Snell Type JIII Part 2: $25 foam vs $40 Euro foam

Re-foaming the 8" woofer found in various incarnations of the Type E, J and K Snell speakers is a very contentious issue exacerbated by their cult-like status amongst audiophile admirers. 

Vifa M21WN-07-04 woofer
Left = $25/pr. foam (yellowish tint), Right = $40/pr. Euro foam

In this day and age of marketing hype, spending $100 or so to import a pair of alleged original foam from European sources is, IMHO, not justifiable. How does one determine which retailer is being truthful?

Given that I wanted to give this project my best shot, when I noticed that Simply Speakers* added a Euro version to their website for $40 a pair/shipped, I placed an order. This is just one of the many reasons why this installment has been delayed. 

*No affiliation, just a satisfied customer!

WARNING!

In Part 1, I re-foamed my pair of Vifa M21WN-07-04 woofers using the $25 foam kit. I specifically mentioned that the dust cap and cone are just one piece. 

I've seen discussions in audio forums suggesting the removal of the dust cap to center the voice coil. I have to reiterate that the removal of the dust cap = a DESTROYED woofer!

After using both these foam kits, I can confirm that the voice coil on this particular Vifa woofer is self-centering. If you encounter voice coil problems, it's either the foam you used is suspect or you seriously deviated from the instructions.

RTA Traces

$25 foam vs. $40 Euro foam

Only one Vifa M21WN-07-04 was fitted with the Euro foam so I could compare them.

Die-hard Snell aficionados and "specialist" retailers contend that "generic foam" will kill the bass response of the Vifa M21 woofer. Given the RTA traces below, which foam is generic?

Snell JIII with Simply Speakers $25 foam

This trace pretty much tracks the original specs at hifiengine.com. 

Snell JIII with Simply Speakers $40 Euro foam

If we split hairs, this $40 Euro foam trace looks just a touch more ragged. 

Euro foam serial number

FWIW, unlike the $25 foam, the Euro foam has a serial number. Does that give it more credibility?

Listening to Foam 

$25 foam vs. $40 Euro foam

Evaluations were conducted in full dimensional mono! 

The sonic dissimilarity was very subtle. It only became obvious in A/B comparisons in which I was consciously listening for a difference. Also, as usual in audio, better metrics don't necessarily = better sound because audio tests (in this case, pink noise) are static while music is very dynamic! 

Listening to Billie, Ella, Julie, Frank, Tony and Johnny H, it was relatively easy to discern better midrange presence from the unit fitted with the Euro foam. When I pulled out my Ray Brown, Curtis Counce, Charlie Haden and Mingus CDs and LPs, I heard more tuneful and articulate bass lines from the Euro foamed woofer. The woofer with the $25 foam had a tendency to sound boomy while the midrange was just a touch veiled. 

That said, if your Vifa M21s are already fitted with the $25 foam replacement and you're not very DIY savvy, it's nothing to lose sleep over. IMHO, you're still listening to a pair of very decent classic speakers. However, if you're a seasoned DIYer restoring an unmolested pair of Type Js or Es with rotten Vifa foams, go for the $40 Euro foam!

 Is the $40 Euro foam the original foam?

The Time Tunnel

I wish I could travel back to the early 90s to find the honest-to-goodness truth.

Instead of worrying about matters beyond my control, I'm going to replace the $25 foam on the other Vifa M21 with Euro foam so I can listen in full dimensional stereo!

Go to Part 3 or back to Part 1