RTI A5 replace 6-1/2 "composite woofer

johy
johy Posts: 17
in Troubleshooting
Hi guys,

I have this pair of RTI A5s purchased around 10 years go. The four 6-1/2 Dynamic Balance polymer composite woofers in both the speakers have started cracking. Where can I purchase a replacement for the same? I think I should be able to fix the new ones myself.
Thanks in advance.
Onkyo 727| Polk RTi A5 biamped| Polk RTi4s surrounds| Polk CSi3 center| subwoofer PSW404 :)
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Comments

  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,560
    Cracking? How about pictures
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    Yea that sounds strange. Polk is your main source, but there may be other suppliers that have stock from Polk...
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1     Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • johy
    johy Posts: 17
    edited June 2019
    Thanks, The cones are actually cracking up. I can see around 4 cracks in each of the cones. Will post pics later.

    Sorry I mean to type cones..it is a ruptured cone problem, not the diaphragm. How can I repair them ? Parts ?
    Post edited by johy on
    Onkyo 727| Polk RTi A5 biamped| Polk RTi4s surrounds| Polk CSi3 center| subwoofer PSW404 :)
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,981
    Cracking ? don't think I ever seen that happen before. Can you post a pic of the worst one ?
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    Says severely overdriven to me.
    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

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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,981
    F1nut wrote: »
    Says severely overdriven to me.

    That's what I was thinking, but even then....don't think I ever seen a cone crack as described. All of them yet ? I've seen 50 year old speakers with no cracked woofers, ripped maybe because they were paper back then. Todays more stiffer drivers should not crack I would think. Plus to over drive a speaker that badly, you'd think a crossover might go up in smoke first.

    Pictures tell a thousand words though.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,560
    some of the new drivers actually get brittle with age. maybe the "aerated" sandwich is separating. IF those drivers have that material.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,981
    Possible Ivan, but RTIA5's that are only 10 years old ?
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,741
    edited June 2019
    The cones are a simple polymer, should last.... "a life time"
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • johy
    johy Posts: 17
    Here is the pic of the worst one. I have never over driven them. My earlier AV receiver , an Onkyo 727 , did burn up, and I wonder if it caused this. I am back to my earlier Denon now, which I have used for a long time.ovw4s0ifxxoe.jpg
    Onkyo 727| Polk RTi A5 biamped| Polk RTi4s surrounds| Polk CSi3 center| subwoofer PSW404 :)
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,741
    There is something off about the color of the screws, have you had them in sunlight or near a window

    Looks like just the dust cap is damaged which wouldn't be hard to fix
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    That's the dust cover and looks to me like the result of overheated voice coils.
    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

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  • johy
    johy Posts: 17
    edited June 2019
    Thanks guys. Sorry I am not so tech savvy with the names. It is the dust cover then. Can I just buy the dust cover from somewhere, open the speakers and reattach them? The speakers are in a room upstairs. It can get very hot there. There are no windows..just a big door. Air conditioned dedicated home theatre.

    Where can I buy them? And what size,.they seem like 2" when I measured them across.
    Onkyo 727| Polk RTi A5 biamped| Polk RTi4s surrounds| Polk CSi3 center| subwoofer PSW404 :)
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    Google replacement speaker dust caps or you can have them replaced here, https://www.midwestspeakerrepair.com/speaker-repair-prices/
    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

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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,741
    How hot is very hot? Really indoor speakers shouldnt experience drastic temperature swings. I have seen cabinets split apart, veneer peel, driver damages, etc...
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,560
    Are the grills kept off and they could get a few hours of direct sunlight?
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  • johy
    johy Posts: 17
    When the door is closed, in peak summer , it would be 100-110 F. Grills are removed yes, and I could sun the grills
    Onkyo 727| Polk RTi A5 biamped| Polk RTi4s surrounds| Polk CSi3 center| subwoofer PSW404 :)
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    Way too hot.
    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

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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    Million dollar question, do they sound any different? If not, just leave em....
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1     Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • johy
    johy Posts: 17
    They sound the same. Think I might as well leave them.
    Onkyo 727| Polk RTi A5 biamped| Polk RTi4s surrounds| Polk CSi3 center| subwoofer PSW404 :)
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,560
    johy wrote: »
    When the door is closed, in peak summer , it would be 100-110 F. Grills are removed yes, and I could sun the grills

    you misunderstood my question as I phrased it poorly. I was asking if the drivers were also getting direct sunlight with the grill off. Direct sunlight will also heat up the drivers much more than the room temp. therefore direct UV radiation can cause the cracks.

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  • tonyp063
    tonyp063 Posts: 1,087
    He did say that the room had no windows, just a door & was an A/C cooled dedicated HT room.

    Could it be severe lack of humidity? Or drastic temp swings?
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    Needs to leave the A/C on.
    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

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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,446
    johy wrote: »
    When the door is closed, in peak summer , it would be 100-110 F. Grills are removed yes, and I could sun the grills

    Where do you live?
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,560
    tonyp063 wrote: »
    He did say that the room had no windows, just a door & was an A/C cooled dedicated HT room.

    Could it be severe lack of humidity? Or drastic temp swings?

    ok I missed that my bad....
    Thanks
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