I am thinking of buying a set of Revel speakers. Probably the series 1's so these will be 20+ years old. Yes, they review well and test exceptionally, but there are a lot of bad vibes out there about drivers of this age (and younger) failing. This seems mainly to focus on the 4 inch, upper mid’s and the tweeter. These seem difficult to remove and spares availability is either very limited or non-existent. So, are there any thoughts on these, or is it best to leave well (or otherwise) alone?
Thanks for the assistance.
Thanks for the assistance.
Thanks for your reply. I've done that. Three days ago, as yet no reply. Asking here may get a reply from a person with experience of the issues involved, either through owning the speakers or of repairing them.
Don´t know if you thinking about the Revel Ultima salons gen 1.
Had a pair 3-4 years 20 years ago, super-nice speaker with real 20-20.000 hz.
Sold them to a guy i Denmark, and he told me later that one of the tweeters and one of the midrange was "going bad" begain to make "noice" at certain frequencies.
Probually its the coating around the coil in the midrange ( small pieces come loose, and sits in the gap)
The tweeter was https://www.scan-speak.dk/datasheet/pdf/d2904-980000.pdf if i remember right.
Had a pair 3-4 years 20 years ago, super-nice speaker with real 20-20.000 hz.
Sold them to a guy i Denmark, and he told me later that one of the tweeters and one of the midrange was "going bad" begain to make "noice" at certain frequencies.
Probually its the coating around the coil in the midrange ( small pieces come loose, and sits in the gap)
The tweeter was https://www.scan-speak.dk/datasheet/pdf/d2904-980000.pdf if i remember right.
Hi Jawen.
Yes, that's correct. Good to hear that the tweeter is a standard one. The high/mid is of their own design and manufacture (so I've heard). Removal and hence repair is very difficult. Do you think there is any reason for the mid to fail, overdriving or some such thing? Can I ask why you sold yours? What did you replace them with?
Many thanks.
Yes, that's correct. Good to hear that the tweeter is a standard one. The high/mid is of their own design and manufacture (so I've heard). Removal and hence repair is very difficult. Do you think there is any reason for the mid to fail, overdriving or some such thing? Can I ask why you sold yours? What did you replace them with?
Many thanks.
Had 1300 kilo´s of hifi at the time, and was going to move to a smal house so some of my gear had to go.
Sold both the fantastic Infinity IRS Sigma and the Revel Salon´s ( both real hi end speakers), and only keep my Von Scweikert and old Infinity Column II from 1974.
Sigmas was 90 kilo each the Revel 110 kilo each and Von Schweikert 80 kilo each, and i had least money invested in the Von Schweikert.
And it was also real good speaker, and needed less powerful amp than the Sigmas ( Sigma need 300 watt/8 ohm to play as they should)
Revel Salon is the speaker which has impressed me the most out of factory-made speakers in my home.
And i think every 20+ years old speaker can "break" somewhere in the "chain", but Revel have high quality throughout the product so beter "chance" than other manufacturer.
I understand, I too have collected a bit of audio over the years to a point where I have "more CD players than I really need" (about twenty) luckily mostly bought when CD players were out of favour, and so very cheap. i've just read a really good repair instruction for the mid driver on Audiogon by a poster called "Sound & music, and am now that you have said the reference number for the tweeter, much happier about the coming audition.
All the best.
All the best.
When you "test-listening" them, use songs with Piano and listen if you hear anything "wrong", pianos will show if the midrange is good or bad.
Here is the reply from Harmon/Revel.
"4" (102mm) titanium-dome midrange driver- Part number-N333962-002. Unfortunately we no stock of this at all across all warehouses."
So the only options as I see it are.
Don't buy the things.
Hope that the ones in there are OK and last my lifetime. (I'm an optimist) (or very old).
Buy them on the assumption that if they go wrong, either fix them/it or replace with another suitable driver, and modify the crossover to suit.
Luckily they have fourth order crossovers, I suppose this could make this process a bit easier.
Ummm.............
"4" (102mm) titanium-dome midrange driver- Part number-N333962-002. Unfortunately we no stock of this at all across all warehouses."
So the only options as I see it are.
Don't buy the things.
Hope that the ones in there are OK and last my lifetime. (I'm an optimist) (or very old).
Buy them on the assumption that if they go wrong, either fix them/it or replace with another suitable driver, and modify the crossover to suit.
Luckily they have fourth order crossovers, I suppose this could make this process a bit easier.
Ummm.............
Have you looked at the Peerless 830870 mid? It may be a good candidate if the flange works. While they're not a metal cone driver, the sound signature is very flat and neutral.
There are some ScanSpeak 3.5" cone mids that also could work well.
The mid is crossed pretty high in the Revels, about 450 hz and goes to roughly 2.2k. You'll likely need to pad most cone mids down in level.
I do remember the VC glue joint failing at the diaphragm junction, so repair wouldn't be simple if even someone experienced tried to fix it if the VC didn't measure open.
Here are the individual driver FR and xover points -
There are some ScanSpeak 3.5" cone mids that also could work well.
The mid is crossed pretty high in the Revels, about 450 hz and goes to roughly 2.2k. You'll likely need to pad most cone mids down in level.
I do remember the VC glue joint failing at the diaphragm junction, so repair wouldn't be simple if even someone experienced tried to fix it if the VC didn't measure open.
Here are the individual driver FR and xover points -
Attachments
Last edited:
Hi.
