Having woofer trouble

No I haven't been playing my Zeppelin favourites at max volume. This is commonly what 36 years does to the foam surrounds on our favourite speakers.

It all started when I started hearing a rattle from the right speaker. Loud or soft the rattle was still there so I swapped the channels around thinking that the problem was the transistors leaking in my amplifier of the same age. The amplifier had developed a few other audible flaws over the years, but it was basically OK most of the time ... but the rattle remained in the right speaker.

I lived with it for a bit, turning down the right speaker and just listening to the left but then the rattle started on that speaker too. Out with the screwdriver and off with the covers on my 12" woofers and I was presented with this - the foam cone supports had completely disintegrated on both cones. Next step - on to the web where I was shocked at the paucity of quality 12" hifi speakers. Does nobody buy proper sized speakers any more?

Next step - I have a foam repair kit from eBay and have the cones out on the workbench. Will they ever sound the same? We shall see ...