My 2.3 TL rebuild (and so the journey begins)

Drahthaar · February 2017

I finally got my set of dream speakers about 2 years ago, the 2.3 TL's for $700. The speakers were in great shape both cosmetically and mechanically , about an 8 or 9 out of 10. About 30 years ago I remember looking at the larger Polks (1.2 and 2.3's), I was dreaming and drooling, but they were well out of my price range. So I settled for a set of 2A's for $855, which was still a lot of money, and they served me well till I replaced them with the 2.3 TL's Anyway I started the upgrades to the 2.3 TL's this week, which will include Larry's rings, Black Hole 5, Dynamat Extreme, Armacel, and Loctite Powergrab.

First was to Powergrab the speaker magnets and caulk any seams inside the speaker cabinet. I found the 6 oz tube at Home Depot was better than the cartridge and caulk gun for fitting inside the speaker cabinets

Magnets firmly secured

All inside seams sealed

While inside I found one of the braces unglued from the back wall. Powergrab to the rescue

michaeljhsda2 · February 2017

Welcome to CP. Nice speakers. I read through your post about power grab for the magnets but what type of sealant are you using for the cabinets? Edit: Duh, you used powergrab LOL. No sure if that's intended for the MDF but what do I know.

michaeljhsda2 · February 2017

I think you're also supposed to put a bead of sealant around the underside of the magnet where it meets the basket. Someone will chime in soon whether that needs to be done.

Drahthaar · February 2017

Thanks michaeljhsda2. I used the Loctite Powergrab for both the magnets and the inside of the cabinets. Its amazing how strong the Powergrab is on the brace that was loose. Also the underside of the magnets was done, it just doesn't show up well in the photo

michaeljhsda2 · February 2017

Nice work. I need to do the Powergrab on all the MW's on the 1.2 TL's. Hoping one day to hear some 2.3TL's.

MrBuhl · February 2017

Nice - these have always been on my list, alas I just don't have the room for them!

Drahthaar · February 2017

Next was on to the Dynamat. I was surprised how long this actually took. I made a template out of some card stock and then traced the pattern onto the Dynamat

For the MW

Also for the PR

One down eleven more to go

I found using a wallpaper roller was great for smoothing out the Dynamat. Thanks for letting me borrow that Hun.

Finished product, a labor of love

vmaxer · February 2017

Looking good.

machone · February 2017

Great job.
Keep it going!

F1nut · February 2017

Couple of things.....one does NOT need to cover the entire surface of the steel baskets. A strip on every spoke is more than enough. To the OP, be sure to check and tighten the end cap nuts.

Drahthaar · February 2017

F1nut wrote: »

Couple of things.....one does NOT need to cover the entire surface of the steel baskets. A strip on every spoke is more than enough. To the OP, be sure to check and tighten the end cap nuts.

Yea, I got a little carry away with the Dynamat, but hey, it was my first time. On the end cap nuts , I went ahead and pulled the nuts and washers off and made a gasket out of Armacel to go under the washer, then tightened everything up nice and snug. Later that day I went back over them a second time and re-tightened them . The best way I found was to peal the paper backing off the Armacel, stick it to the washer, then it slides very easily onto the stud.

F1nut · February 2017

That'll work. I used a different type of gasket and added lock nuts.

Drahthaar · February 2017

Next part of the speakers rebuild was new gaskets. I cut the Armacel into 7/16"W X 19 3/4"L strips for the MW's. The length gives you a little extra to play with. The Armacel is very easy to work with and lays perfectly flat while its being applied. The length for the PR's will be different from model to model.

F1nut · February 2017

I think you'll be shocked to find that after compression your new gaskets will look exactly like the stock ones, so unless the stock ones are damaged, why bother?

Drahthaar · February 2017

It's is amazing how thin the original gaskets are. So your saying the new ones will compress to the same thickness as the old ones?

F1nut · February 2017

Yes.

Drahthaar · February 2017

On to the next part of the project, installing Larry's rings, thanks Larry. This is pretty much straight forward. Mount the template on with c-clamps, I found having a clamp on each side of the hole being drilled kept the template from raising up. Using a 9/32 bit just go slow and don't force it. Also if your worried about blowing out to much of the backside that is being drilled, mount a small block of wood held with 2 c-clamps behind the hole being drilled. This will give a cleaner hole.

[Deleted User] · February 2017

F1nut wrote: »

Couple of things.....one does NOT need to cover the entire surface of the steel baskets. A strip on every spoke is more than enough. To the OP, be sure to check and tighten the end cap nuts.[/quote

I've noticed almost everyone uses way more Dynamat than needed. When I was selling it, the display they provided was two gong like plates hanging side by side with a little bat to hit them with. They were about 10" circular plates. One had a small square of Dynamat maybe 1" square stuck on it. That's all it took to not ring like the raw plate. I got sick of people playing with it and threw it away but it did show not much is needed. Point is, a little piece on each leg of the baskets is all that's really needed. And covering the back plate and/or wrapping the magnet is a complete waste. Over using it isn't hurting anything other than your cash flow and probably gives a feeling of a job well done so knock yourself out. Hell, double layer it if you want to really feel you're accomplishing something. But like F1nut said, a little strip down each leg is all it needs.

ptrooper · February 2017

I likem allot.....Looks great and lets face it ! if you were going to pay someone good money or you actually bought these speakers from a manufacturer already done, you'd expect a professional job like this if you opened them up and had a peekaboo . I say mass load those speakers .

Drahthaar · March 2017

Thanks ptrooper it was a lot of work, and I was pleased with the results

Drahthaar · March 2017

Lastly on the check list was cutting and installing the Blackhole 5. Mine was cut on a bandsaw with very little dust or waste. I cut 4 inch wide strips, by 27 inches long, for placement from the top of the highest MW speaker to the bottom of the lowest MW speaker. Repeat also for the SDA effect speakers. Next I cut 3 inch wide strips for the tweeters, long enough to create a ladder effect between the two vertical strips behind the MW's

F1nut · March 2017

FYI, there's no back wave from the tweeters.

My 2.3 TL rebuild (and so the journey begins)

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