[DMurphy]

I am really concerned about the direction of audio. It's going to go over a cliff. I understand that components have gotten pricy, but who is buying $28,000 preamps?

Wayner

Not you.   Not Frank.   Not me.  A $28,000 car is pushing it. 

[DaveC113]

It's because there are fewer and fewer folks who have a moderate to large amount of disposable income, it's either appeal to folks where the price tag just doesn't matter or offer people superior value for the money and a lower overall price. While there are a lot less people buying mid-market luxury goods in general, those who do tend to be more value oriented than they have in the past. Since the middle class seems to be disappearing, it's no big surprise that the market for goods that tend to be bought by people in the middle class is also disappearing. Younger generations just don't have the kind of money the baby boomers do.

[charmerci]

Anybody try the Plast-i-Clay treatment on a pair of these yet?

Yeah, I did. If you go through this thread, you'll see. I like 'em much better because I often listen to them loud and my hearing is very sensitive. If you never crank them up loud!, there's no reason to.


I put 2.5 lbs each. (I'd do 3 each next time.) Frank VA says changing the internal volume will affect the sound but I think they sound better with tighter bass, less harsh highs and mids.

[vlad335]

Got the parts and started the mod. First step, remove the drivers and crossover. No problem whatsoever with the woofers and crossovers however each tweeter has a stripped out allen head and I can't remove them! One screw on each tweeter!

Came to a screeching halt until I figure out what to do. Unbelievable!

[Ericus Rex]

Hi Vlad,

You can drill a hole in the center of each screw and insert a screw extractor.  You can get those pretty cheap at Harbor Freight tools.

[zieglj01]

Got the parts and started the mod. First step, remove the drivers and crossover. No problem whatsoever with the woofers and crossovers however each tweeter has a stripped out allen head and I can't remove them! One screw on each tweeter!

Welcome to the real world of Pioneer cost control - I had the same trouble with both
the BS22 and FS52.

[gregfisk]

Got the parts and started the mod. First step, remove the drivers and crossover. No problem whatsoever with the woofers and crossovers however each tweeter has a stripped out allen head and I can't remove them! One screw on each tweeter!

Came to a screeching halt until I figure out what to do. Unbelievable!

Backing it out as suggested is the best way, but if that doesn't work you can try this.

Use a drill bit slightly larger than the screw shaft and drill straight down the center of the screw, the head will pop off when your bit get past the back of it. This will allow you to remove the tweeter, of course the rest of the screw will still be in the wood. If the screw is sticking up a bit "the thickness of the tweeter" you can try to grab it with vise grips or pliers and back it out. Or if it sticks out the back of the wood inside you can reach in and do the same thing. Worst case you could turn the new speaker and use a new location for the screws.

[DMurphy]

Got the parts and started the mod. First step, remove the drivers and crossover. No problem whatsoever with the woofers and crossovers however each tweeter has a stripped out allen head and I can't remove them! One screw on each tweeter!

Came to a screeching halt until I figure out what to do. Unbelievable!

Which mod is this?   You shouldn't have to remove the woofer for the simple one.  As for the tweeter screws, I feel your pain.  Literally.   In a burst of angerand frustration, I tried to pry one of the tweeters out.  They're very sharp when they splinter.  Fortunately, I had a new box of bandaids (now half empty). 

[charmerci]

I have a center channel coming tomorrow, and I'll also get Frank's 52's.  My hope is to offer a modded version of all three.  But I haven't heard the center, and the 52 is tricky to work with.  So we'll have to see what comes of all this.

Is it going to be the exact same mod as my pair?

[DMurphy]

Is it going to be the exact same mod as my pair?

No--that used a different Vifa tweeter.  The tweet I'm using avoids the brightness problem I was having with your tweeter at the low end. 

[Wayner]

I suspect that those that are trying to remove the speakers from the cabinets are using US version allen wrenches, which would be wrong. The drivers are 2.5mm allen size. My 2.5 fits perfectly and all of the screws came lose with no problem.

