My son has an ACS48 computer speaker system by Altec Lansing. It's somewhere around 10 yrs old or maybe more. It has a wooden sub, so he wants to keep the system if possible.
One of the mids (3") went out. It reads infinite resistance (open circuit, no continuity) between the speaker leads (read at the braided parts, just before they join to the cone), so I know that it's the voice coil, or the connection at the cone.
I've never gotten into ANY speaker in this kind of detail. There is a black substance covering, from where the braids join to the cone, running in two lines, down to the base of the speaker cone. From there, I have no idea where the leads go. All I know is that there is a kind of "can" that is impossible to pry open, without serious malicious business to it, and probably no hope of repositioning it after repair.
I've been told that you cannot hope to open up this can and then get it back together, since it would probably end up with "rubbing" somewhere, due to an inexact alignment during re-assembly, if it were possible.
All I'm asking, then, is the following:
Is there a solvent I can use to uncover the fine wire beneath the black streaks, just to see if I can spot the break somewhere along that path. Or is the probability that it is broken somewhere inside the can, and irreparable?
If not, I'm either going to have to suggest an entire new speaker system, or try to find an adequate replacement speaker, 3" in diam., with adequate frequency response, or maybe two of these, so that they match each other.
Any suggestions?
One of the mids (3") went out. It reads infinite resistance (open circuit, no continuity) between the speaker leads (read at the braided parts, just before they join to the cone), so I know that it's the voice coil, or the connection at the cone.
I've never gotten into ANY speaker in this kind of detail. There is a black substance covering, from where the braids join to the cone, running in two lines, down to the base of the speaker cone. From there, I have no idea where the leads go. All I know is that there is a kind of "can" that is impossible to pry open, without serious malicious business to it, and probably no hope of repositioning it after repair.
I've been told that you cannot hope to open up this can and then get it back together, since it would probably end up with "rubbing" somewhere, due to an inexact alignment during re-assembly, if it were possible.
All I'm asking, then, is the following:
Is there a solvent I can use to uncover the fine wire beneath the black streaks, just to see if I can spot the break somewhere along that path. Or is the probability that it is broken somewhere inside the can, and irreparable?
If not, I'm either going to have to suggest an entire new speaker system, or try to find an adequate replacement speaker, 3" in diam., with adequate frequency response, or maybe two of these, so that they match each other.
Any suggestions?
Driver repair is not for everyone. Most probably you cannot do it by yourself. But, just to let you know the how to:
The wires going through the holes on the cone (needle size) below the dust cap, and the holes are sealed. From this the wires going down to the base of the cone where it meets the voice coil (You need to open the dust cap to see it).
If you're lucky, the disconnection happens somewhere along there (not in the middle of the coil). So what you need to do is open the dustcap and connect the broken wire. To open the ductcap you need thinner and knife.
If the disconnection happens in the middle of the voice coil, you need replace with new copper wire. You have to open everything (rubber, spider) to pull up the coil. The most difficult thing is to work with the hardened glue, especially those made from glass material. Also putting the coil with precision (centered) needs special skill and experience.
The wires going through the holes on the cone (needle size) below the dust cap, and the holes are sealed. From this the wires going down to the base of the cone where it meets the voice coil (You need to open the dust cap to see it).
If you're lucky, the disconnection happens somewhere along there (not in the middle of the coil). So what you need to do is open the dustcap and connect the broken wire. To open the ductcap you need thinner and knife.
If the disconnection happens in the middle of the voice coil, you need replace with new copper wire. You have to open everything (rubber, spider) to pull up the coil. The most difficult thing is to work with the hardened glue, especially those made from glass material. Also putting the coil with precision (centered) needs special skill and experience.
forget about repairing the voice coil... not practical.
Take & post the following pictures:
front of the cabinet with the grille off.
remove the bad driver:
- pix of the front of the cone
- pix of the side of the driver
- pix of the rear of the driver
Post the exact dimension between mounting hole centers on opposite sides of the driver.
Then ask people here what to use from Parts Express or MCM, etc... to replace it.
Include the model # of the speakers and maybe a link to the stock factory description if it is available.
It's likely not terribly critical given the original quality of the unit(s)... the main thing
will be to match the level back to the original (or a better match, as the tweeters are typically kinda set "hot")
_-_-bear
Take & post the following pictures:
front of the cabinet with the grille off.
remove the bad driver:
- pix of the front of the cone
- pix of the side of the driver
- pix of the rear of the driver
Post the exact dimension between mounting hole centers on opposite sides of the driver.
Then ask people here what to use from Parts Express or MCM, etc... to replace it.
Include the model # of the speakers and maybe a link to the stock factory description if it is available.
It's likely not terribly critical given the original quality of the unit(s)... the main thing
will be to match the level back to the original (or a better match, as the tweeters are typically kinda set "hot")
_-_-bear
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