Paradigm PS-1200 Subwoofer Repair

Hey everyone, I just thought I'd share a recent subwoofer problem / repair experience ...

A few months ago I noticed my Paradigm PS-1200 sub started making a flapping noise when it hit really hard. At first I dismissed it, but as the weeks went by it started getting worse and became nearly unusable except for at extremely low volumes. Peaking into the ports, I could see the surround was pulling away from the woofer and ripping. So, I started researching buying a new sub, but stumbled upon a repair kit for $19. I thought "What the heck?!" and bought it.

Getting into the sub was the first problem. After removing all the screws on the bottom of the cabinet, I had a hard time getting it open. I almost removed the feet (which I later learned would be unnecessary), but eventually I figured out that I just needed to push hard to get the bottom to pop out. A testament to the Paradigm build quality!

Once open, it was easy -- I disconnected /removed the woofer and removed the old surround and residue with alcohol and let it dry. Then I followed the kit's instructions to attach the replacement surround and let the adhesive bond. I waited even longer than the directions indicated, just to be sure. Finally, I re-installed the woofer and gave it a test run. It sounded like it was brand new! $19, a little bit of work, a day or so of waiting, and I saved myself hundreds of dollars by not taking the easy route of buying a new one!

Anyway, no questions or anything. I just thought I'd share this in case someone else ends up in a similar circumstance and contemplates replacement rather than repair. $19 was worth the risk, and it paid off!

Comments

  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    Oh yeah, I remember replacing the surrounds on my infinity speakers. That was fun. Then it was REALLY hard to wait, because I bought them with the dry rotted foam, and I hadn’t heard them yet :wink:
  • delkal
    delkal Posts: 764
    So how hard is refoaming? What are the chances you can you get it right the first time?

    Also, if the cone doesn't scrape when you are finished are you good? Or if a professional did it and its perfectly centered will it sound better?
  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    I don’t believe it’ll make that much of a difference as there isn’t a ton of wiggle room in the coil gap (usually anyway) when we did it, we glued the surround to the cone as centered as possible, then out it in the correct spot, glued the edge of the basket and since the glue was still wet, corrected it to get them centered as possible. We did two drivers and we got them both right first try (although one was a little close, but’s not quite out of alignment).
    Watch some YouTube videos, and you’ll understand a little better. And, at least from my experience, it’s much easier than it looks.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    edited March 2018
    It is easy but slow tedious work. I always try to shim the voice coil if i can. Some speakers have very close VC gap tolerance, others can be very forgiving.
    Take your time and do not try to do both sides in one day. Do the cone one day and the basket the next.
  • audio_alan
    audio_alan Posts: 770
    delkal wrote: »
    So how hard is refoaming? What are the chances you can you get it right the first time?

    Also, if the cone doesn't scrape when you are finished are you good? Or if a professional did it and its perfectly centered will it sound better?

    It wasn't too hard. It was the first time I attempted it, and it came out fine. You just have to take your time and keep testing it for scraping. Worst case, if it scrapes after it dries, rip it off and spend another $19. Like I said before, I think it's worth the risk/time to save several hundred dollars. However, if the woofer you're trying to repair is less than $50, I'd probably opt to just buy a new one.

    Regarding whether you get a professional to do it or not, I'd say give it a shot yourself. Having a pro do it will cost a lot more money. At that point, you might as well just buy a new woofer instead. I had fun doing it too.

    Pitdogg's suggestion to only do one side of the gluing in a day is probably a good idea. I did both the same day (after waiting a few hours).