LSI9 woes

bogo

Hi Guys,
I have been really happy with my new LSI9's and Kimba 8TC cable. Anyhow it looks like the right channel speaker may have an issue. Under big driver movement or rapid movement it is clipping/fluttering etc. Not sure really how to explain. Is my driver broken? The left channel is all good and doesnt do this. I used to have these on the floor and I though it was something I had around them that was vibrating, now since my custom stands are finished it is definetly the top driver on the right channel making this annoying sound.

Can anyone help or suggest anything.

PolkWannabie

How hard are you driving them relative to reference level and with what ?

Frank Z

Try swapping the speakers and see if the problem persists. You should also pull the drivers and check for any obvious signs of driver damage.

How much power are you driving the speakers with?

bogo

I have them bi wired to my brothers Pioneer VSX-702S Amp, yes I know its not the best but will have to do till I get my Yamaha Stereo Amp. They are Bi-Wired, the AMP is 120x4 @ 4ohm

To ask a basic question. How do I take my drivers out. Is it as simple as undoing the screws at the front of them. They are not really driven that loud but then how do you meausre loudness. The thing is the left channel does not do this and the right does.

Any suggestions. Thanks for the quick reply. Must be late in the USA.

gatemplin

You measure loudness with a sound pressure level meter. You can get them from radio shack if you have them down under. Take the screws out and check the driver for obvious damage like a loose spider. Push the driver in. It should move linearly and with no noise.

bogo

Yes we do have the equivalent of radioshack down here. I have taken out all the screws and when i push the driver it moves with a slight scraping noise. I have undone all the surronding screws but still the driver wont budge - is it meant to come out of the enclosure?

bogo

Has to be a problem with the driver. I have the screws off and I have music playing now - the left is solid as as rock the right has this bloody annoying rattle. I thought it was my line conditioner at first clicking but nope. How do i remove the driver from the enclosure. Hopefully it is just a minor thing i can fix.

bogo

After taking off the screws it sounds worse than ever, it just sounds like an annoying rattle in the driver enclosure. I wish I could really describe it better. Can anyhow tell me what I should be looking out for?

Frank Z

Don't play the speaker with the screws out, It will fall out and may do more damage. The driver can be GENTLY pryed/pulled out after all of the screws have been removed.

Sounds like the driver is blown.

gatemplin

Hold the speaker upside down over a pillow and gently pry it out with your fingers. There will be a compressed gasket on the driver which is holding it in. The scraping noise when you push it in usually means the former is damaged from hitting the back plate. over excursion of the suspension will sometimes tear the spider. Sometimes the former will seperate from the diaphragm. Have you ever heard a loud clacking noise when listen at high volumes?

bogo

That is exactly what I am hearing a loud clacking at higher volumes. I just have the tweeter out now. The top woofer still wont budge, stuborn thing. I will get back to trying and keep you posted.

pjdami

bogo,

Sorry to hear about your trouble. Yes the drivers come out like this picture:

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11433

There is some gasketing material which may make it seem like the driver is stuck in there. You should be able to gently remove it if you pry it up and work your way around with a flat head screwdriver.

Sounds like you have a blown driver due to the rubbing you mention when you gently push in the driver. Don't play the speakers if you have the screws removed. The rattle will be worse because the speaker is not secured properly.

did you try swapping the speaker to the other channel like Frank suggested to see if the trouble still remains with the speaker? this will eliminate any amp potential problems.

Call Ken Swauger with Polk Customer Service on Monday to see what they can do for you.

1-800-377-7655 extension 891

Good luck.

bogo

I took them apart all tlooks good. I cracked the top of the shiny styuff prrying it out. Wah

I can not see no damage at all to the driver.

bogo

On another topic is is possible to get a replacment top for the LSI9's, I cracked the shiny plastic covering. I guess the covers are staying on these puppies now.

gatemplin

Try moving it in and out listen and look at the suspension. If it makes a scratching noise it is dead. Measure the resistance with an ohm meter. If it is 0 or OL then it is dead.

bogo

Both drivers measure 3.2 ohms on my multi meter. Shouldn't this be about 4ohm as that is what the speakers are reated?

gatemplin

No thats good, 3.2 is the resistance. The nominal (average) impedance is 4 ohms. Now we know that the voice coils arent melted. Do you hear any noises or feel resistance?

bogo

Ahaha the noise is still there. The resistance i hear when pushing the driver in is the same on all speakers. So to recap i am at square 1 again and I cracked the plastic shiny part on my speaker.

