Audio crossover caps

[Leopard]

Hello,
I have a pair of old 3-way speakers. The other one is currently hooked to my PC via a solderable 3.5mm mono plug I soldered to the wires and works OK, but the other one's main/bass driver was dead so it's currently sitting unused. The pair is about 30 years old, so I have a couple of questions about them.

1. Could the main driver of the currently unused speaker be dead due to dried up caps, or could the driver itself be dead?

2. If I replace the caps on the crossover(s) of the speaker(s), would that have any impact on audio quality/output power?

Many thanks for any answers!

[ferynov]

Re: Audio crossover caps

can u upload the pics?.... in general replace x-over caps will make different especially with non polar caps (like solen) .... see u

[Leopard]

Re: Audio crossover caps

I'll upload the pics as soon as I can. (probably tomorrow)
And yeah, the caps are non-polar.

[Leopard]

Re: Audio crossover caps

Ok, i checked the caps and one seems to be leaking from the rubber seal. (bi-polar cap, 33uF 100V, markings AT-BI and +-20% and a red B as a logo) I'll be getting a replacement tomorrow from a local electronics shop, and we'll see if it works after that...

[Leopard]

Re: Audio crossover caps

Argh
They just had to run out of stock before I got there. I wont be able to go there tomorrow, but I'll see what I can do on friday.

[ferynov]

Re: Audio crossover caps

you can read type of quality audio parts
http://jimmyauw.com/2006/09/14/my-hi...de-components/
and recapping Altec Lamsing MX5021 on crossover
http://jimmyauw.com/2006/12/15/altec...1-speaker-mod/

hope you help with it..

[Leopard]

Re: Audio crossover caps

A little question:
Which kind of cap should I use for replacement of the Axial Tantalum (AT) cap? Would it be possible to use an equivalent "up-standing cap" (I believe the correct term is radial?) Electrolytic or Aluminum Electrolytic cap?

[ferynov]

Re: Audio crossover caps

I think u can replace with Alumunium Electrolityc Caps ...

this link maybe help :

[ferynov]

Re: Audio crossover caps

may be this link : http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...43/ai_19436217

[Leopard]

Re: Audio crossover caps

Ok, thanks a lot Ferynov!

[Leopard]

Re: Audio crossover caps

Threads seem to be boring without pics, so I have uploaded two pics for your joy

The bad cap has been removed, though. The speakers are a part of Schneider Team-402RC audio system.

[ferynov]

Re: Audio crossover caps

after recaps, how impovement in sound?...

[Logistics]

Re: Audio crossover caps

Did you do the recap, yet? Maybe someday you can recap it with films.

[Leopard]

Re: Audio crossover caps

Ok i have replaced the caps on both speakers. The one which worked still works, and the one with the leaking cap doesn't work. I used identical caps on both and upon further inspection the woofer driver seems to be broken itself

Now that i know it's the driver, i'll just have to find a suitable replacement.

[Logistics]

Re: Audio crossover caps

Does the cone move up and down freely, if you press on it that is? Usually, the only thing that causes a driver to fail is the voice coil warping. You can often tell if this is the case if you push on the cone and it seems to rub inside rather than just move up and down freely. However, if I were you I would hook the "broken" driver up in place of the driver which you know works so you can see if perhaps it's just something in the crossover which is bad. If it works in place of the known-good driver then it is probably the crossover... or your amp.

[Leopard]

Re: Audio crossover caps

Does the cone move up and down freely, if you press on it that is? Usually, the only thing that causes a driver to fail is the voice coil warping. You can often tell if this is the case if you push on the cone and it seems to rub inside rather than just move up and down freely. However, if I were you I would hook the "broken" driver up in place of the driver which you know works so you can see if perhaps it's just something in the crossover which is bad. If it works in place of the known-good driver then it is probably the crossover... or your amp.

Yeah, it doesn't move freely. It clearly rubs into something when i push it downwards. It's been ages since the speakers were in use, during that time probably one of the kids in our family could have pushed the driver with full force and caused it to fail. I've noticed that small kids have an annoying tendency to do so. Atleast the dust cap was pushed in... And the spider doesn't look straight, it looks like it was bumped hard. I tried hooking it up to the crossover of the other speaker of the same kind but no go. So yeah, i think that the driver's finished.