[narkleptic]

Well, the tile sort of says it all. Treble has virtually disappeared from the right channel, though it occasionally cuts in for a second or two....

So it seems as if I'll be needing a new tweeter..though I wonder if the crossover is in any way damaged.

But the thing is, I really don't think I've been driving them that hard. I did recently switch my gear around, and I'm wondering if that isn't related.

My new setup is powered by a Kyocera B-910 amplifier (200 WPC into 4ohm) with a Kyocera R-861 as the preamp. I notice with this set up I get speaker thumps when I turn either of these pieces on or off. Could the thumps have damaged the tweeter?

[srb]

Really loud thumps can.  I had an old McIntosh C26 preamp that made an extremely loud noise when the loudness button was disengaged and I did blow out a tweeter (but my crossover was fine).
 
I assume you're getting sound out of the woofers.  If you are bi-wiring, check the run to the tweeter.  If you're not, check the shorting jumper between the woofer and tweeter binding posts in case it has worked loose.
 
Steve

[yamashirod]

You should check the output fuses in your amp; you may have blown one changing equipment.  check the side that corresponds to the problem speaker.

[srb]

You should check the output fuses in your amp; you may have blown one changing equipment.  check the side that corresponds to the problem speaker.

If he's getting sound out of the woofers in that speaker, then the fuse isn't blown.
 
Steve

[narkleptic]

Thanks for the advice. My Songtowers only have a single set of binding posts, so no jumper issues....

I listened again, and I don't think the thumps from the amp were all that loud.

I know it's definitely the speaker since I reversed the channels and the problem stayed in the right channel.

[srb]

I know it's definitely the speaker since I reversed the channels and the problem stayed in the right channel.

But you are getting sound out of that SongTower's woofers, right?
 
Steve

[Mudslide]

Is there a chance that the speaker cables shorted when connected to the amp (with the amp turned on), but not plugged into the ST's?   That could be bad for the amp. 

[narkleptic]

Yes, still getting sound out of woofer. Don't think it's an amp issue, since the problem stays with the speaker, rather than the amp channel itself.

[avahifi]

Likely you do have a bad tweeter or possibly a bad wiring connection to the tweeter internally, either at the tweeter itself or at the crossover board.  Perhaps Jim can tell you how to take the unit apart enough to determine the actual problem.

Note that amplifier turn on or turn off thumps are more likely to damage a woofer than a tweeter.  The tweeter is usually protected from large DC pulses by the crossover network.  Inaudible high frequency oscillations from the electronics can possibly damage a tweeter.  After the speaker is fixed, I advise you to have the amp bench checked with a scope to make sure it is performing properly before re-connecting it.

Salk speakers are very tough, it is hard for me to imagine an issue that would damage one of them.

Again, get back to Jim Salk for your best help.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[clipped]

Thanks for the advice. My Songtowers only have a single set of binding posts, so no jumper issues....

I listened again, and I don't think the thumps from the amp were all that loud.

I know it's definitely the speaker since I reversed the channels and the problem stayed in the right channel.

Did the problem follow the speaker, it sounds like it stayed on the right channel from your explanation. If so then the electronics are the problem not the speaker

[srb]

I know it's definitely the speaker since I reversed the channels and the problem stayed in the right channel.

I think what he is saying is "I know it's definitely the speaker since I reversed the channels and the problem stayed in the right channel (same) speaker" ?
 
Steve

[narkleptic]

yeah, what steve said.

problem stayed with SPEAKER, not CHANNEL.

[narkleptic]

Just called Jim Salk. He said it was likely the tweeter, but recommended taking a look a the crossover board to just to make sure there were no wires touching.

[rlee8394]

If the tweeter cuts in occasionally for a second or two, and if the sound from the tweeter sounds OK during that time, then the tweeter is probably OK. Sounds like a loose or intermittent connection to me. I would remove the tweeter from the baffle and make sure that there is a good connection to the tweeter terminals. Make sure that the wire isn't coming out of the crimped lug that connects to the speaker terminal. If all is nice and tight there, you can remove the bottom woofer and get to the crossover board to check the wiring at that end. I believe that's where Jim mounts the crossover board. Should everything check out and the problem still remains, I would swap the tweeters between the cabinets to see if the problem follows the tweeter or stays with the cabinet. As a matter of fact, since the tweeters are easier to handle due to their light weight, I would swap the tweeters before removing the bottom woofer. That way if the problem follows the tweeter, then you didn't have to remove the heavier woofer and break its seal.

Hope this helps,
Ron

[jsalk]

The only problem is that the OW2's do not have normal quick connects.  They are soldered.

- Jim