1.2 TL Rattle Trouble Resolution
hearingimpared
Posts: 21,136
I've been plagued for a couple of months with an intermittent rattle coming from my right speaker.
With very bass rich mainly sub-sonic frequencies, I would get a rattle which always seemed to come from the right side of the speaker, down low, about mid-way up the passive radiator (PR).
Way back when Louie (ohskigod) was here with Dave (Fireman32) we thought we resolved the issue. When the rattle would occur, Louie would push on the screw situated at 2:00 on the PR, the rattle would stop. We surmised that the rim of the PR was what was rattling against the bezel because the screw was stripped. We took out the PR, put some new gasket around the rim put some toothpicks in the screw hole and replaced the PR. This seemed to get rid of the rattle.
Some time latter the rattle returned. After doing some research on this forum and getting some advise from other members I took out the PR again and began to investigate the innerds. I found that the wires were hanging and up against the PR, the crossover, and the middle brace. I ty-wrapped all the wires down. I also placed speaker sealer, a black tar-like substance in leiu of the speaker gasket around the PR. This seemed to do the trick.
In the mean time I placed Dynamat on the basket spokes of all my MWs & PRs.
Some time latter the rattle returned. Now when the rattle would occur, if I pushed on the screw at 2:00 on the PR OR if I pushed on the oak strip about PR high on the right side of the speaker the rattle would stop. I was perplexed to say the least. I knew I was going to be upgrading my crossovers June 3rd and would be again going inside the box and didn't want to take the PR out again in that all the screw holes around the PR had stripped out and I was now using three toothpicks in each hole to get the screws to get a good bite in the MDF. I went to Sears and purchased 16 wider screws to replace the stock screw on the PRs. When I took out the crossovers, I discovered that the right speakers crossover was loose and had spun 90 degrees. I was convinced that this was the cause of the rattle.
After upgrading the crossovers and replacing them, I let them burn-in by playing classical music at a lower volume for nine straight days. When I went to do some critical listening after the burn-in period, I was distressed to find the rattle was still present despite the crossover problem being rectified.
I am very obsessive! If there is something other than music going on in my music room I will always focus on the distraction therefore can't enjoy the music or the rig.
Asking for my wifes assistance, (I really only needed her to keep me calm cause I was quite aggitated) I hunkered down to get this rattle issue resolved once and for all. I took out the PR again and went about investigating AGAIN. I once again tied up the wires and started rapping on the sides and front of the box.
This time I really was in for **** of a surprise. I found that the bezel from the right bottom up to the first brace, which is at the level of the bottom of the crossover faceplate, was not glued to the side panel. I was able to pull on the bezel and place the tips of my fingers between the bezel and the side panel. I made two calls. One to F1Nut and Lasereath because I know they both have experience with the MDF and wood parts of the boxes. They both gave me great advise which included but was not limited to gluing and stapling the bezel to the sides of the box.
There was no way that I was going to go one more hour without my rig up and running. So I improvised. I took that speaker sealer that I described above and while I pulled the bezel out I had my wife wedge pieces of this sealer in the gap I created by pulling on the bezel. We wedged this stuff in from the brace all the way to the bottom of the bezel.
IT WORKED! I've been playing music since at all different volume levels with no rattle whatsoever. Of course this is a temporary fix and I am going to purchase the proper staples so that I can fix the bezel to the side panel. The only thing I can see going wrong now would be if the bezel separated from the side panels above the brace.
In the meantime I am just listening and evaluating the crossover and backplate upgrades. Hopefully the bezel will stay in place atleast until I get the staples.
With very bass rich mainly sub-sonic frequencies, I would get a rattle which always seemed to come from the right side of the speaker, down low, about mid-way up the passive radiator (PR).
Way back when Louie (ohskigod) was here with Dave (Fireman32) we thought we resolved the issue. When the rattle would occur, Louie would push on the screw situated at 2:00 on the PR, the rattle would stop. We surmised that the rim of the PR was what was rattling against the bezel because the screw was stripped. We took out the PR, put some new gasket around the rim put some toothpicks in the screw hole and replaced the PR. This seemed to get rid of the rattle.
Some time latter the rattle returned. After doing some research on this forum and getting some advise from other members I took out the PR again and began to investigate the innerds. I found that the wires were hanging and up against the PR, the crossover, and the middle brace. I ty-wrapped all the wires down. I also placed speaker sealer, a black tar-like substance in leiu of the speaker gasket around the PR. This seemed to do the trick.
In the mean time I placed Dynamat on the basket spokes of all my MWs & PRs.
Some time latter the rattle returned. Now when the rattle would occur, if I pushed on the screw at 2:00 on the PR OR if I pushed on the oak strip about PR high on the right side of the speaker the rattle would stop. I was perplexed to say the least. I knew I was going to be upgrading my crossovers June 3rd and would be again going inside the box and didn't want to take the PR out again in that all the screw holes around the PR had stripped out and I was now using three toothpicks in each hole to get the screws to get a good bite in the MDF. I went to Sears and purchased 16 wider screws to replace the stock screw on the PRs. When I took out the crossovers, I discovered that the right speakers crossover was loose and had spun 90 degrees. I was convinced that this was the cause of the rattle.
After upgrading the crossovers and replacing them, I let them burn-in by playing classical music at a lower volume for nine straight days. When I went to do some critical listening after the burn-in period, I was distressed to find the rattle was still present despite the crossover problem being rectified.
I am very obsessive! If there is something other than music going on in my music room I will always focus on the distraction therefore can't enjoy the music or the rig.
Asking for my wifes assistance, (I really only needed her to keep me calm cause I was quite aggitated) I hunkered down to get this rattle issue resolved once and for all. I took out the PR again and went about investigating AGAIN. I once again tied up the wires and started rapping on the sides and front of the box.
This time I really was in for **** of a surprise. I found that the bezel from the right bottom up to the first brace, which is at the level of the bottom of the crossover faceplate, was not glued to the side panel. I was able to pull on the bezel and place the tips of my fingers between the bezel and the side panel. I made two calls. One to F1Nut and Lasereath because I know they both have experience with the MDF and wood parts of the boxes. They both gave me great advise which included but was not limited to gluing and stapling the bezel to the sides of the box.
There was no way that I was going to go one more hour without my rig up and running. So I improvised. I took that speaker sealer that I described above and while I pulled the bezel out I had my wife wedge pieces of this sealer in the gap I created by pulling on the bezel. We wedged this stuff in from the brace all the way to the bottom of the bezel.
IT WORKED! I've been playing music since at all different volume levels with no rattle whatsoever. Of course this is a temporary fix and I am going to purchase the proper staples so that I can fix the bezel to the side panel. The only thing I can see going wrong now would be if the bezel separated from the side panels above the brace.
In the meantime I am just listening and evaluating the crossover and backplate upgrades. Hopefully the bezel will stay in place atleast until I get the staples.
Post edited by hearingimpared on
Comments
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I would not and did not recommend driving staples into the MDF as they will cause stress to the fibers and promote splits, IMO. Glue is always the better choice when dealing with joints in any type of wood product.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 -
Glue it is if I need it.
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I don't think you want to unscrew the PR again in a year and half because the glue has broken free again?
Sal, I'm not sure what the above sentance is saying
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Yeah, it's pretty common for a manufacturer to use staples or brads instead of clamps when gluing up furniture or speakers in this case. It's just a way to cut corners and speed up production. Back when cabinetmaker's were cabinetmaker's, you'd never find a nail or screw in joinery, glue was and still is the best way to hold a joint together.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
