Hi-Fi Speaker Troubleshooting??

[duhvoodooman]

Any of you guys know much about troubleshooting hi-fi stereo speaker problems? I have a nice pair of Klipsch Forte speakers (http://www.klipsch.com/products/discontinued/details/forte.aspx) I bought 20+ years ago that have been acting up for some time now. They have been well cared for and not abused in any way. The problem is that they keep cutting in and out intermittently. Both speakers do it, at different times. I naturally suspected wire connection problems, but I've been through that in detail a couple of times and can't find any bad connections. I've come to the conclusion that the problem must be in the speakers themselves. Oddly, when one of them cuts out, if you reach around the back of the speaker and tap lightly on the passive woofer cone a couple of times, the speaker usually cuts back in! I have no idea why this would have any effect! Their physical configuration is about 36"H x 16"W x 12"D, with a tweeter, midrange and woofer, and a passive woofer in the back.

Suggestions/advice welcomed!

[t_ross33]

Same thing was happening with one of my Peavey PA speakers (Scorpion in a 12+horn cabinet config - we use them for monitors). I got it re-coned for $60. Good as new.

Not sure if you'd be able to do that with high end speakers such as yours (:drool: BTW), but it might be worth checking into.

Trev

[just strum]

Here is a place you can check out. I was going to get the Advent speakers re-foamed (different from your problem) and I contacted a place in Florida that was real helpful and discussed the procedure in detail should I decide to do it myself. The speakers are sitting close to my feet right now, never got them fixed.

Anyway, if I find the place in Florida, I'll forward it to you.

Here's a place in Rochester NY

http://www.new-foam.com/Default.asp

[Spudman]

Check to see if there is a safety device installed. It's like a resistor or ceramic capacitor or something that prevents the signal from blowing the horns. That would be where I would start if all your solder joints are good.

Does just the woofer break up or does the tweeter too?

If it's just the woofer then: 1. connections 2. magnet/voice coil alignment 3. re-coning.

[M29]

Hello duhvoodooman,

It is odd that both of them act up. I would also look for any protection devices. I had this happen when an inline speaker fuse was partially burnt. It did not burn all the way and was causing a resistance.

I would try another set of speakers as well, just for the heck of it. If they act up then I would suspect the amp or the wiring in between. I really think it might be a protection or safety device though like Sudman mentioned.

M29

[sunvalleylaw]

Hello duhvoodooman,

I really think it might be a protection or safety device though like Sudman mentioned.

M29

LOL!! I like that, Sudman! Cleans tall buildings in a single . . . No, wait, drinks tall beers in a single . . . . .


DVM, both of my classic old Dahlquist (DQM-5) 2 ways failed at around the same time, but that was when my middle boy was crawling and discovered the soft foam surrounding the woofers and the rest is just to painful to talk about. No crawlers around molesting your speakers are there? My speakers are in the closet awaiting a re-coning one of these days. Some of the old Dahlquist people are part of some company that does it back east for less than me buying speakers anywhere near as good.

[Tone2TheBone]

Maybe those little copper thingies on the woofers are shorting out.

[duhvoodooman]

Just to clarify, the entire speaker--all 3 drivers--drops out when this happens. Usually it's one speaker or the other, but I've had both be out at the same time, just by coincidence.

Nope, Sun--no "crawlers" to worry about! :rotflmao:

I was wondering if maybe it was related to the crossover units in these speakers. Anybody know anything about those??

[WackyT]

I was wondering if maybe it was related to the crossover units in these speakers. Anybody know anything about those??

That's what I'd suspect with all 3 drivers dropping out at once. With the age of the speakers, probably dried up capacitors and/or solder joints.

[tunghaichuan]

That's what I'd suspect with all 3 drivers dropping out at once. With the age of the speakers, probably dried up capacitors and/or solder joints.

It depends on the type of capacitors. If they're electrolytic, they could have dried out. If they are modern film types, it is less likely. Although, I have seen some vintage film caps get leaky.

tung