Loudspeaker repairs
John Stumbles
A couple of years ago there was a discussion here on where to get
spares/repairs for loudspeakers.
After recent chasing around I've some updated info to share ...
KEF repair/service dept 01622 757777
Wharfedale (head office) 01480 431737
Wharfedale service dept 0113 264 7772
Goodmans (& Mordant Short?) 01705 492777
Wilmslow Audio 01455 286603
I've been checking what I could do to repair a few set of speakers with
various faults: Wharfedales with everything blown, ARs with a blown
tweeter, and KEFs with a scraping coil.
Wharfedale couldn't help for my old Denton(?) XP2s. Wilmslow do general
replacements and speaker kits: e.g. tweeters 27 quid, bass units 45 each,
or kit of a pair of each + crossovers + wire, padding etc for 200 quid.
More than the units are worth, though!
KEF no longer do the drive unit for my Coda 5. Wilmslow quoted 60 quid for
an equivalent, but then it turns out there's another unit for 16 quid
which differs in having a round rather than square mounting flange! (I
suppose that might matter if I didn't have the grille on the front.)
I don't have a number for Acoustic Research, but since the rubber roll
surround is perishing on the main drive units as well as one tweeter
having gone on my AR18s I guess they'll be uneconomic to repair too :-(
So ... anyone want some boxes? Free to collector!
--
John Stumbles j.d.st...@reading.ac.uk
Computer Services, University of Reading http://www.rdg.ac.uk/~suqstmbl
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
If a job's worth doing, it'll still be worth doing tomorrow.
Frank Erskine
In article <6a5jj8$r...@axalotl.demon.co.uk>, Hugh Davies <huge@axalotl_n
ospam.demon_nospam.co.uk> writes
> and I was muttering about
>contacting Wharfedale since I have a 'Diamond' with a blown main driver.
>Actually, the braided wire from the chassis to the voice coil has,
>er, disappeared. I soldered some more across the gap (have you tried to
>solder what is effectively desoldering braid?) but it still sounds
>obviously different to the other one.
>
Ah - did you use oxygen-free copper for the bit of wire? ;-)
--
Frank Erskine
Sunderland
For the benefit of Spambots everywhere:
webmaster@localhost
abuse@localhost
postmaster@localhost
mole
John Stumbles <suqs...@reading.ac.uk> wrote in article
<Pine.SOL.3.96.980119...@suma3.reading.ac.uk>...
| A couple of years ago there was a discussion here on where to get
| spares/repairs for loudspeakers.
|
| After recent chasing around I've some updated info to share ...
|
| KEF repair/service dept 01622 757777
| Wharfedale (head office) 01480 431737
| Wharfedale service dept 0113 264 7772
| Goodmans (& Mordant Short?) 01705 492777
| Wilmslow Audio 01455 286603
|
| I've been checking what I could do to repair a few set of speakers with
| various faults: Wharfedales with everything blown, ARs with a blown
| tweeter, and KEFs with a scraping coil.
|
| Wharfedale couldn't help for my old Denton(?) XP2s. Wilmslow do general
| replacements and speaker kits: e.g. tweeters 27 quid, bass units 45 each,
| or kit of a pair of each + crossovers + wire, padding etc for 200 quid.
| More than the units are worth, though!
|
I picked up a pair of XP2's at a boot sale and,although functioning,I
replaced the
bass/mids with a pair of Kenwood car speakers.In comparison to the
originals
they are awesome,cheap too(£60).
Mole
Woody
In article <6a5jj8$r...@axalotl.demon.co.uk>, Hugh Davies <huge@axalotl_n
ospam.demon_nospam.co.uk> writes
>I've just ordered some more grill foam for my home-brew speakers from
>Wilmslow (nice to see they're still in business - I bought the bits for
>the speakers from them about 15 years ago...),
[snip]
Actually, same name different company. the couple who ran WA from day
one sold out last year and emigrated to SA. The chap running it now
from Leicestershire has no connection with them, other than he bought
the Company.
--
Andrew W.
Harrogate, UK
wo...@tangon.demon.co.uk
g1uxp@gb7cym
To reply, replace nospam with demon in the address.
nick nelson
In article <6a5jj8$r...@axalotl.demon.co.uk
Hugh Davies <huge@axalotl_nospam.demon_nospam.co.uk
writes
> > and I was muttering about
> >contacting Wharfedale since I have a 'Diamond' with a blown main driver.
> >Actually, the braided wire from the chassis to the voice coil has,
> >er, disappeared. I soldered some more across the gap (have you tried to
> >solder what is effectively desoldering braid?) but it still sounds
> >obviously different to the other one.
I'd guess the solder wicking up the wire makes it noticably
stiffer than it should be thus changing the characteristics of
the cones response.
