2.3TL Air Leaks
jim 249
Posts: 347
I have a pair of 2.3tl's that have had weak bass since I purchased them used about a year ago. An interested person looking at them informed that when you push in the passive radiator and hold it the smaller drivers will push out and stay put. Mine just sink back in right away. That would pretty much wipe out the bass response all by itself. Where is the most logical places to look for air leaks in these speakers? Any help would be great! Thanks!
Post edited by jim 249 on
Comments
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check the surrounds for small rips. goto the hardware store and buy some rope caulk (aka mortite, crackseal) and use it to seal all drivers and xover to the cabinet.
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The usual suspects,, drivers--passive--tweeters--the tweeters have gaskets,,as well as the mids and passive--you might wanna "snug" up the screws--and be sure to check the bindging post plate/cover--then the drivers should extend outward when you push the passive in,,,and return slowly--good luck--let us know what you find.JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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Hi George; Thanks for your help. All the screws were a bit loose. The passives were the loosest though with one passive having three screws that would not tighten. It made a huge difference, with the start of Dark Side of the Moon having some punch now! It would seem to me though that a perfectly sealed system would not let any air out and that when you push in the passives the smaller driver cones would come out and stay put. When you say return slowly, could you put a time to that, say 5 seconds or 10 or??????? Thanks again!!!!
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i have NO bass from my 2.3TL's as well. i did the test and they seem to pass.mole'
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i have NO bass from my 2.3TL's as well. i did the test and they seem to pass.
Check your receivers' output settings and check large or small. You should have tremendous bass.Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them. -
Hi George; Thanks for your help. All the screws were a bit loose. The passives were the loosest though with one passive having three screws that would not tighten. It made a huge difference, with the start of Dark Side of the Moon having some punch now! It would seem to me though that a perfectly sealed system would not let any air out and that when you push in the passives the smaller driver cones would come out and stay put. When you say return slowly, could you put a time to that, say 5 seconds or 10 or??????? Thanks again!!!!
I have never timed them--but 2-3 seconds should be normal IIRC--placement is critical-- 18 inches from the rear walls and about 3 feet from the sides idf you can.JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut) -
tony millard wrote: »Check your receivers' output settings and check large or small. You should have tremendous bass.
did that already
added a lil bitmole' -
18" from the rear wall is too far into the room and will hurt the bass. Try 2" - 12".
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i have NO bass from my 2.3TL's as well. i did the test and they seem to pass.
Are they in phase? -
Conradicles wrote: »Are they in phase?
Yep, that was going to be my next suggestion.
The out of phase sure hurt a set of RT55s I was demonstrating. NO Bass at all. I found out a couple days later my pos. wire on one was hooked up to the neg. term. on one speaker. After hooking the one correctly, plenty of bass again.;)
Good luck :Also check the pos. and neg. hook-up paths.
Definitely get the speakers close to the wall like conradicles said too. That will help ALOT.Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them. -
not to appear arrogant,, but you guys are not driving 2.3's with receivers are you?The SDA's such as yours really benefit from high current/power amplification.As far as bass,,you may need to play with placement after you have ruled out the obivious.Good luck ans let us know when/how you succede
JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut) -
i have mine hooked up right. have the SDA cable hooked as well. have them powered with an Acurus 250x3 amp. i think its the placement of mine. left is 6" from the wall and the right one is in a weird area so its hard to set it up right. but they are 8' apart from each othermole'
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Gents it's a big cabinet. Check the corner seams on all four corners, the top and base. My 1.2TL has a two foot separation in the lower right front corner seam. I would have never noticed it if my speaker didn't start to rattle one day. I sealed it up with Parts Express speaker sealer and leaned some heavy weights against the sides for a day or two to let the sealer set and that did he job.
Also, check the rear binding post cups. Make sure the posts and the SDA socket are completely covered with hot glue and that the cup itself is sealed well.
Aside from that, the MWs and tweeter gaskets should be checked for any warps and should be air tight.
George is right but I'd go a little further and 3 to 4 second on the MWs returning to position with the PR pressed in would be better. -
i have mine hooked up right. have the SDA cable hooked as well. have them powered with an Acurus 250x3 amp. i think its the placement of mine. left is 6" from the wall and the right one is in a weird area so its hard to set it up right. but they are 8' apart from each other
your placement is killing yours--try to get them 2-3 feet from the side walls,,and maybe 6-7 feet apart.JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut) -
george daniel wrote: »your placement is killing yours--try to get them 2-3 feet from the side walls,,and maybe 6-7 feet apart.
Excellent advice. Just make sure however far apart you set them that your sweet spot starts from the center plain of the front baffle of the speakers the same distance they are apart. That 3' from the side wall can make all the difference in the world. -
It would seem to me though that a perfectly sealed system would not let any air out and that when you push in the passives the smaller driver cones would come out and stay put.
