Hi, I would like to replace the woofers in my Ferguson 3T18 boombox for better ones. The original woofers are only rated 6 watts (4 ohms). The reason I want to replace them is because the boombox is rated at 35 watts and the woofers will 'wobble' and distort if the bass and volume are turned up (even at quite low volume). Do I need woofers with a higher wattage or do I need 8 ohms speakers. The person who recently repaired and serviced this boombox for me told me it was a bad idea to replace these woofers because the amp was designed to work with these speakers. Another problem will be getting suitable woofers that will fit. Any ideas?  

Just get a bigger box with more power, simple

35 watts consume's from the mains power !

NOT speaker power output - which is 6 watt @ 4 Ohms

6 times 2 equals 12 at the very most wattage that this boombox can produce based upon the rating of the speaker.

The audio amplifier in this boombox probably peak's at 3 watts ( rms ) per channel

Any after market speaker you may find should be as efficient as possible at a very low power and the same impedance of 4 Ohm's, wattage rating not concerned about as it should be at least this power rating for the give size of about 4 inch roughly 20 watts, like in your average automobile speaker which would be the best cheapest and ideal replacement speaker to chose - or you can search for a special speaker to fit in that little space but don't expect a huge improvement in sound unless the speakers you have don't work

Thanks, I realise that 35 watts is not the output (I don't have a manual so I don't know the true output). Anyway the trouble is that these woofers distort and 'wooble' if the volume goes above 3 with the bass at +2 or more, this suggests that that the amp is too powerful for these speakers (they are 5 inch woofers). From what I can gather from your reply is that suitable replacements would be 10-20 watt 4 ohm car speakers. Is Ebay the best place for these and can you recommend any particular brand/model that will fit and sound good (with nice clear mid range and reasonable bass)?

First thing in looking for a replacement speaker for any boombox is ( Will it fit? )

Next is finding something 'preferably' that will exactly match up with your mounting  holes in the boombox.

Then you gotta make certain that the depth of the NEW speaker as well as the diameter of the New magnet wont interfere with you mounting your New speaker by hitting any circuit boards and whatever is in your particular box.

Ebay is a fair place to search as well as partstore.com for speakers - goodle yes goodle  for 5 inch speaker @ 4 ohms and the search the images - Remembering that you wish the basket face to perfectly match where your OLD speakers were so mounting your new speaker's is easy

otherwise you gotta get out your 'dremel - tool' and grind the plastic away before you are able to mount your new speaker

I think i'm getting an idea why the guy who serviced/fixed this boombox said it was a bad idea to replace these speakers (in other words it's not going to be easy to find suitable speakers that will fit.

you can get the originals RE-Built or re-coned preferably with better materials and or Just have fun of searching and trying out different speaker's in this unit till you are

Where can I get them re-built? Is it possible to make them a higher wattage? How much is this likely to cost?

 

you can get the originals RE-Built or re-coned preferably with better materials and or Just have fun of searching and trying out different speaker's in this unit till you are

Where can I get them re-built? Is it possible to make them a higher wattage? How much is this likely to cost?

In your city, there should be a place, that your local Musicians take their amp's and speaker box's to, to have them serviced, repaired, and rebuilt. 

replacing the voice coil with a Higher wattage voice coil, solves that.

Reconing speaker's usually cost's $30.00 per speaker starting around 5 inch diameter roughly  and go up from there based upon the diameter of the speaker

remember the most expensive part of any speaker is the Magnet and basket

this will educate you in most of what I already know about loudspeakers

 Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudspeaker 

here is a "example" of a kit for the surrounds found on ebay - it's NOT my listing

Infinity RS4000 RS4000A 3.5" Midrange Foam Kit Repair

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160368861230?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

hope You have a better understanding now

with a few second's searching in ebay

here is a 5 inch

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-5-Foam-Surrounds-for-Speaker-Repair-/330846917063?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item4d080351c7

Thanks, it looks even better switched on  . Sounds awesome as well . Here are some pics of it powered up and of the inside (good quality componants and tape transport, it even has a metal flywheel) .

First Picture of this model is dark and Now

Been wondering about how the radio was tuned

It's Digital Tuning

Originally Posted by Soul Music:

 

you can get the originals RE-Built or re-coned preferably with better materials and or Just have fun of searching and trying out different speaker's in this unit till you are

Where can I get them re-built? Is it possible to make them a higher wattage? How much is this likely to cost?

In your city, there should be a place, that your local Musicians take their amp's and speaker box's to, to have them serviced, repaired, and rebuilt. 

 

replacing the voice coil with a Higher wattage voice coil, solves that.

 

Reconing speaker's usually cost's $30.00 per speaker starting around 5 inch diameter roughly  and go up from there based upon the diameter of the speaker

 

remember the most expensive part of any speaker is the Magnet and basket

 

this will educate you in most of what I already know about loudspeakers

 Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudspeaker 

 

here is a "example" of a kit for the surrounds found on ebay - it's NOT my listing

Infinity RS4000 RS4000A 3.5" Midrange Foam Kit Repair

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160368861230?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

hope You have a better understanding now

 

with a few second's searching in ebay

here is a 5 inch

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-5-Foam-Surrounds-for-Speaker-Repair-/330846917063?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item4d080351c7

I live in a rural area in the UK so there is no-one around here that can re-build these speakers, is there anybody in the UK that I could send them to or maybe I might be better off keeping the original speakers (and finding some that will fit), just in case I don't like the sound of any replacements?

nice box soulfreak,pretty elusive the 3t18 in the uk they dont turn up that often,

they look like a telefunken box that i sometimes see on ebayde..

good luck fixing it up

It's a nice looking box just be happy as it is. 

More bass without distortion means either a larger cone or a cone with longer stroke.

Larger cone won't fit. Longer stroke (greater xmax) will be a problem due to the nature of the speaker mount. The cone will probably hit the grill and damage will occur.

Also, they tended to use full range speakers in these types - not proper woofers.

That is a thing of beauty and should not be frigged with. Keep it as is and plug in a seperate small sub.

Thanks for all the suggestions . I think I will leave the woofers as they are and position the boombox in a corner to achieve a little more bass because I don't want to lose the clarity and mid-range that these speakers provide.