You could try tightly binding the braid with with enamelled wire
a few mm away from the end before soldering it. Sometimes this
works since the solder is not drawn past the binding.
Nick.
Rick Hughes
Wilmslow audio have been trading long time I have a collection of Wilmslow
catalogues ... one is dated 1975 !
I have bought many times from them and is is a bit sad to see them go from a
huge collection of kits .. bits etc. to the much smaller range of today.
I have built many KEF cabinets, Transmission Line Monitors, active Sub bass
cabinets and Wilmslow were always the stockists of choice.
Also had some power horns re-coiled by the manufacturers through them ... much
cheaper than buying new units. ( Fane horns )
I also have a huge collection of cabinet plans from Wilmslow .. mostly Hi-Fi
answers, etc. reprints. Unfortunately most of the drivers are no longer
available .... the main stay of the cabinet business was the superb KEF kits.
These used the same drivers and cross overs as the production models, and KEF
even gave full cabinet construction details including damping & tuning.
Unfortunately KEF no longer make these available to Wilmslow.
I just finished a large Active Sub Bass speaker for my Home theatre set up,
the driver I bought in the states at 80% cheaper than Wilmslow could import it
for, but they as usual supplied the rest of the stuff .. including the real
hard wood veneer.
Always found them an excellent firm to deal with and never any problems with
after sales service.
Rick
--
\\\|///
\\ - - //
( @ @ )
---------oOOo-(_)-oOOo---------
Welcome from Wales All comments are my own and
Rick_...@newbridge.com not attributable to my Employer
-------------------------------
Bob Goddard
In article <01bc08b0$8ce649e0$4a0470c3@default>, mole
<mo...@nildram.co.uk> writes
>
>I picked up a pair of XP2's at a boot sale and,although functioning,I
>replaced the
>bass/mids with a pair of Kenwood car speakers.In comparison to the
>originals
>they are awesome,cheap too(£60).
A very much misused word. I take it you mean they make a loud repetitive
thudding noise and annoy the neighbours?
Bob
--
>---B---------| This space unintentionally left |---Reply to me--->
Goddard | blank. | at godwit
>---b---------| |---not nospam---->
John Laird
In article <6acm3k$1...@axalotl.demon.co.uk>, huge@axalotl_nospam.demon_nospam.co.uk (Hugh Davies) writes:
> In article <34C8DBDF...@newbridge.com>, Rick Hughes <Rick_...@newbridge.com> writes:
>
>>Wilmslow audio have been trading long time I have a collection of Wilmslow
>>catalogues ... one is dated 1975 !
>>
>>I have bought many times from them and is is a bit sad to see them go from a
>>huge collection of kits .. bits etc. to the much smaller range of today.
>
> all interests. Have you looked in a model shop these days? When I was building
> model aircraft, such shops sold hundreds of kinds of basic materials - these
> days they have a tiny rack of balsa and a vast array of 'assemble it yourself'
> plastic kits.
>
Clue: "I want it, and I want it NOW !"
Very interesting to watch the recent programme on the misguided fool who
tried to build a small plane in a month. His fibre-glass lash-up was a
lash-up pure and simple, before he started again and got a proper home-build
team to put together a standard wood-based design (I especially liked the
wings, which seemed to go together in about one day, could be picked up in
one hand and were strong enough to bear the weight of a person before being
covered).
I can remember _grades_ of balsa. (slumps back into armchair, muttering
about things not being what they were, zzz....)
--
John Laird (jo...@yrl.co.uk) "I have discovered a truly elegant sig,
Yezerski Roper Ltd sadly there is no room here to show it."
http://www.yrl.co.uk
Phil Addison
On 21 Jan 1998 19:51:04 GMT, in uk.d-i-y Hugh Davies wrote:
>In article <Pine.SOL.3.96.980119...@suma3.reading.ac.uk>, John Stumbles <suqs...@reading.ac.uk> writes:
>>A couple of years ago there was a discussion here on where to get
>>spares/repairs for loudspeakers.
>>
>>After recent chasing around I've some updated info to share ...
>>
>>KEF repair/service dept 01622 757777
>>Wharfedale (head office) 01480 431737
>>Wharfedale service dept 0113 264 7772
>>Goodmans (& Mordant Short?) 01705 492777
>>Wilmslow Audio 01455 286603
>
>
>I've just ordered some more grill foam for my home-brew speakers from
>Wilmslow (nice to see they're still in business - I bought the bits for
>Actually, the braided wire from the chassis to the voice coil has,
>er, disappeared. I soldered some more across the gap (have you tried to
>solder what is effectively desoldering braid?) but it still sounds
>obviously different to the other one.
