Focal JM Lab Mezzo Utopia modification
Comments
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Looks good- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Looks good
Thanks!
I'll get crackin' on getting that tweeter out.
Off topic question_ I have a Utopia system, Mezzo's, Mini Utopia Center, Sub Utopia and surround JM Lab speakers. I've got Jeff Rowland Model 12's for each mezzo speaker. Question is, I have to crank the Classe processor to like 78 db to get the sub to go on. Is there a way I can lower the sensitivity
so the sub goes on at like 50 or so db? Or is that how it has to be. I have the crossover set to around 55 HZ. -
That would be a question for no Michel with Focal, he has been there since before the utopia line, very knowledgeable- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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That would be a question for no Michel with Focal, he has been there since before the utopia line, very knowledgeable
Will do.
Anyone ever heard of this "Sam Ready Speakers for Mezzo Utopia?
https://www.devialet.com/en-fi/expert-pro-sam-ready-speakers/jm-lab/mezzo-utopia/
I can't find any information about it on their web page. It's some sort of processor I guess. -
I didn't take frequency sweeps, the fact they brought physical pain to my ears was enough. Putting the old domes back in restored the highs to normal levels with zero distortion
might be possible to add series resistance to dial them down. but yes if you still have the old dome, that's better. where do you find the foam surround for the tweeter? -
I tried adjusting the volume lower, which it did, but there is so much break up in the dome without the dampening coating that it is unlistenable at higher volumes.
If you listen under 70db you may be ok- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Trey, are the tweeters on these Aria 906 likely more shrill? I'm assuming they're titanium...clearly not coated.
Edit: Never mind, I see now it's Al/Mg."This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon -
Where do you guys find the foam surround for the Focal tweeter? I have an old one with flaking surround that I want to restore.
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- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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I can assure you that tweeter is making no sound.
You can ship your dome and motor to focal in France and they can repair.
This is the focal rep, he is awesome
m.rousseau@focal-naim.com
I don't kno
I don't know if anyone will read this but I got out my Radio Shack Sound Meter and as I thought(due to both wires still attached to the cone), this tweeter is playing. I shielded above and below the meter reader as best I could and the meter is reading exactly the same as the readings for the normal looking other tweeter.
The meter has an elongated round metal extension that fits right up to the round tweeter. I may still looking into refoaming it, esp. if I can also get another metal protector to solder on. Anyhow, thought I'd post my findings. Thanks. -
Sir, there is no dome pictured to resonate, I'm not sure what your meter is reading but it is not a tweeter- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Is it possible the movement of the voice-coil is generating the sound that's being measured and heard?
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Possibly, but I can't imagine it being any proper sound a tweeter makes- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Well, I don't know. You may be right. But the sound meters tweeter readings are seemingly the same as the other speakers tweeter. I place the meters "nose" right up in them and try to block the nose from picking up sound from the other speakers...Like I said, once this world gets back to normal and I'm working again, I'll email Michel at Focal. I am a little nervous clipping the wires and resoldering. But I do have a soldering gun...Sir, there is no dome pictured to resonate, I'm not sure what your meter is reading but it is not a tweeter
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Possibly, but I can't imagine it being any proper sound a tweeter makes
You were right. It(they) are not...I hoped against hope but you were right all along. The sound meter was picking up the mids...Neither tweeter is producing sound or pushing air. My Mezzo's sound flat and muffled. My center mini utopia sounds fantastic and and I can tell and feel the difference. It's pushing out air...So I will contact Michel. Can I cut the wires and remove(what's remaining of) the beryllium tweeters and send them to Focal France for replacement?...And then solder them into position? Or is there no need to send the failed tweeters...I've read what you posted that they are now different from the earlier tweeters(aluminum and brighter darn it) but I guess that is the only option?
Thank you for your help. -
You would have to order the new diaphragms or keep an eye out for a replacement for the old on ebay
Another option is to buy a set mezzo utopia that are beat up and use for parts- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Trey, patience is a virtue!!
Harry"Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"Anger is just anger. It isn’t good. It isn’t bad. It just is. What you do with it is what matters.
You can use it to build or to destroy. You just have to make the choice. Jim Butcher
Harry / Marietta GA -
You would have to order the new diaphragms or keep an eye out for a replacement for the old on ebay
Another option is to buy a set mezzo utopia that are beat up and use for parts
Excuse my lack of knowledge and understanding but do you think the beryllium in the tweeters is still good? Nothing happens with the tweeters sound wise. The right speaker tweeter looks perfect from the outside. But nothing. It doesn't push any air. Would I not need to remove the old tweeters and solder in new tweeters? New diaphragms would cure that problem? I would have to send the tweeters out to Focal as it sounds like it's complex.
I looked on EBay but couldn't find the appropriate diaphragms....These are not the correct beryllium tweeters but is this similar to what I'd need?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-FOCAL-TSC-HOME-AUDIO-JM-LAB-HOME-AUDIO-TWEETERS-MADE-IN-FRANCE-PAIR-NEW/123057749139?hash=item1ca6d03c93:g:KekAAOSwB4NWu5nS
Thank you for your help. -
Voice coil is cooked it should in most instances still appear normal. I've never had any tweeters "push" air that is a new one on me.
