KenazFilan Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) The ordering process was painless and the package even got here a day early. I am hoping to add the new crossovers tomorrow after my 5 year-old goes to preschool -- as any parent will tell you, tinkering with stereos with a 5-year old at home is a recipe for disaster, especially if you live in an apartment. My speakers sound amazing as is -- I'm presently listening to Paul Desmond's Glad to be Unhappy as we speak and it's like a massage for your ears. I'm waiting to hear what they will sound like with refreshed crossovers and will keep everybody posted. (I also got the titanium tweeters and am planning to put them in next. I first wanted to make sure the crossover upgrade wasn't beyond my limited capabilities before tampering with fragile diaphragms. This may seem overly cautious until you've seen some of my previous misadventures in electronics). Edited January 27, 2017 by KenazFilan added a sentence, took away a sentence 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fido Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Did both mods over a year ago and brought the speakers back to life - I love my Fortes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenazFilan Posted January 27, 2017 Author Share Posted January 27, 2017 Well, THAT didn't go as planned. First I discovered one of the screws to the tweeter was stripped. Then I managed to turn the original crossover (glued to the back of the terminal) into scrap metal trying to get the transformer off to remove a nonexistent circuit board (a difference in design between the 1s and 2s). Then I snapped off one of the terminals on the squawker drive. At which point I decided it is time to let a stereo professional do this, as I have not become more skilled with mechanical things in my later years. I'm presently looking around for somebody in the northern NJ area who will make a house call. In the interim I've attached my old DLKs, and I suppose if I want to listen to mono recordings I still have one working Forte. Not throwing things at walls and swearing yet, but get back to me if it turns out I turned the speaker into spare parts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 22 minutes ago, KenazFilan said: Well, THAT didn't go as planned... (snip) Ouch! I think I speak for the collective when I say we all feel your pain. Good luck getting that all straightened out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenazFilan Posted January 27, 2017 Author Share Posted January 27, 2017 It happens. I should have known better than to try playing electrician, but at least I learned my lesson before purchasing expensive old tube equipment and starting a house fire with a soldering iron. My incompetence in things mechanical goes clear to the bone. If anybody knows a stereo repair guy in the northern NJ area who makes house calls -- I'd rather not haul these beasts out of my apartment if I can avoid it -- all referrals will be greatly appreciated. Otherwise I may have some Forte parts for sale soon at very reasonable rates. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Hopefully the plastic input terminal cup is not broken. If it is not broken, you are not into much of a problem yet. How about sending me an email with some pictures. Bob Crites bobcrites@mac.com 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjptkd Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Once you get through the one side the other will be a piece of cake as you'll know exactly what to expect. Hang in there and good luck! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenazFilan Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 21 hours ago, BEC said: Hopefully the plastic input terminal cup is not broken. If it is not broken, you are not into much of a problem yet. How about sending me an email with some pictures. Bob Crites bobcrites@mac.com The input terminal cup is not broken: upon a brief inspection today I am reasonably sure that all drivers are functioning and I just need a competent person to install the crossover and Ti tweeters. I've already put out some feelers for local audio people and should have the beasts back in shape before too long. Thanks very much for your response! I will shoot you some pictures tomorrow when the young'un is out of the house and I can open her back up again. (I'm now much more inclined to pick up Cornscalas next time and save myself this trouble... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenazFilan Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 Following up on this: after a few days I returned to the scene of the crime and was able to successfully tame the beast. Thank you to Mr. Crites for his services and his crossovers. In the interim I also picked up a pair of Bose 10.2 Series IIs. While Bose gets a bad rap, I must say the 10.2 is a very good speaker. The Acoustimass system makes for some very clean and tight bass and the "Stereo Everywhere" effect is nice if you're wandering around the room. That being said, they don't hold a candle to the Forte's midrange and high end: neither do they have that larger-than-life "presence" I get from the Fortes and as far as efficiency goes, fuhgettaboutit. Funniest thing: when I was listening to the 10.2s I was thinking "You know, maybe the Fortes are a bit big for my 12 x 15 listening room. Sometimes the sound gets a little overwhelming when you're trying to have conversations. I may want to get a pair of Heresies and a subwoofer." Now that I've moved them to my bedroom system and have hooked up the Fortes in our living room I am once more thinking "If these sound good I bet a set of Cornwalls or La Scalas would sound even better... " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 9 minutes ago, KenazFilan said: Funniest thing: when I was listening to the 10.2s I was thinking "You know, maybe the Fortes are a bit big for my 12 x 15 listening room. Sometimes the sound gets a little overwhelming when you're trying to have conversations. Use the volume control as needed, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenazFilan Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 Just now, derrickdj1 said: Use the volume control as needed, lol. They're so durned efficient it can be difficult to get them down to a reasonable volume. I'm using a 75w amplifier and if I get them much above 9 o'clock I'm shouting to be heard. (To put this in perspective: I had the dial at 12 o'clock when listening to the Bose 10.2s at a reasonable volume). Right now I'm listening to Janacek's Glagolitic Mass with the dial at around 8:30 and the crescendos are a little uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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