RTA-15T (tweeter replacement)

LPN

Last year I bought a pair of RTA-15T and replaced the original tweeters with RDO198-1's. The first one (left channel) died no more than two months after intalling and the second one crapped out tonight (15 months later).
I think I'll make planter boxes from the cabinets and use the remaining drivers for skeet shooting. Now...looking for some chinese or korean high end (twang twang) longer lasting, better quailty speakers.

mmadden28

Were you looking for some help or just venting?

F1nut

Your tweeters are protected by a polyswitch located on the crossover board. It should be labeled PS1 on the board. They can go bad from being tripped too many times and also from age. You can test if this is your problem by removing the poly and replacing it with a jumper. If the tweeter works, you know that the poly is bad.

Have you tripped the poly's often? What are you using for power?

falconcry72

^^^what he said^^^

falconcry72

LPN,

I went back and read your original thread from a year and a half ago about the RTA-15TL's:

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83518

You said that when you bought them, one of the SL-3000's was already blown, then, after having them very briefly, the other SL-3000 blew. Then you replaced them with RD0's, and now they're both blown.

Either you have the worst luck in the history of these tweeters, or you have a problem with with your crossovers, wiring, or power/source.

ben62670

Or he cranks it to distortion.

Ricardo

They might not have polyswitches. Only earlier production had them.

Waht are you using for power?

LPN

mmadden28 wrote: »

Were you looking for some help or just venting?

A bit of both I suppose. lol ... Of course I'd rather not convert these into planter boxes. It is frustrating having such quality and problems combined, a bit like a old European sports car.

I'll take any of the advise here and try to sort thru it as best I can.
Thanks to those who responded.

Cheers, LPN.

AudioGenics

perhaps having a polyswitch
or some protection ie fuse.

upgrade the Xover if any components is suspect

ben62670

Pull the XO's and take a pic.

dorokusai

LPN wrote: »

Last year I bought a pair of RTA-15T and replaced the original tweeters with RDO198-1's. The first one (left channel) died no more than two months after intalling and the second one crapped out tonight (15 months later).
I think I'll make planter boxes from the cabinets and use the remaining drivers for skeet shooting. Now...looking for some chinese or korean high end (twang twang) longer lasting, better quailty speakers.

I think that's a great idea. Please donate them to someone local and move on to something that fulfills your life with more enjoyment. Remember, you posted this thread and it sounds like you blew them up. OR, you got a bad pair....I guess.

Call Polk CS, problem solved, thread completed.

skrol

I really don't think that the cabinets would hold up to the moisture. I have seen several unfortunate cabinets warp and fall apart due to water damage.

Hey look at that! I just looked at the schematic for the RTA15T (TL) and it shows a PS1 (aka Poly Switch) and a note that the PS was removed on later models. Since you have the RTA15T vs the TL you very likely have the PS. If you wait a while, the PS may reset and the tweeters will work again. This would be the normal function of the PS. If not, the PS are known to have reliability issues as they age and may need to be replaced.

If you don't have the PS, there is another possibility for blowing the tweeters. One of my RTA11TL's had some bad solder connections. You could have intermittent connections.

Mine had 2 caps in parallel with one soldered (supposed to be soldered) to the leads of one mounted to the PC board. Notice the "supposed to be". There was no solder and the lead was loosely twisted around the lead of the other cap. Therefore, at times the circuit only had the one that was soldered to the PC board. Depending on the values, lower frequency signals could reach the tweeter and cause damage.

However, this apparently happened to both of your speakers. I would tend to suspect a problem with your amp / receiver. If an amp has excessive DC voltage on the output, it can damage speakers, though I would think the series cap in the tweeter circuit would protect the tweeter.

Stan

LPN

ben62670 wrote: »

Pull the XO's and take a pic.

Here goes ... I brought it outside for better natural light.
Thanks.

ben62670

There is no polyswitch in them. A polyswitch is like a self resetting breaker. You should add one.

LPN

Oh ya ... and here's what's been the "power" (haha) behind these RTA-15T's. An old Pioneer RX-710 integrated amp. I've run other speakers with no issues and this is no power house certainly so leads me to believe other problems are likely.

