All my speakers 6.5" dome cracked!
Nim
Posts: 13
RTiA7 (pair) and CSi A6 are both bought in mid of 2013 in Singapore.
Having spare time in this pandemic period, I decided to do a maintenance to all my speakers.
First grill removed, I was shocked. Dome of 6.5" drivers is cracked.
Opened the 2nd, cracked.
The third, cracked.
I knew they are out of 5-year warranty, what can I do? Buy all again?
How can I get trust from Polk Audio?
Having spare time in this pandemic period, I decided to do a maintenance to all my speakers.
First grill removed, I was shocked. Dome of 6.5" drivers is cracked.
Opened the 2nd, cracked.
The third, cracked.
I knew they are out of 5-year warranty, what can I do? Buy all again?
How can I get trust from Polk Audio?
Comments
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Why is there a doily on top of your Emotiva amplifier?
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May protect from dust?Why is there a doily on top of your Emotiva amplifier?
Anyway, my wife likes it.
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I think dust caps are mostly cosmetic, but that certainly does suck.George / NJ
Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
Onkyo A-8017 integrated
Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
iFi nano iDSD DAC
iPurifier3
iDefender w/ iPower PS
Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform -
Looks like the dust caps, would just apply some sealant if it bothered you and keep on rocking!- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Are they still soft?
Just checked the dust caps on the mids on a pair of 2013 refurb RTi10s and they're soft and intact.
What do you use to clean your speakers? Have those dust caps had any chemical cleaners or conditioners on them?
Here's one of mine for comparison:
(this is shot from about the 10 o'clock position)
I disabled signatures. -
Are they still soft?
Just checked the dust caps on the mids on a pair of 2013 refurb RTi10s and they're soft and intact.
What do you use to clean your speakers? Have those dust caps had any chemical cleaners or conditioners on them?
Thanks for reply.
Yes, they are still quite soft.
I can not remember I'd ever cleaned the drivers. I grilled them since the first day coming to my house.
I cleaned them this morning after these lovely cracks discovered with a 3M multi-purpse cloth lightly wet by dechlorinated tap water.
My surround speakers are J** bought in 2003 which were used as main before PA introduced.
Same way never cleaned, same room, after 17 years, J** like new, see below photo.
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Looks like the dust caps, would just apply some sealant if it bothered you and keep on rocking!
Thanks. I will give it a try.
I can hear some "SSS" sound from the cracked drivers. I'd noticed this sound but never took it seriously.
Are the "SSS" sound and cracked dust cap related?
Thanks. -
Got kids?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 -
I grilled them since the first day coming to my house
Well see that there is the problem. If you would have just boiled them.... -
Got kids?
My kids are born between the above mentioned speakers.
I have confidence it's not done by their itchy hands,
1)They don't know the grille is removable
2)They are cracks not dent.Well see that there is the problem. If you would have just boiled them....
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Deleted for the repeated post
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I'm very aware they are cracked not dented. The reason I asked if you had kids is the possibility they turned the volume up way too high while you weren't around resulting in the damage. Just speculation though.
You have very high humidity in Singapore, so I wonder if that is a factor?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 -
Pooh did it?Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus -
My mind went to humidity but in the other direction, excessive removal of moisture to where it would dry out the material- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Good point. I'd say either is a possibility.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 -
Going forward, you need a web camera on your speakers uploading to the cloud.George / NJ
Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
Onkyo A-8017 integrated
Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
iFi nano iDSD DAC
iPurifier3
iDefender w/ iPower PS
Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform -
The ill-placed doily caused the amp to go into thermal overload due to lack of proper ventilation, sending clipped signals to the speakers and overheating the voice coils and motor structure, leading to the cracked dust caps. Boom. Case closed. -
The ill-placed doily caused the amp to go into thermal overload due to lack of proper ventilation, sending clipped signals to the speakers and overheating the voice coils and motor structure, leading to the cracked dust caps. Boom. Case closed.
Hold on, don't close first.