A very small amount of air passes thru the dust covers on the Polk mid-drivers, so they will never stay all the way out.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 -
george daniel wrote: »your placement is killing yours--try to get them 2-3 feet from the side walls,,and maybe 6-7 feet apart.hearingimpared wrote: »Excellent advice. Just make sure however far apart you set them that your sweet spot starts from the center plain of the front baffle of the speakers the same distance they are apart. That 3' from the side wall can make all the difference in the world.
thats what i figured. ill have to take pics tomorrow and show what im working with. its not the best. i still have yet to do any of my mods to them YET! i have the RDO 198s, here, rings will soon be here, dynamat is in the back room. i need a new room.mole' -
I also urge anybody with a set of vintage polks to take them totally apart. I know, I know, you think that is extra work...(and the person you bought them from said the speakers were perfect and totally stock, never had a replacement).
Make sure all drivers and tweeters are wired correctly, and also make sure the drivers are the correct model #'s and in the correct location.
You would be surprised... -
I would have to agree that a complete tear down is needed. Sigh! GO BOISE STATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Mine just sink back in right away.
Do they return to the full resting position right away or do they just move back slightly right away, but do not return to the full resting position?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 -
Conradicles wrote: »I also urge anybody with a set of vintage polks to take them totally apart. I know, I know, you think that is extra work...(and the person you bought them from said the speakers were perfect and totally stock, never had a replacement).
Make sure all drivers and tweeters are wired correctly, and also make sure the drivers are the correct model #'s and in the correct location.You would be surprised...
This is definitely on my to do list and install Larry's rings at the same time after I remodel my neighbor's bathroom floor and a couple sets of faucets around her house.Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them. -
hearingimpared wrote: »Excellent advice. Just make sure however far apart you set them that your sweet spot starts from the center of the plane of the front baffle of the speakers the same distance they are apart. That 3' from the side wall can make all the difference in the world.
Fixed! -
Conradicles wrote: »I also urge anybody with a set of vintage polks to take them totally apart. I know, I know, you think that is extra work...(and the person you bought them from said the speakers were perfect and totally stock, never had a replacement).
Make sure all drivers and tweeters are wired correctly, and also make sure the drivers are the correct model #'s and in the correct location.
You would be surprised...
Good point,, especially if you are gonna' install Larry's rings,, and dynamat,,etc,, there's no excuse,, since the wiring schematics are posted on this site and the help/support of others here.Good luck and keep us posted.:)JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut) -
Do they return to the full resting position right away or do they just move back slightly right away, but do not return to the full resting position?
My drivers do that. They push out then withing a second return halfway then when i let go of the passive they return all the way. Is that normal? -
Conradicles wrote: »I also urge anybody with a set of vintage polks to take them totally apart. I know, I know, you think that is extra work...(and the person you bought them from said the speakers were perfect and totally stock, never had a replacement).
Make sure all drivers and tweeters are wired correctly, and also make sure the drivers are the correct model #'s and in the correct location.
You would be surprised...
I've owned 3 pairs of SDA's, and every pair, including my current 2.3tl's had one or more drivers wired out of phase.Primary System
Polk Audio SDA SRS 2.3TL (RDO198,Sonicap/Dayton/Mills,CardasCCGR,Mye Spikes,DynamatX,Driver Rings,Ben's IC,Bi-Wired)
Polk Audio CSiA4 x2 (C)
Polk Audio FXiA6 (S)
Polk Audio RTiA3 (RS)
Polk Audio FXiA4 (FX)
Epik Sentinel x2
Yamaha RX-V3900
Rotel RB-1090
Rotel RMB-1095
NAD C565 BEE
Technics/KAB SL-1210M5G w/ Denon DL-160
Parasound Halo P7
OPPO BDP-83
Panasonic TC-P65V10 65" Plasma -
Mine take about 1 second to return to their resting position. Prior to tightening the screws they would return right away. I have mine powered with a Nakamichi PA5-II amp, 150 watts per channel RMS.
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Mine take about 1 second to return to their resting position.
You still have a leak.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 -
My drivers do that. They push out then withing a second return halfway then when i let go of the passive they return all the way. Is that normal?
Pretty much.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 -
Absolutely air tight is not required and not suggested. As someone else remarked, the dust-caps prevent a perfect seal in any case. A perfectly sealed enclosure would not be pressure-equalized with the outside. The need to have a small hole to allow pressure equalization in sealed enclosures goes back many decades. A pinhole-sized leak or two will produce no audible results. That said, you certainly want to check carefully for terminal cup leaks, loose driver screws, etc, which may rattle in addition to leaking.
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Originally Posted by thejck View Post
My drivers do that. They push out then withing a second return halfway then when i let go of the passive they return all the way. Is that normal?
When releasing the passive make sure the smaller drivers are returning to their rest positions and not being sucked in by the returning passive. As the passive is pushed in it will push the smaller drivers out, likewise when the passive is released it will pull the small drivers in. Looking at the above quote mine would fall into the same results.
