Scan Speak 9500 tweeter + kids = tears

[zigzagflux]

Any advice on how to fix my tweeter?

I've tried a vacuum cleaner attachment, and massaging with various tools. Can't seem to get the dome back to a smooth surface. There's actually another impression on the lower portion of the dome, not seen in the picture.

The woofer dustcap was also pressed in, of course; that was probably the most fun of the drivers for the 3 year old. Easy fix with the vacuum.

*i love my kids* *i love my kids* *i love my kids*

[Cloth Ears]

If Scan Speak are anything like Focal, you'll be able to buy a new face-plate/dome kit for a small fraction of the cost of a new tweeter. Maybe you could even buy 2! Try Madisound to see if they have such kits...

Your three-year-old (and cats) are a couple of reasons why speaker grills are worthwhile. You don't have to keep them on while listening but they are good protection from other household members when you are not in the room. Have you ever seen what "accidental" contact from a vacuum cleaner can do to your dome tweeter - leaves a three-year-old for dead...

[zigzagflux]

I'll give them a call today. Looks like they sell a "Replacement Voice Coil", so I'm not sure what that all entails.

Understand, I didn't just toss the head of the vacuum cleaner hose onto the dome; that wouldn't be too wise. I used an attachment and tried to get at it from the side.

Anyway, maybe tonite I'll try some tape to stick to the textile, and possibly pull it out.

Maybe it's the kids that need to be put behind grilles while I'm away.

[sreten]

http://www.madisound.com/catalog/pro...roducts_id=911

Product Description:
Replacement Voice Coil for Scan-speak D2905/9300 & D2905/9500 tweeter.

$24.

/sreten.

[Pjay]

I have done this a bunch of times, most recently when the one and only Bob Cordell sent a sine wave through and blew my Seas tweeter coil. (Bob, I told you I would milk this for all it is worth).

Madisound has a pretty good stock of these and they are cheap. I would get a pair as quite often there are production variances and you want the tweeters to sound and look alike. The coils come attached to a face plate so you get a new plate as well.

So far, I have found the Seas and Vifa have Ok aligning pins on the replacements. Morel had this snap system which worked really well. Eton had no aligning system and I ended up throwing the tweeters away.

The ferro fluid stays in the gap when you pull the coil out, so don't worry about it.



P

[zigzagflux]

Ordered two of them. Yes, $24 ain't bad.

Gave me an excuse to couple the order with some Mundorf Silvers, anyway.

[Cloth Ears]

Glad there was a replacement. I read somewhere that 9800's don't have a replacement - so I was kinda hoping there was one.

My parents (now grandparents to my lovely nieces) have these 'things' that go over door-knobs inside the house - rendering them unable to be opened by anyone under the age of 50 (OK, so I haven't tried to work it out). Maybe you should look at this - remember to take them off before you have anyone over that you want to impress!!

Originally posted by zigzagflux
Understand, I didn't just toss the head of the vacuum cleaner hose onto the dome; that wouldn't be too wise. I used an attachment and tried to get at it from the side.

I do understand. However, I have seen what happens when a person (who nearly passed away when I found out) decides to vacuum your speakers!!

[ken.berg]

I replaced a pair before this was posted, but it looks like good advice.

"In case you ever need to replace the voice coil assembly of your tweeter, here is the procedure for re-assembly:

Before you fully tighten the front plate, apply a 2 volt sine signal at 500Hz. Push the front-plate to try to stop any distortion and tighten the screw closest to this point first. (This low frequency allows large excursions without much sound to better identify mechanical noises.)
If this doesn't work, assemble the dome and apply the above signal so that you hear any distortion. Then use your fingertip and gently push down on the surround of the dome and move your finger around the circumference. This may put things in alignment.
A tip regarding ferro-fluid: It is important to remove the voice-coil assembly slowly from the magnet system. Then the magnetic force will pull the ferro-fluid off the voice-coil and back into the gap. If it's the same voice-coil assembly you first take out and then put in, it's no problem. No fluid should be lost unless you wipe it off the voice-coil.

Bjorn Magne Idland
Laboratory Technician
SEAS, Norway "

[Taco]

Once I replaced the dome of a Scanspeak 9800, and the voice coil assembly isn't attached to the front plate. It's a separate plastic disc with the dome, which slots in a second ring at the pole piece.

[dlr]

Originally posted by ken.berg
I replaced a pair before this was posted, but it looks like good advice.

"In case you ever need to replace the voice coil assembly of your tweeter, here is the procedure for re-assembly:

Before you fully tighten the front plate, apply a 2 volt sine signal at 500Hz. Push the front-plate to try to stop any distortion and tighten the screw closest to this point first. (This low frequency allows large excursions without much sound to better identify mechanical noises.)
If this doesn't work, assemble the dome and apply the above signal so that you hear any distortion. Then use your fingertip and gently push down on the surround of the dome and move your finger around the circumference. This may put things in alignment.
A tip regarding ferro-fluid: It is important to remove the voice-coil assembly slowly from the magnet system. Then the magnetic force will pull the ferro-fluid off the voice-coil and back into the gap. If it's the same voice-coil assembly you first take out and then put in, it's no problem. No fluid should be lost unless you wipe it off the voice-coil.

Bjorn Magne Idland
Laboratory Technician
SEAS, Norway "

I've swapped domes around many times in 9300 and 9500 tweeters. The recommendation above may be appropriate for a Seas (I've had none to work with this way), but the construction of the Scan-Speak makes that unnecessary.

Dave