Spare drivers for insurance?

[digital desire]

So now that have all the goodies to make a complete LCR set of the Dayton towers/center, (center done!) I am considering buying a complete set of 4 drivers as 'spares', just because.
Anyone else have this mindset? I am running an adcom 555mkII for the mains and a marantz ma500 for the center. I have already repaired the outputs on one side of the adcom, and it has an annoying pop when I drive it*real* hard. Still have to iron that one out.
Anyway, it has made me painfully aware of being one PNP junction away from something bad...
It would be a $200 insurance policy, but I picture looking at the pile of drivers gathering dust 20 years from now also.

[ThomasW]

Old Adcoms are designed to fry a bunch of resistors to protect the main circuitry. Ever since I had a 565 go up in smoke for no apparent reason, I've never used 545/555/565's for anything other than subs.

That said, PE keeps products in stock for a long time. And things as popular as the RS drivers aren't going to be discontinued unless they can come up with something 'better', and that's doubtful given the price point.

Historically PE has given notice when they planned on phasing out drivers. So I think you're safe not buying replacements.

[digital desire]

Thanks Thomas. I still think about fuses right before the speaker.
How about the h1212 tweeter?
The 565, IIRC, got a lot of defective caps also, that leaked and wreaked havoc.
I could always sell the adcom and go with say a ep2500 (mod the fan) for an even swap.
Sound the same?

[LNeilB]

Thanks Thomas. I still think about fuses right before the speaker.
How about the h1212 tweeter?
The 565, IIRC, got a lot of defective caps also, that leaked and wreaked havoc.
I could always sell the adcom and go with say a ep2500 (mod the fan) for an even swap.
Sound the same?

Fuses don't help HF sound quality at all. Unless you expect a moron to play with your volume knob, or if you are using an underpowered amp to try to drive your speakers to headbanging levels, there is no real need for tweeter protection.

I am actually stocking spare drivers since my Lab tossed a tennis ball at an L18 and deformed the hell out of it. :M

[ThomasW]

Thanks Thomas. I still think about fuses right before the speaker.
How about the h1212 tweeter?
The 565, IIRC, got a lot of defective caps also, that leaked and wreaked havoc.
I could always sell the adcom and go with say a ep2500 (mod the fan) for an even swap.
Sound the same?

The protection offered by fuses is limited. They don't react quickly enough to protect against peaks.

There's nothing inherently 'wrong' with the older Adcom amps, just don't overdrive them or you're looking at an expensive repair or a paperweight.