[speakernut]

I'm surprised no one has made any comments on the type of screws VMPS uses for the RM-40s. I don't know of any speaker manufacturer that it is still using flat-head / wood screws on their drivers. For a $6K+ speaker you would think at least using a good quality "hex" type of screws, platinum or brass to top it off...

Has anybody changed their factory screws?

[Brian Cheney]

We have tried many different kinds of fasteners over the years and found that the 1 1/4" #6  "Grabber" woodscrews work the best.  The T nuts and other "quality" fastners you mention work loose under vibration and need regular retightening.

In addition, the gasket material we use provides a second even stronger seal than the screws.  Anyone who has removed screws and tried to get a woofer out of one of our speakers knows how solid the bond to the baffle is.

If a customer specifies a certain fastener we will use it.

[warnerwh]

I'm sure that nobody has said anything about the type of screw is because the only thing that matters is if it's solid engineering.  Screws don't cost enough to worry about and I'm sure Brian could care less what screws he uses as long as the hold well and are more than strong enough. Being very mechanically inclined I can assure you a hex or torx head will hold no better than any other.  There's alot more to a screw than the head.  I'd never heard about anyone complaining about not having a pretty screw.  Sounds like you could use one (just kidding)

[Q]

I'm surprised no one has made any comments on the type of screws VMPS uses for the RM-40s. I don't know of any speaker manufacturer that it is still using flat-head / wood screws on their drivers. For a $6K+ speaker you would think at least using a good quality "hex" type of screws, platinum or brass to top it off...

Has anybody changed their factory screws?

I noticed the same, only because of what the fluted underside of the flat-head screw does to the woofer's frame sheet steel.  That is a very high pressure point and tends to bend the steel.  Maybe this is advantageous??
Surely a Socket Head or Pan Head screw is available with the same thread geometry.

Another thing that i wondered about was the use of wood as a phase plug, as wood absorbs moisuture, which will change its shape, size, and resonance characterisitics.  I would think that perhaps a turned piece of HDPE, phenolic, or similar material may work better??
Q

[Brian Cheney]

We have noticed no physical changes in the wooden phase plugs after 7 years of use.  Drivers that old returned for repair have no problems in that regard.

I have never seen one of our baskets distorted by the screws we use.  That may have to do with our heavy gauge steel.  Our current 15" has a discast frame.

Four RM 40 owners are doing the FST upgrade, we will see how difficult they found it.  It is a lot of work, requiring cutting into the front baffle and replacing the crossovers.