[RodB]

Hi Will,

Whenever this subject comes up everyone moans when Rod responds. Here's what they're moaning about. The speaker is designed as a stiff cone to move in and out to produce the sound. If there's a tear or hole in the cone, the whole cone is not moving together. Hence, buzzing or distortion. Repair it with a similar material (stiff paper) using acid neutral adhesive (not necessarily necessary). The surround, however, is where all the action is. It's designed to provide flexibility doing all the bending and often is a different, softer material. Older speakers benefit from a coating of contact cement around the surround, it stays soft and bonds the fibers in the surround material. It will also add a little bass response to the speaker. I've done this to many speakers with good results. But, it's one of those things that you won't know what it sounds like if you do it some other way. This method always seemed logical to me.