Need to repair a MW surround

falconcry72
falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
edited May 2010 in Vintage Speakers
I finally found a great local pair of SDA-2B's which will be a part of my first "real" 2-channel system.

They only have one problem: One of the dimensional drivers (MW6511) has a very small hole in the rubber surround; it looks like a needle punctured it. Air leaks out of it when I push in the passive, but it works.

I'd prefer to replace it, but I know these are rare.

I think I may be in luck because of how tiny the hole is, but I'm not sure what to use to seal it. Rubber cement? I want to get some feedback before making it worse.:)

I'll post pics of the repair as I go along to help for future reference.
2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
Post edited by falconcry72 on
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited May 2010
    I found something that may work. It's made by Loctite, and it's called "vinyl, fabric, and plastic flexible adhesive."

    Here are some excerpts from the package:

    -for mending rips and tears in all flexible materials
    -waterproof, clear, durable
    -bonds: seats, clothing, shoes, fabric, canvas, rubber, leather
    -adhesive is highly flexible to withstand bending and torsion

    I'm letting some dry on a piece of paper right now to see how it cures. If it looks alright, and I haven't heard "don't do it" by anyone here, I'll be trying it on the driver when I get off work.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,104
    edited May 2010
    "I" would apply the stuff with a needle, so the glue is inside the hole, plugging it. Seems preferable to just blorting a patch over the hole and surrounding area.
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited May 2010
    Schurkey wrote: »
    "I" would apply the stuff with a needle, so the glue is inside the hole, plugging it. Seems preferable to just blorting a patch over the hole and surrounding area.

    good idea. It really is a tiny hole, so I'm thinking 1/4 of one drop should do it; I just hope it doesn't get blown out of the hole when I crank'em!:rolleyes:
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited May 2010
    I used a piece of gauze once before as a backing material to fix one. For adhesive I used rtv black. Also Polk carries the replacement;)
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,755
    edited May 2010
    falconcry72, take the driver out of the cabinet and apply the repair material to the backside of the surround.

    Ben, I found that RTV doesn't stick very well to the surround.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited May 2010
    The paper test went well; the loctite dried into a soft, strong, flexible and clear rubber-type of substance. It stretches to about 3 times its dried length, but it is very strong and takes a lot of force to snap it. It adhered well to the paper, but I'm not sure how it'll do with the butyl rubber surround, though the box indicates that it's good for rubber. I was very impressed by the combination of flexibility and strength.:)

    I went ahead and applied the loctite to the surround. I used about 1/2 of one drop, only on the inside. If it doesn't hold when played loud I'll add a little more to the back side as well as to the front.

    See pics. I was working in my "dirty studio". I have a dirty studio and a clean studio for different types of work. Those are KRK Rokit 8 powered studio monitors that I use with my ipod. There is usually a fan or two on in that room, so super hi-fi is pointless. Those Rokits are solid monitors, though. The 2B's will live in my clean studio.:cool:

    I'll give an update when it's dry and I've had a chance to run them loud. That won't be until Wensday evening- I've got a new (to me) amp and preamp on the way.:D
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,755
    edited May 2010
    Excellent info, thanks for sharing.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Cthulhu11
    Cthulhu11 Posts: 69
    edited May 2010
    Polk still carries the MW6511, matter of fact they have it in stock the drivers usually run about 60 buck a piece new.
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  • jrgoswick
    jrgoswick Posts: 159
    edited May 2010
    I'd go ahead and get another one from PCS(have it en route), and try to fix the other one for an ohh-crap spare. That's just me though. Either way, POST RESULTS, you're not the only one that has had this happen.
    Onkyo TX-SR705 AVR
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    Polk Monitor 12's with RDO's and XO's
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    EBAY is like cocaine. At first you only look, next thing you know, your house is full of crap you have no idea why you own.:eek:
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  • tx_polkhead
    tx_polkhead Posts: 248
    edited May 2010
    Nice fix, looks like it should hold. I was looking for just that type of material, While pulling a MW from a M7 I slipped and stabbed a small hole in the rubber surround. My hole is more like a flap! Funny thing is after I replaced the driver and didi the PR seal test, it holds long and tight! Someday I'll either repair like you did or replace the driver.
    Polk Audio RTA 12c's, Monitor 7c, Monitor 5JR+, SDA CRS+
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,217
    edited May 2010
    How's it working out ?
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited May 2010
    heiney9 wrote: »
    How's it working out ?

    So far, so good!:D I cranked it good and stong last night, and as far as I can tell it's holding air 100%. There are no sonic differences that I can perceive, but I'd imagine they are there to some degree. I'm still going to keep an eye out for a used 6511, but I'm not going to buy a new one as long as this holds.;)

    If it fails I'll update this thread.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited May 2010
    jrgoswick wrote: »
    POST RESULTS, you're not the only one that has had this happen.

    Yea, I know I'm not the only one. I do have a bad memory, but I didn't post the pics for my own reference.:cool:
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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