Cheers, Barrie.

ben62670

Your EQ has the highs boosted. If you are going to crank it run it flat.

falconcry72

LPN wrote: »

...this is no power house certainly so leads me to believe other problems are likely.

I am not familiar with that gear, but you're more likely to damage the speakers with an amp that is not a powerhouse than with an amp that is a powerhouse.

F1nut

I stand corrected, there are no polyswitches. I also agree with Ben that you should add some if you plan on keeping that Pio as I have no doubt that you have driven it into clipping, hence the blown tweeters. Either that or get a real amp.

skrol

I don't see any piggy-backed components like I described above in my RTA11TL, so scratch that too.

There appears to be a little discoloration of the glue on the resistor. It could be a sign of over the resistor getting hot. I doubt that the resistor is damaged but could be evidence that the tweeter may have been over driven as the resistor is in series with the tweeter.

Stan

dorokusai

I owned a couple used models of that same series and it has a very small power supply. You're clipping and as stated by others, a few factors caused that to happen. You need to upgrade your Receiver....plain and simple. I don't recall it having pre-outs either so an amplifier would be a waste of money. Use this as an excuse to do it....maybe the wife/girlfriend will understand.

heiney9

skrol wrote: »

Hey look at that! I just looked at the schematic for the RTA15T (TL) and it shows a PS1 (aka Poly Switch) and a note that the PS was removed on later models. Since you have the RTA15T vs the TL you very likely have the PS.

No such thing as an RTA15T, they were all TL models, as prior to the introduction of the new tweets there wasn't an RTA15 model, just the RTA8 and RTA11 both which come in T and TL flavors.

H9

maxilla

heiney9 wrote: »

No such thing as an RTA15T, they were all TL models, as prior to the introduction of the new tweets there wasn't an RTA15 model, just the RTA8 and RTA11 both which come in T and TL flavors.

H9

Respectfully, I don't get what you're trying to say. Mine definitely are RTA-15T not TL.

LPN

So,... I need new tweeters, poly switches and a new amp ... I understand but the ole lady won't. $$$ just in time for Xmas.

Cheers, Barrie.

LPN

maxilla wrote: »

Respectfully, I don't get what you're trying to say. Mine definitely are RTA-15T not TL.

Mine too

Cheers, Barrie.

F1nut

LPN wrote: »

So,... I need new tweeters, poly switches and a new amp ... I understand but the ole lady won't. $$$ just in time for Xmas.

Cheers, Barrie.

There is another option...just replace the tweeters, run the EQ flat or remove it entirely and keep the volume level down. You'll be able to enjoy your music again and keep the wife happy.

LPN

I suppose ... but keepin' the wife happy thing? How's that go?

Cheers, Barrie.

heiney9

maxilla wrote: »

Respectfully, I don't get what you're trying to say. Mine definitely are RTA-15T not TL.

So you have the sl2000 tweeter in a pair of RTA 15's? I have never ever heard of or seen that. The RTA15 came out after Polk changed the RTA line over to the new tweeters hence the name TL. My guess is if they have sl2000's those aren't stock.

I know the schematics are marked as RTA 15T, but to my knowledge they never made an RTA 15T because all use the sl3000 tweeter which means it was a TL model.

Not a big deal how you want to label it, but for the record there is no RTA 15T

H9

dorokusai

LPN wrote: »

Mine too

Cheers, Barrie.

Your serial numbers on the pictures provided clearly say RTA15TL. The third pic is the best view.

Don't worry about what the terminal cup says in this case. This wasn't a time that every numbered sticker was accurate but what is accurate is...

Polk Audio did not make a RTA15T.

If you have a SL2000 tweeter installed on your loudspeaker, you have the wrong tweeter.

Simple.

pitdogg2

good eyes Doro

dorokusai

pitdogg2 wrote: »

good eyes Doro

I try to ensure that 1 out of 5 posts is actually useful Pitdogg.

LPN

The cross over housing shows RTA 15T, while the cabinet shows RTA 15TL.
Maybe that's where some of the confusion lays.
These where originally equiped with SL3000's and replaced with RDO198-1's.

Cheers, Barrie.