I had not thought of that, I suppose at this point the idea of no availability of original spares was a bit deflating. The frequency range required is not large so the idea of finding a suitable off the shelf unit is possible. After a very quick look, your suggestion, or maybe the-
Dayton Audio RS100-4 4" Reference Full-Range Driver 4 Ohm or a selection from this test http://www.zaphaudio.com/smalltest/
could be a good starting point. Or I suppose the 4" driver from the latest version (Revel Ultima Salon2). Decisions, decisions!
I do think that there would be a number of people out there interested in this fix as it's a known failing unfortunately.
I had not thought of that, I suppose at this point the idea of no availability of original spares was a bit deflating. The frequency range required is not large so the idea of finding a suitable off the shelf unit is possible. After a very quick look, your suggestion, or maybe the-
Dayton Audio RS100-4 4" Reference Full-Range Driver 4 Ohm or a selection from this test http://www.zaphaudio.com/smalltest/
could be a good starting point. Or I suppose the 4" driver from the latest version (Revel Ultima Salon2). Decisions, decisions!
I do think that there would be a number of people out there interested in this fix as it's a known failing unfortunately.
Last edited:
This is an interesting post to me for two reasons: years ago, I wanted to buy Infinity Beta's but opted to pass due to the extreme rarity of replacement drivers (especially the EMIMs); but the other reason this post is interesting is that in December, I'll be taking delivery of brand new, but now discontinued, Salon2s.
I hope I'm reading the OP's post correctly that he was seeking replacement drivers for the original Salons and not the Salon2s. Either way, I'll have a warranty and with 24dB/oct slopes, Revel has done a good job protecting these drivers, but I guess, really, all drivers fail and it just becomes a question of either replacement availability or replacing the driver with a similar unit. I hope I don't have to deal with it either way...
I hope I'm reading the OP's post correctly that he was seeking replacement drivers for the original Salons and not the Salon2s. Either way, I'll have a warranty and with 24dB/oct slopes, Revel has done a good job protecting these drivers, but I guess, really, all drivers fail and it just becomes a question of either replacement availability or replacing the driver with a similar unit. I hope I don't have to deal with it either way...
I would not wish to dampen your excitement.......but.......I would suggest a bit of research might be in order. I was disappointed to discover a fair number of fails, mostly for the earlier version Salon1's but also a few Salon 2's. Many seemed to be some sort of glue fail at the voice coil. There are NO spare midranges (4" driver) for the Salon1's. (This is official, from the factory) Removal is a real pain too, as the chassis seems to be stuck into the cabinet. I find this whole situation inexcusable. Storing a crate of spares would have cost peanuts in my view. People will say "but they are old" Blah Blah... But they were also $16K+ when new. I have speakers of 30 and 40 years old, drivers working fine.
You may be able to find a suitable replacement, (there are some that look possible) but crossover rework will be required. So all in all, it's cost dependent. In the end, I regrettably passed on the ones I had hoped to buy. If cheaper I may have taken a different view.
All the best.
You may be able to find a suitable replacement, (there are some that look possible) but crossover rework will be required. So all in all, it's cost dependent. In the end, I regrettably passed on the ones I had hoped to buy. If cheaper I may have taken a different view.
All the best.
Thank you but no worries here. I've done my homework and am confident that the vast majority of the driver units are well built. Let's just hope mine aren't that super small percentage...
If it is a glue thing, assuming the voicemail isn't damaged, have you looked into having the driver repaired? I'm going to call my go to guys at Simply Speakers to see if they've got any experience repairing Revel drivers.
If it is a glue thing, assuming the voicemail isn't damaged, have you looked into having the driver repaired? I'm going to call my go to guys at Simply Speakers to see if they've got any experience repairing Revel drivers.
I've read that one person has managed to get the driver out without damage, and has then had it repaired. The trick seems to be warming up the chassis without damaging the paint on the cabinets.
Could you post your guys thoughts here please, others may be interested in the future.
All the best.
Could you post your guys thoughts here please, others may be interested in the future.
All the best.
This was a supprise, 6 years old and spares not available.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/tweeter-s-for-revel-performa-f32.403877/#post-7480624
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/tweeter-s-for-revel-performa-f32.403877/#post-7480624
Learn how to design speakers yourself and you will never depend on original spare parts availability.
Until you make something you really like, but driver maker exits the hobbyist market, or makes running changes that force you to substantially change your design.
I focus alot of my efforts on driver modification, which can address many issues if you're strategic. You will make some mistakes at first and end up with some collateral damage, but you'll find out what causes what if you're perceptive enough to identify various connections between cuase and effect.
I tend to study drivers with good reputations, isolating them and applying to other drivers with good fundamental build quality.
For example, taking a Scanspeak driver and coating the surround to dampen the first cone reflected wave. Another example is adding an extra magnet to tweeters in order to reduce roloff Q and improve sensitivity.
Things like changing dust caps and applying coatings can go very far. I recently started experimenting with Aquaplas coatings on midbass drivers. Studying impedance graphs of various drivers shows alot of weaknesses in drivers. Knowing exactly what causes certain resonances in the impedance curve goes a long way in improving a given driver, plus understanding why various traits happen to start with. You soon start to connect the common problems with specific design traits.
I tend to study drivers with good reputations, isolating them and applying to other drivers with good fundamental build quality.
For example, taking a Scanspeak driver and coating the surround to dampen the first cone reflected wave. Another example is adding an extra magnet to tweeters in order to reduce roloff Q and improve sensitivity.
Things like changing dust caps and applying coatings can go very far. I recently started experimenting with Aquaplas coatings on midbass drivers. Studying impedance graphs of various drivers shows alot of weaknesses in drivers. Knowing exactly what causes certain resonances in the impedance curve goes a long way in improving a given driver, plus understanding why various traits happen to start with. You soon start to connect the common problems with specific design traits.