Kindly explain what happened to the centre speaker who is connecting to receiver and nothing to do with the ill emotiva.
By the way, doily is only for dust protection. It would be removed when the machine is on. -
I can understand putting a protective cloth over the amp when not in use but it must be off while using or it will not allow proper ventilation to dissipate heat.
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Any possibility of a power surge or lightning strike over the years? I know Singapore gets lots of storms.
Other than that, the only thing I can think of since it is physical damage is the drivers were pushed too hard by someone cranking the volume too high. Replacement drivers may be available. -
I know you have not asked this but here goes. Any company that sells speaker re cone / foam surround kits will almost definitely sell dust covers. Not the same exact one but one that will work. If you are pretty good with a razor blade knife and some Aleene's glue for only a few bucks invested you could fix those speakers up, all of them with brand new dust covers that would last and last. Just a thought.
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I applied some silicone to the cracked dust cap as adviced by someone last year.
It is falling apart now!
And many nuts are rust-brown.
I threw out the A6 center already, cracked and rusted.
Is it normal like this in place like Singapore? -
silicone is a no no.
Unless the bolts are stainless they will rust from the humidity in the air. Mine have done it as well.
if you live close to the ocean, I've heard others who have had problems with the salt spray corroding things. -
Well that escalated quickly- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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silicone is a no no.
Unless the bolts are stainless they will rust from the humidity in the air. Mine have done it as well.
if you live close to the ocean, I've heard others who have had problems with the salt spray corroding things.
Thanks for your reply.
I'm living in Singapore and it's an island standing in Ocean. As far as I'm concerned, I didn't notice anything actually get rusted easier than anywhere else since it's just meters away from the continent and the frequent pouring rain may reduce the salt corroding a lot. Of course, it introduces high humidity together.
My 18yo JBL BOOKSHELF, same environment as PA just 2x older, are going strong. No full range rusting, no cracks, no aging. It looks like new!
I do think their (JBL) engineers knows material they used very well, that is from many years speakers making.
I like PA, sound is good. -
the RTi A series screws securing the drivers are aluminum.Unless the bolts are stainless they will rust from the humidity in the air.
That said, make certain you have the correct size Allen wrench. It’s an UNcommon size; a difficult-to-obtain tip for your cordless screwdriver. It’s very easy to damage the screws.
Use the wrench to do loosen and the final tightening by hand. It’s easy to strip the cabinet.
Good luck on the repair. Tony
Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga - LCR mids, inside* & out 8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out *soldered LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & “Plugged*” Mids - 981, connected w/MP Premiere ICs Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s *Xschop's handy work -
Those screws certainly do not appear to be aluminum they appear to be rusted fairly well, which if they were aluminum the "rust" would not be that color.
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the RTi A series screws securing the drivers are aluminum.Unless the bolts are stainless they will rust from the humidity in the air.
That said, make certain you have the correct size Allen wrench. It’s an UNcommon size; a difficult-to-obtain tip for your cordless screwdriver. It’s very easy to damage the screws.
Use the wrench to do loosen and the final tightening by hand. It’s easy to strip the cabinet.
Good luck on the repair. Tony
I have to disagree about the screw material.
That brown is rust-brown or corrision from steel/iron not aluminum.
Thanks for your ideas about fix. -
The more i look into my case, the more I realize RTi R7 (or the series) is the compromised product between performance and cost.
Do these cost-saving design really save a lot? To me, they are just few dollars thing and will be big different.
A simple comparison between P/A RTi A7 and JBL E30
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I have to disagree about the screw material.
That brown is rust-brown or corrision from steel/iron not aluminum.
Thanks for your ideas about fix.
I am sorry. I bought mine in 2008. The first time I opened them I discovered the silvery colored screws seemed very soft. I mistakenly believed they were aluminum. They are, obviously, a of VERY soft iron based material.Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga - LCR mids, inside* & out 8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out *soldered LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & “Plugged*” Mids - 981, connected w/MP Premiere ICs Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s *Xschop's handy work
