to the magnet with two screws
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HIFI4EVER
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by HIFI4EVER » Sat Feb 11, 2017 11:25 pm

Thanks, they are working now with having to get 12 longer screws of course.

Now I'd like to find out if the rectangle hole in the center back of the speakers is a port that is meant to be there, or if someone put it there. OR if they put it there for the black widow speaker?

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thunda
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by thunda » Sun Feb 12, 2017 9:53 am

is there an input jack plate on the rear? if not, it may have been removed for some reason and the hole remains...
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HIFI4EVER
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by HIFI4EVER » Sun Feb 12, 2017 1:24 pm

input plate is there, that is on rear corn er area. This hole is in the center above the magnet of the woofer.

I'm trying it closed off and different things right now.

Dookie
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by Dookie » Wed Feb 15, 2017 4:11 am

How old are these speakers? Can you post a photo?
The first Sp3's were horn loaded. They had 4 ohm woofers in them. The loading of the horn enclosure would bring the nominal load to 8 ohms.
Might want to check and see what you have in them for proper load on the amp.

Like these . http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Peavey- ... Swux5YRbbO

Doug

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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by HIFI4EVER » Wed Feb 15, 2017 8:37 pm

These are the ones from the late 70's etc. SP3

I replaced the diaphragms on the horns, the speakers came with black widows, and now I am playing with trying to put ports int eh back holes, it seems to extend the bass range and people have been saying that the box was designed for the scorpian so I am only going by sound to my ears at this point.

I run 2 qsc bridged amps. one to each speaker and there is plenty of power, more than enough.

I wish I knew more about ports and how this BW 15 in this cab is different from the scorpian.


After listening to them a bit now at volume, I don't like bass, and I think the crossover for the tweeter on one is going, it sounds more dull compared to the left speaker.

Can I get parts for these or maybe just the caps?

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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by HIFI4EVER » Sun Feb 19, 2017 6:41 pm

Okay the Xovers need replacing.

I found out these are the BW drivers
https://peavey.com/products/index.cfm/item/717/116641

Now can I use Xovers that are 2000hz ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Way-Passive-C ... xyaURTjfgZ

Dookie
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Re: Old peavey SP2 cabinet and driver questions

Post by Dookie » Mon Feb 20, 2017 5:16 am

HIFI4EVER wrote:Okay the Xovers need replacing.

I found out these are the BW drivers
https://peavey.com/products/index.cfm/item/717/116641

Now can I use Xovers that are 2000hz ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Way-Passive-C ... xyaURTjfgZ
No, the Horn Lens in the box is a Constant Directivity Horn lens. As the frequencies the horn is asked to reproduce go up the output drops. You'll need a crossover that has CD horn eq as part of the design. Either active or passive. https://peavey.com/support/technotes/so ... orn_eq.cfm

Doug

I just wanted to add this. You have an old box. The woofer is wrong for the box and it doesn't have a crossover in it. Because the speaker in it is 8 ohms and the horn loading of the box will drop it to 16 ohms the output in the woofer range will drop and the response of the box will be off as well.
You also need the correct crossover with CD horn eq plus L-Pads to attenuate what ever bandpass is too loud. All this work to only get so/so response.
Maybe look for something like these that have the horn lens,driver and crossover all ready installed and put your good woofers to work.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Seismic-Audio-T ... Sw3ydV1NQC

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