I am 99.9% it is coming from that top driver. Any suggestions. Now i am just **** at myself for maring the finish on these fine speakers.

bogo

Thank your help guys. Think I just have received a dud. Havent had these more than 2 weeks. As mentioned I cracked the plastic finish. Is it possible to replace this or not. I think I will be calling Polk on Monday

gatemplin

What happened to the "scrapping" noise you described? Dont worry about the finish, it happens. Either get some glue and put her back on or colour it in with a sharpie!:)

bogo

The scraping is still there but all drivers appear to that. Its only at loud volume that the right top. It is a clattering sound. I could not see any apparent damage to the driver at all. It is clattering now as I type this. If there is nothing obviously wrong with the driver to my eyes what could it be.

Tour2ma

When you push on your mid-woofers, are you pushing with light, equal pressure all around the outer edge of the cone?

bogo

I just replaced the driver I thought was the problem and this problem is still there. Wah, could anything be loose in the speaker that is making this rattle.

Tour2ma

Sure... been reports of poor/ loose beads of glue in some speakers. Also where the bead is incomplete allowing the cabinet to vent where it's not supposed to.

Worth a look I'd say.

bogo

Where should I be looking. I am really getting sick of ripping this speaker apart. I am going crazy down here in Australia. If i dont connect the wires from the cross over box to the top driver it does not rattle at all. Yet no matter which driver I use (stock or replacement) when connected makes the cabinent rattle. It does sound like it is coming from the top driver in btoh cases. I have even had other people listen and say it is my driver. I have tried other amps and now I am getting desperate, ready to throw this one in the bin :mad:

bogo

I ended up fixing the problem after completely ripping the speaker apart and reassembling it. I discoverd how to repicate the problem / sound I was hearing on my speakers. Stick 2 fingers down the front ports on the lsi9's whilst going with a track that countains a lot of driver movement, dont put your fingers in all the way to block off all air coming out. You will hear a rattling sound. All I could concluse the problem was a gasket or something like that.

Anyhow I still have this crack in my loud speaker and I have not been able to track down any one to even help me where I can find a replacement super polygloss flat laminating film.

More information can be found at http://www.riken-usa.com/show/sr/sr.html. I am trying to fix the teo cracks at http://pictures.baldacchino.net/audio/P1010019

Frank Z

Have you tried contacting Polk Customer Service regarding the material to repair the crack in your speaker?

bogo

They really have not been able to help myself out. I know the type of material and that is it. Polk's best offer is a new cabinet which I am not willing to pay for. According to Ken the cabinets are outsourced and not made by Polk. The question is who are they made by........
Any ideas ............?

[Deleted User]

Hello,
That is not the information you were given. Your speaker's cabinet was manufactured by Polk Audio using material supplied by outside vendors. I gave you the name of the company who supplied the plastic laminate material, in fact you emailed me indicating you had found them online.
Regards, Ken

bogo

Sorry if I conveyed any falsies. The fact is Ken I am still unable to speak to anyone who can help me with my problems. Riken USA are pretty much contact Polk or their cabinet maker and I still don't know who makes your cabinets. Surely some one could tell me? I still don’t understand how no body at Polk can tell myself where your cabinets are made? I am just trying to repair my loud speaker and I would like to do it with an exact replacement component.

If any one could put myself in touch with the company that fabricates the SR Tough for Polk Audio I would be gracious.

gatemplin

Originally posted by Kenneth Swauger
Your speaker's cabinet was manufactured by Polk Audio using material supplied by outside vendors. [/B]

There is your answer.

You can strip off the laminate, repair the damage with bondo and relaminate the front. Get a router with a cut out bit and your good to go.

"falsies" I have never heard that before but I likes it. It reminds me of something Alex from A Clockwork Orange would say.