I built a ProAc 2.5 clone (of sorts) years ago (SS 8545 woofer) that have been my main speakers for just as long, I love them.
Recently a mouse somehow got into my house, made it's way into this speaker and chewed on one of the lead-wires, only leaving me with about 1/4-1/2 inch of it extending from the cone.
Does anyone have a recommendation on how to repair this? Or know of anyone in the US who would tackle such a repair at a reasonable price?
The 8545 has been out of production for some time, so a new one is out of the question, even if someone had one, I'd spend no more on it than I would spend for a reasonably priced repair...so...
Any help greatly appreciated..😱
Recently a mouse somehow got into my house, made it's way into this speaker and chewed on one of the lead-wires, only leaving me with about 1/4-1/2 inch of it extending from the cone.
Does anyone have a recommendation on how to repair this? Or know of anyone in the US who would tackle such a repair at a reasonable price?
The 8545 has been out of production for some time, so a new one is out of the question, even if someone had one, I'd spend no more on it than I would spend for a reasonably priced repair...so...
Any help greatly appreciated..😱
Find a driver donor, cut out the copper braid you need and
solder it to SS. These are uninsulated wires. You'll need an
iron of 40W to do the job. Apply some soldering wire to each
end of the braid first then touch these ends together while
you have your iron ready to melt these. Your hand should be
steady for a little while until it's soldered.
solder it to SS. These are uninsulated wires. You'll need an
iron of 40W to do the job. Apply some soldering wire to each
end of the braid first then touch these ends together while
you have your iron ready to melt these. Your hand should be
steady for a little while until it's soldered.
I would do it a bit differently. Solder a new tinsel wire to the old one - you can wrap the new tinsel to the old with some bare fine wire to hold it together while you solder. Then glue the solder joint to the cone, as the original was (from what I can see here: http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/deta...-almost-bnibnew-price-amp-pics/images/890703/ ). Or double the wire back around the current glue joint before soldering and then glue that down next to the current glue bead. This will prevent the solder joint from bouncing around, making noise, and fatiguing the wire and breaking it. You could try this for the glue: Speaker Repair Adhesive, Dust Caps, Lead-Wires, MI-2000
Then dress the tinsel wire out to the terminal board the same way the other wire is. Usually you want a bit of a twisted loop in it so it can move with the cone but doesn't whip around and slap against the cone or spider.
Then dress the tinsel wire out to the terminal board the same way the other wire is. Usually you want a bit of a twisted loop in it so it can move with the cone but doesn't whip around and slap against the cone or spider.
I am so happy right now! 
I was dreading either having to replace this old driver which would have been almost impossible to find, or having to purchase the really expensive new 8545 (USD $170 or so, each)
The soldering was a success, and I'm back listening to it in my mini t-line.
@ John, you don't think the glue would degrade the sound at all?
Anyway, thanks once again guys...
I was dreading either having to replace this old driver which would have been almost impossible to find, or having to purchase the really expensive new 8545 (USD $170 or so, each)
The soldering was a success, and I'm back listening to it in my mini t-line.
@ John, you don't think the glue would degrade the sound at all?
Anyway, thanks once again guys...
Copper desoldering braid could be used for a fix.
Just solder the braid to the speaker lead.
Try not to spread the solder too far along the braid or it will become solid.
Some gripping tweezers will stop the solder spreading too far or even long nosed pliers.
Just solder the braid to the speaker lead.
Try not to spread the solder too far along the braid or it will become solid.
Some gripping tweezers will stop the solder spreading too far or even long nosed pliers.
I've spent some time on this tonight, since I have a frayed 12" Celestion Ditton 44 woofer that needs repair.
Apparently copper desoldering braid lasts about 5 minutes in practise. 😕
You need proper tinsel leads. I'd guess that old-fashioned lead solder is a good idea too, since it works at lower temperature and hence will do less damage to the paper cone.
I'm no expert on this. Open to ideas. But, hey, it's cheaper than eBay replacements. 😎
Apparently copper desoldering braid lasts about 5 minutes in practise. 😕
You need proper tinsel leads. I'd guess that old-fashioned lead solder is a good idea too, since it works at lower temperature and hence will do less damage to the paper cone.
I'm no expert on this. Open to ideas. But, hey, it's cheaper than eBay replacements. 😎
The details of the construction and usage of tinsel wire can effect its lifetime significantly as you found. I remember a test I did a long time ago while developing a driver where I had the same driver with 3 different types and attachment methods of tinsel wires. During relatively extreme power testing (set up to cause an accelerated failure of the drivers), one type lasted 5 hours, one type lasted 50 hours, and one type was still going fine at 500 hours after which I stopped the test.
Tinsel wire has flat, wide conductors wrapped around a flexible core. They're designed to avoid metal fatigue. There's a good wikipedia article on it. I don't think copper braid is made this way but don't have any handy to look closely at...
I also don't remember any issues with paper cones while soldering voice coil wires to tinsel while using lead free solder. You obviously don't want to dwell on it forever though.
Tinsel wire has flat, wide conductors wrapped around a flexible core. They're designed to avoid metal fatigue. There's a good wikipedia article on it. I don't think copper braid is made this way but don't have any handy to look closely at...
I also don't remember any issues with paper cones while soldering voice coil wires to tinsel while using lead free solder. You obviously don't want to dwell on it forever though.
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