Does replacing the surround foam holding the speaker cone change the sound?

Question

After you replace the foam on a speaker with a foam surround kit, will the sound be as good as a new speaker, or does this degrade the sound? I have old audiophile speakers that were expensive when new.

Answer 1

I replaced my woofer foam surrounds on my 2 Infinity Reference speakers and I think the bass actually got tighter. I had to replace both of them because the surround foams on both had hairline cracks so they were too soft and actually was causing some distortion. I am assuming yours have the same hairline cracks so you are contemplating on replacing them and I tell you it is worth doing. The other option is to order equivalent woofers from the Original Equipment Manufacturer, and replace the woofer/s as you need them. My suggestion is try replacing the foams like I did, listen to them and if you don't like them, that is the time to replace the woofers. I have other audiophile friends who has replaced their foam surrounds and liked the results.

Answer 2

It probably would.  The foam is a sound proofing material designed to aid in the directional spread of the sound waves the speaker makes.  Each type of foam has different acoustic attributes, so if you replace the foam, try contacting the speaker manufacturer to find out the details of the foam they recommend.