Houston, We Have a Problem (Lsi-15's)

stretchl

Sorry about the cross post, but I'm looking at these (silent) speakers and find myself in a conundrum -

Help!

I just arrived home and am trying to set up the Adcom/LSi-15 system.

The posts on the back of the speakers don't seem to want to "open." One set just turns and turns, on the other speaker they don't want to move at all, at least not without a wrench.

Here's what I'm seeing. Is there something I"m missing?

Thanks.

[Deleted User]

Hello,
The best approach is to use a 1/2" nut driver, anything else is risking damaging the ends of the binding post cap. Someone tightened those down a little too tight.
Regards, Ken

stretchl

Hi, Ken. Thanks for your note.

So what I'm seeing in the photo above is what I'm supposed to be seeing?

[Deleted User]

Hello,
With the exception of the binding post jumper plates, yes. If you didn't get the jumper plates use short pieces of your speaker wire to link the upper and lower set of binding posts.
Regards, Ken

stretchl

Thanks.

I don't understand this at all. The manual I just downloaded from PA (http://www.polkaudio.com/downloads/manual/LSi7_9_15_MN.pdf) shows something totally different from what's on the backs of these speakers.

All eight posts tightened to the point that the interior hex nuts spin as the exterior posts are turned, and those exterior posts have to be turned by a wrench?

Something else is afoot.

I have an e-mail in to the seller and will call PA first thing in the morning.

Meanwhile...

the sound of silence.

BlueFox

Aren't wires attached to the back of the posts? If they turn and turn it seems the wire would break.

stretchl

No. The posts are attached to a metal plate inside the speaker onto which a screw from the post passes. That screw is secured to the plate with a hex nut. (See attached shot of the interior)

From looking at the PA manual, I think what's happened is that the previous owner removed something in order to use banana plugs (See attached screen shot from manual)

stretchl

No. The posts are attached to a metal plate inside the speaker onto which a screw from the post passes. That screw is secured to the plate with a hex nut. (See attached shot of the interior)

From looking at the PA manual, I think what's happened is that the previous owner removed something in order to use banana plugs (See attached screen shot from manual)

EndersShadow

stretchl wrote: »

From looking at the PA manual, I think what's happened is that the previous owner removed something in order to use banana plugs (See attached screen shot from manual)

The things they would have removed are little caps that are on the inside of the binding post that cover the banana port plug (see picture). In order to get them out you need to unscrew the binding post nut from the interior post to pop them off.

Here is what those little binding post plugs look like these pics are from my Monitor 60's as its late and I dont feel like taking pics of the LSi's right now


Here is a example of how they would have looked stock (with just one of the post plugs installed)



Once you remove the binding post nut you can then remove that cover which allows you to use banana plugs



In your case as mentioned I think the previous owner overtightened the binding post. I would try to hold the nut on the inside of the crossover (the one in the interior pic you posted) tight and using a wrench attempt to loosen the outer nut carefully.

I will take some pics of how the LSi binding posts look tomorrow morning

stretchl

Thanks so much. A photo of your lsi's whenever u have a chance would b great.

Goodnight.

EndersShadow

Here are the LSi pics as promised

stretchl

Wow. So those things do come off... or ought to...

Here's the very gracious e-mail I received back from the previous owner this morning, which may shed light on why the posts are all-but-welded together, and may provide a solution. I've asked him to send the banana plugs -

They are the original binding posts. I have used high compression bi-wire bananas posts (they connect to the bare end of the speakers). I can take these from my speaker cables and send them to you FED EX today that will solve your issue. I will send you all 4 pairs the will give you the same setup I used in my high end theater to attach the cables to the speaker terminals. Just send me your address and the ends will be FEDEX’ed to you today.

We can send the speakers to Polk to have them check it out (I wish we had known before or I would have taken them to the local Crutchfields to look at/resolve under warranty) or I can take back the speakers and refund your $$. (Not sure if your coming back soon). These are what I would do if you were local to make this right.

Just let me know what you want to do.

My deepest apologies,
Steve

[Deleted User]

Hello,
The reason I recommended the 1/2" nut driver is that it would apply torque to all six sides of the nut. If you used anything else only two sides of the nut are being gripped at the same time and since the nut has a fairly shallow gripping area the nut driver grips the most amount of area. Those binding post caps are made of fairly soft metal and will easily get scratched or damaged.
Regards, Ken

stretchl

I'll stop by the hardware store this morning, pick one up and give it a try. Thanks.

[Deleted User]

It looks as though you might have to remove the binding post mounting nut from the inside of the input plate, then pull the complete binding post out. Then this should let you grip the shaft of the binding post and use the nut driver to loosen the cap. Here again the metal for the shaft is fairly soft and the shaft is weak where the hole for speaker wire is. But since the speaker wire hole is underneath where the cap is I don't think there's much risk of snapping the shaft. You can use a piece of leather to help grip the threaded area of the shaft and grip with pliers to avoid damaging the threads of the shaft.
If something happens Polk can supply a replacement binding post.

stretchl

Kenneth Swauger wrote: »

It looks as though you might have to remove the binding post mounting nut from the inside of the input plate, then pull the complete binding post out. Then this should let you grip the shaft of the binding post and use the nut driver to loosen the cap.

That's what I was thinking, too...

stretchl

Here is what's coming off the back of the speaker -

heiney9

Did you get the brass jumpers? If not, then you have to connect the upper and lower binding posts IF you aren't bi-wiring.

Ken mentioned they weren't in your photo, but you never mentioned (unless I missed it) if you they came with the speakers. Since the previous owner was bi-wiring then he removed them (as you should) but did he include them?

H9

stretchl

One more shot of what is coming off the speaker -

EndersShadow

H9, the jumpers did not come with the speakers from what I remember.

stretchl: I am shooting you a PM with my phone number, give me a call as I think I know what happened and it shouldnt be to hard to fix.

stretchl

Progress update -

Matt (not Polk) at Polk Audio has been on the phone with me for 30 minutes looking at these images as I'm posting and providing guidance.

He made clear to me that the smooth area at the right of the piece above needs to stay in place while the "grippable" area to the left rotates.

A vice-grip attached to the smooth area and a wrench on the hex to the left did the trick. The damned thing was screwed together so tight I couldn't separate the parts without two wrenches. Crazy.

Matt also said that since the previous owner used banana plugs, the components of the posts had likely never been opened and that's the reason they're practically welded together.

One final nugget - Matt also informed me that Polk's warranty is not transferrable... so I don't have the 2+ year warranty that I thought I had on these speakers.

Hopefully they'll be as durable as my 10b's and it won't be an issue.

Hoping for sound soon...

stretchl

Thanks, Ender.

stretchl

Houston, Champaign Base here. The Eagle has landed.

Seven of the eight posts' covers had never been unscrewed and were practically fused to their respective bases.

I had to take the back panel off, remove the posts/covers and use a vise grip and wrench to get the posts/covers apart. Helluva tedious job given the difficult access to the interior hex nuts.

Now enjoying some early REM.

Thanks, guys!