If you think you have stripped out the wood screw threads, buy some extra 2.5mm allen wrenches, and apply some 5 minute epoxy to the end that you insert into the allen headed wood screw, let it dry and then pull out as you turn the screw counter-clockwise.

Or better yet, use some super glue on the allen wrench and when you have the screw out, put the glued allen wrench/screw above a flame and it will "un-bond" the super glue, so you can use the screw (and wrench) again.

Wayner

[srb]

My 3/32" allen wrench (2.38mm) was too small with a sloppy fit and the 7/64" (2.78mm) was too large to fit. 

Not having a 2.5mm in my metric set, I went down to the Ace Hardware and was fortunately able to buy a single 2.5mm from the individual parts drawers, as to my surprise, the metric sets they sold had 2.0mm and 3.0mm sizes, but skipped over and did not contain the 2.5mm size.

Steve

[charmerci]

No--that used a different Vifa tweeter.  The tweet I'm using avoids the brightness problem I was having with your tweeter at the low end.

That's good.

[bregez]

Or better yet, use some super glue on the allen wrench and when you have the screw out, put the glued allen wrench/screw above a flame and it will "un-bond" the super glue, so you can use the screw (and wrench) again.

Wayner

Acetone will also work eliminating super glues bond.  Use paint remover to dissolve cross-linked epoxy.

[Wayner]

There you go!

Wayner

[zieglj01]

I received the prototype modded BS22 speaker today - so far the sound is interesting.
One thing to note - they are less sensitive than the stock version.

[vlad335]

Thanks to everyone for the tips. Not sure if I used the 2.5 initially as I have multiple sets here. Probably started with the SAE set in a rush and hence got myself in this predicament. After posting above, drove all around town and finally found a bolt extraction kit with multiple sizes at an auto parts store and tried the smallest size. Even using oil the bit snapped. Kit is junk! This was before I read about the superglue trick here and the particular screw is a no go for this.

This is embarrassing and sad. Embarrassing cause I consider myself fairly adept at doing these things but got in a rush. Sad because I am in a great position to eval the mod as I have been listening to these speakers every single day for months and would immediately know any difference.

I contacted my Guitar tech to hopefully get these tweeters out. He is very busy but has the Ultimate Set Of Tools, lol.

[adydula]

Get 10 for $4.95....

http://www.amazon.com/Amico-2-5mm-Length-Magnetic-Screwdriver/dp/B008G37GAK

Alex

[Ericus Rex]

Hi Vlad,

I think you'll have to drill out the screw completely now.  Then fill the large hole with a glued wood dowel, trim flush with a chisel and drill a new hole for the new screw once the new tweeter is in...or just rotate the tweeter and drill all new holes as mentioned above.

Best of luck!

[DMurphy]

Thanks to everyone for the tips. Not sure if I used the 2.5 initially as I have multiple sets here. Probably started with the SAE set in a rush and hence got myself in this predicament. After posting above, drove all around town and finally found a bolt extraction kit with multiple sizes at an auto parts store and tried the smallest size. Even using oil the bit snapped. Kit is junk! This was before I read about the superglue trick here and the particular screw is a no go for this.

This is embarrassing and sad. Embarrassing cause I consider myself fairly adept at doing these things but got in a rush. Sad because I am in a great position to eval the mod as I have been listening to these speakers every single day for months and would immediately know any difference.

I contacted my Guitar tech to hopefully get these tweeters out. He is very busy but has the Ultimate Set Of Tools, lol.

This is going well.  I'm still not sure which mod you're doing.  If it's the easy one, you could leave the first speaker as is and mod the other one using the right tool.  Then you could compare them and see whether you want to bother with the other wounded one.  If not, it's easy to undo the mod, and I would take the Vifa tweeters off your hands so you wouldn't be out that cost.