Andrew Drouin, a British Columbia-based computer technician and long-time audio enthusiast, has announced the establishment of an online ferrofluid distribution hub for customers (individuals and retail outlets) in the Canadian marketplace who need the specialized liquid for loudspeaker driver rebuilds.
The recently launched Speaker Ferrofluids (speakerferrofluids.com) is initially offering the Ferrotech brand for tweeters, with viscosity ferrofluids for compression, midrange and woofer drivers expected to be in stock in 2024. Drouin states that the products are available for about half the cost in comparison to sourcing them from international sources, including those in the U.S.
“If one wanted the specific type of ferrofluid used in loudspeaker repair, the only option was to order online from American or European sources – and pay absurd prices for shipping,” he explains. “Factoring in the current Canadian dollar versus U.S. and European currencies, and those seeking loudspeaker-grade ferrofluid products were looking at paying between $50 and $60 CAD per 100ul of ferrofluid shipped to their door.”
Drouin notes that his motivation to set up the enterprise stems from being a “long-time tinkerer of audio kit” who had several vintage loudspeaker units that required servicing. “My collection of KEF and other classic UK loudspeakers sported tweeter drivers that did not function correctly, and a bit of research informed me that ferrofluid, or more accurately, dysfunctional ferrofluid, was the cause of these drivers failing to reproduce sound with any substantial volume,” he adds.
The company offers free shipping in Canada for all standard kit orders, defined as a 1ml. syringe containing 500ul. of ferrofluid. A slight additional cost is incurred for those who require more ferrofluid, i.e., two syringes of product. (Go here for more details on shipping costs.)
Kits include the re-cappable 1ml. syringe (.500ul.), sans metal needle; heavy-duty cut-marked paper for cleaning the gap of dried up/gummy ferrofluid; a pair of compostable, latex-free gloves (ferrofluid is messy); and a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) providing information on the safe use of the product.