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The older Utopias used a coated titanium dome, not beryllium.
They don't do bad in the sense you describe, but you are completely missing the dome- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Voice coil is cooked it should in most instances still appear normal. I've never had any tweeters "push" air that is a new one on me.
Sorry. Maybe what I meant was when I put my hand over the good tweeter in my mini utopia center channel speaker, I feel something and my hand does muffle sound coming out of the tweeter.
Is replacing the diaphragm easy for someone who has never done that kind of thing before?.... Just contact Focal and let them ship the diaphragm's to me? Or I send the tweeter board/assembly or what it is to Focal and they change the diaphragms?
Too bad the new diaphragms are aluminum and brighter. But they'd sound good compared to no sound.... I've searched around and I can't find older diaphragm's like mine. Probably tough to find only the diaphragm's for sale....
Thank you! -
The new ones are still titanium, just not coated.
Very easy to install, no skill set required other than soldering- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
The new ones are still titanium, just not coated.
Very easy to install, no skill set required other than soldering
Excellent. So, I will send an email to Michel and ask to purchase 2 new tweeter diaphragm's? Simple as that?
These are not Mezzo Utopia diahpragm/tweeters but I guess I couldn't use these tweeters diaphragm that have the cone and foam exterior in some way. could I?
https://www.amazon.com/TSC-Focal-Home-Audio-Tweeters/dp/B01BIH8D16
Thanks again. -
Oh. In addition, might you know what the cost of each diaphragm is? Just curious. Thank you.
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No the tsc is no where close.
They run around 100 each, Michel is great- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
No the tsc is no where close.
They run around 100 each, Michel is great
Awesome! I will email Michel now. Thank you so much.
I had a feeling those tsc's wouldn't work.... -
Since the maker of diffraction be gone is no more (i guess) 0 I tracked down a similar felt sold by Grainger...
The Mezzo utopia has 2 diffraction points on the tweeter baffle where the aluminum meets the wood. There is a small lip, maybe 1/32" of an inch... I placed a 1.5" wide piece of felt at this break on each side and the difference was what I recall diffraction be gone doing. The high end really cleaned up, well worth the $10
dont worry Jody, Ill include some in your box of goodies to play with! haha
Ordered the diaphragm's from Michel. He is a super helpful guy, like you said.
I asked him about the differing sound between the old domes with the foam ring and the new diaphragm's without the foam ring. He said he's never heard the difference between them. I'm not sure if that meant he never compared them?
In any case, I am hoping you could tell me which Grainger felt sheet or strips you ordered for the Mezzo's tweeter baffles? The 1.5" strips. Are the strips thin and merely fit in between the ends of the plates and the wood so they are out of sight? I have a good idea from the photo of where you put the strips but not exactly how it looks.
Thanks again. -
I would just play around with it, you will find the new domes to be far brighter, especially if you listen at louder volumes- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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I would just play around with it, you will find the new domes to be far brighter, especially if you listen at louder volumes
I'm sorry...Play around with the felt placement? You said that the high end really cleaned up well with the felt. Can you tell me the model # of the felt you used as Grainger carries a lot of felt.
I emailed Michel to tell him that the right tweeter does in fact play. And not so bad really except it just doesn't produce the higher frequencies like crisp cymbals and high guitar notes etc.... I A/B'd betwen the Mini Utopia center channel speaker and right speaker in mono and stereo. I could hear similar sonics with both tweeters but like I said, not the higher frequencies that give the tweeter that open, airy sound of a normal tweeter....All this time I thought it was my stylus that was the reason for the flatness in sound in 2 channel.
Michel said that usually the voice coil just dies and no sound "but rarely, the voice coil has become "fatigued" by countless hours of play and, while it can still play a bit, its coil no longer conducts current as efficiently."
He then said "The other possibility is that a part in the crossover has changed value because it overheated by being pushed hard for a long time."
"The easiest way to find out is to swap tweeters and see if the good one sounds as good in the other cabinet."
I would love to only change the left speakers diaphragm and not have to change the right speakers diaphragm if it really is the crossover. On the outside at least, the cone/foam ring looks to be pristine and new.
I asked Michel if there was a way to reset or change crossovers-"No, you cannot replace the crossover, but it can be repaired.
To know for sure if that is the cause, we would have to dismantle it and measure the parts that handle the tweeter, to find out if their value has changed.
Not an easy solution!"
"Even though it is not an easy thing to do, swapping tweeters to run a test is still the easiest solution."
Swapping out the tweeters sounds like a complex thing for me to do but I want to do the right thing.
You are obviously an expert on crossovers and Mezzo speaker work...What is your opinion on the what's going on with right tweeter? Maybe there is a trick you know of to try?
Thank you!Post edited by Daydreamer on -
Michel suggested I hire a local tech to swap out the tweeters and check the crossover and he can fix it right there if necessary. I was not second guessing Michel but thought since you've done so much work on your Mezzo's, you might have a new idea on things.
Thanks.
