RCF L15-542 Driver replacement / substitute

Ben Lawrence

Ben Lawrence

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Mar 2, 2011
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Hello,
I picked up a lot of used equipment off a small venue a few years back. Part of it was some old EAW FR253HR speakers. I have since pulled them apart and am trying to replace the 15" stock drivers. I have contacted the EAW parts vendor and these 15's are upwards of 200$ each to replace. Reconing is not that much cheaper. In addition there is one oddball LC-1523 driver and 3 L15-542 drivers. I was curious if there might be a cheap Eminence, Dayton or the like that might work in these cabinets with decent results. I pulled these specs off the web for the original drivers. Any assistance would be appreciated as long as it doesn't involve carrying these things up a flight of stairs.
Mms 84
Cms 0.00014
Fs 45
Qts 0.36
Qms 9
Qes 0.37
Vas 146
Re 7.2
SD 850
Xlin 4.5


 
Re: RCF L15-542 Driver replacement / substitute

Ben Lawrence said:
Hello,
I picked up a lot of used equipment off a small venue a few years back. Part of it was some old EAW FR253HR speakers. I have since pulled them apart and am trying to replace the 15" stock drivers. I have contacted the EAW parts vendor and these 15's are upwards of 200$ each to replace. Reconing is not that much cheaper. In addition there is one oddball LC-1523 driver and 3 L15-542 drivers. I was curious if there might be a cheap Eminence, Dayton or the like that might work in these cabinets with decent results. I pulled these specs off the web for the original drivers. Any assistance would be appreciated as long as it doesn't involve carrying these things up a flight of stairs.
Mms 84
Cms 0.00014
Fs 45
Qts 0.36
Qms 9
Qes 0.37
Vas 146
Re 7.2
SD 850
Xlin 4.5


Click to expand...

Close but not exactly the same …
www.eminence.com/pdf/Kappalite_3015.pdf
 
Re: RCF L15-542 Driver replacement / substitute

Dang it that driver is around 270$ a pop.
What are the most important parameters for getting something usable. I will give a go at some research. Although will probably end up just calling Silas.:lol:
 
Re: RCF L15-542 Driver replacement / substitute

Ben Lawrence said:
Dang it that driver is around 270$ a pop.
What are the most important parameters for getting something usable. I will give a go at some research. Although will probably end up just calling Silas.:lol:
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan :)

I think I have one Kappalite 3015 on the shelf from before Neo went sky high, I'd sell it cheap. It's NIB.

And, at least looking at my cost, the Kappalite 3015 can be had for WAY less than the $270 MAP.

I'm no expert on driver parameters, but I know someone who is, but I don't want to volunteer them as their time is very valuable. Perhaps he will volunteer.
 
Re: RCF L15-542 Driver replacement / substitute

Ben,

The ceramic magnet Eminence Kappa-15LFA comes pretty close to your Thiele-Small and pricing criteria, but the idea of its stamped steel frame may make you spit up in your throat a little.

For a little more money and a greater distance from your target specs, the cast frame/ceramic magnet Eminence Kappa Pro-15LF-2 is a very useful driver. It's an extremely versatile and good-performing speaker for the money, but you might have to tweak your box tuning and/or passive crossover. It depends on what you're trying to achieve with the loudspeaker when it's put back together again. Anything close from RCF or B&C is going to be pretty spendy, whether they match or not. I haven't heard an FR253 in a VERY long time, so I can't comment on system voicing or reasonable expectations.

There will be others who suggest you set the enclosures on fire because if you can't obtain genuine, identical replacement components, there's no point in carrying on. I suppose -- if you continue to use these "hot rods" -- you should remove the EAW badges because these are now custom boxes...

Good luck with your project.
 
Re: RCF L15-542 Driver replacement / substitute

+1 for the kappa pro 15LF 2. I replaced the failure prone factory subs in my active mackie HD1531 boxes with these drivers and very happy. I think I paid around $150 each and they are heavy monsters, very well built..... Give Eminence customer support a call or send them email, they respond very quickly and are very helpful with any questions...
 
Re: RCF L15-542 Driver replacement / substitute

Thanks all for the input. I ordered up some of the Kappa-15LFA through Silas who by the way has some great pricing.
Even though the EAW badges have long since been torn off these beasts at what was probably a biker rock weekend in the early nineties I shall call these my Mike Smiths.
 
Re: RCF L15-542 Driver replacement / substitute

Ben Lawrence said:
Even though the EAW badges have long since been torn off these beasts at what was probably a biker rock weekend in the early nineties I shall call these my Mike Smiths.
Click to expand...

I'm flattered, Ben, but I hope you're not doing that with the intention of jacking up the speakers' value on eBay. I'll have my people contact you with a licensing agreement. Remember: buyers will know the difference between a fake Mike Smith rat rod speaker and a genuine one.
 
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