Update to fixing Linn Saras

Several forum members gave me helpful advice a few weeks ago on fixing the front bass driver of older Sara speakers -- thanks. Here's an update of what I did that may be of interest to other Sara owners.

I contacted Wilmslow Audio who suggested replacing the damaged KEF B200 drivers (no longer made) with Peerless #832737 drivers. I gave it a shot.

The Peerless drivers appear well-made, but they don't have quite the same heavy-duty driver housing of the old KEFs. As a result the Sara has to re-drilled to get them to fit. I siliconed the old KEF attachment points closed and also siliconed and screwed the new Peerless drivers firmly in place to get a tight seal between the bass units of the Sara. It is also necessary to mechanically separate the driver lead wires or they buzz together when the speaker is played (Linn braided the wires together; I separated them with a bit of electrical tape).

Result: I'm fairly pleased. The speaker sounds pretty much as I remember it, although I should say it's been some time since I last heard a properly working model. Bass is slightly loose, but wasn't it always this way? These are really neat little speakers over all, though, even if they're a bit short of being "legends".

So for old Sara owners there is still a way to replace the front bass unit at a reasonable cost and without hunting-down the rare B200.

Hence if you can find a pair of damaged Saras for cheap, as I did, they can probably still be fixed-up to make a nice second-system or an inexpensive primary-system speaker, provided that the heavily modified internal driver is still in good order