From the UK.D-I-Y FAQ PART 6: DIY REFERENCES
URL: http://www.paranoia.com/~filipg/REPAIR/
soon moving to http://www.repairfaq.org/
Title: Repair FAQ
Contents: How to repair most household electrical and electronic
devices and appliances.
In the Repair FAQ is a file "Speaker.doc" which I hope folk won't mind me
reproducing here. Apart from answering the question it gives a good idea of
the depth of stuff in the marvelous Repair FAQ.
Phil Addison
-------------------------- Speaker.doc --------------------------
Speaker Repair
Contents:
* Chapter 1) Big Speakers
* Chapter 2) Common Failures (why)
[Document Version: _1.00_] [Last Updated: _3/26/96_]
_________________________________________________________________
Chapter 1) Big Speakers
(From Ted Carron)
Make certain that the voice coil didn't "just" jump out and jam on the
face of the magnet's center pole! If this is the case, a bit of
careful manipulation can put things right.
Big speakers are actually not too bad to redo. Remember that you're
only other option is to toss it out, so you have nothing to loose by
trying to repair it. Having good manual dexterity and a knack for
detail work is an asset (ie: a model builder skills). So, once you
have determined that the problem is internal (voice coil) and you want
to take matters further:
1. Paint an alignment line from the cone edge over the suspension and
onto the basket so that you can line everything upon reassembly.
2. Do the same to the spider
3. Unsolder the voice coil leads from the tab on the basket
4. Using a razor blade or an Exacto knife cut all around the
suspension as close to the basket as possible to free up the wide
end of the cone
5. Do the same where the spider meets the basket
6. Lift the cone and voice coil assemble out (be careful here, if the
coil has come apart you may snag things and damage the voice coil
form).
7. Examine it, you may be able to fix a short or bridge an open and
reassemble at this point.
8. Get a dowel rod that just fits inside the voice coil (light
friction fit) and insert it. Handle the voice coil/cone assembly
by this "handle" if at all possible. It will also keep the voice
coil form from collapsing when you rewind it.
9. Carefully unwind the voice coil and write down how long it is, how
many layers, and how many turns and direction of winding (ie:
clockwise from front)
10. Obtain some replacement wire of the same OUTSIDE diameter (note
that depending on the particular enamel insulation, the same wire
gauge may have differing insulation thickness)
11. Rewind the coil one layer at a time (remember to solder it to the
braided lead-outs !), use Q-dope to hold it to the voice coil
form, and to also hold it together. Do not over do it on the
Q-Dope on the outside layer. If you make it too thick it will not
fit back in!
12. Reassemble, using the alignment marks as guides
13. With the speaker sitting cone up, everything should be sitting
pretty much lined up with where you cut it free
14. Use contact cement and a fine artist brush to glue the suspension
back Together (I have assumed a foam suspension)
15. Use silicon RTV to put a fillet around the spider where it
contacts the basket, again a small artists brush is used.
16. Solder the leads back to the tab
17. Let the glues dry
18. Test it
_Note_
* It take a bit of skill (not a lot)
* You MUST be patient
* You will not be able to use it at 100% of full power, the Q-Dope
will not take the same sort of heat as the original epoxy on the
voice coil did, nor will the RTV on the spider take a full stress
forward excursion
* It will be workable
_________________________________________________________________
Chapter 2) Common Failures (why)
(From Lee Pedlow)
While working my way through college, I managed a pro-sound company in
the SF Bay area. We would get a customer into our repair dept. with
your complaint at least twice a week. The typical failure modes for
abused musical instrument amps are either shorted or open voice coils
in the speaker, followed by the destruction of the final amplifier
stages. It starts out as a buzz from the cone. The reason for all this
is that the voice coil/spider assembly overheats and then distorts.
The clearance between the voice coil and the magnet pole pieces are
fairly small and a little deformation of the cylindrical voice coil
will make it bind and buzz. After that happens, it heats up alot
faster and either fuses open or wears through the voicecoil wire
insulation and shorts to the pole piece. If it fuses open, you're
lucky. If it shorts, you lose the amp as well.
The repair is usually to replace the speaker. The real expensive
pro-audio drivers like the EVs, JBLs, etc could be reconed cheaper
than replacement but low end drivers like those in Crates aren't cost
effective to have repaired (nobody will touch them - [but see section
above]). On the rare occasion that one can find someone to recone
them, they usually have substitued parts and really screw it up so you
have to buy a new speaker anyway. The moral is take care of your
equipment, especially if you depend on it to feed you!
_________________________________________________________________
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_fi...@paranoia.com_ [Feedback Form] [mailto]. The most recent
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http://www.paranoia.com/~filipg/ [Copyright] [Disclaimer]
[soon moving to http://www.repairfaq.org/]
--
Phil
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