Warning - speaker vandalism ahead!!
All the while, I have been receiving help from SGR Audio, a speaker design company in Melbourne. They advised me that I had reached a dead end (and didn't I know that!). The only thing left to do is ... replace the woofer. I then did what no other Violon owner would do. I ordered a custom built high efficiency woofer to replace the stock drivers on the Violon. It would have to be of the same diameter and bolt pattern to ensure trouble free installation.
Here are a few comparison shots of the old and new woofers:
Arse end of both woofers. Note that the new woofer has a much more substantial build. The basket is cast steel and powdercoated, and the motor structure is bigger and deeper. Also note the cooling vent for the motor unit.
Front end of both woofers. I have to say that the new woofer looks quite sexy, even if it is going to be covered up in the end!
You may also have noticed that the new woofer is physically deeper than the old woofer. We immediately ran into a problem with the speaker cabinet. It contains a brace that secures the rear of the woofer. In fact, the woofer was glued to the speaker cabinet! To get it off, we had to tap it out with a hammer. So we had to do this:
By this stage, my heart was truly in my mouth. The sun was starting to set, and it was taking a VERY long time to mod the box given all the unexpected snags we kept running up against - hidden steel reinforcements, nails, and so on.
We got all the work done and replaced the speakers. Turned it on, did a few sweeps, and changed the crossover settings. We were ready to listen.
HOLY CRAP it's good! If you can imagine the power of a 300W solid state amp driving a high efficiency 8 Ohm woofer, with 110W of triode power running a high efficiency horn and tweeter - there is no shortage of power reserve. The speakers can go loud, loud, loud and even louder without a hint of strain. The dynamics of this thing are astonishing. The new driver goes about its business with a certain lightness and nimbleness, as opposed to the old driver which sounded heavy and plodding by comparison.