USNRET Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 25 minutes ago, garyrc said: The question remains: why did the Khorns sound good at first? The $64,000.00 question. Was it just me? No, the wife heard it before I did when the amp went in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincymat Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Where were the speakers stored before you bought them? That gunk on the circuit boards looks like corrosion. I don't think the McIntosh amp caused that to happen. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 I would get some flux remover and clean that up - be sure to remove the solder that's laying across the two areas of the board. My AK-4s came on boards, and were soldered point to point. I found several bad solder joints. Just my opinion, but inside the bass bin is the worst place to put a network. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 It looks like you might be on to something with those corroded boards. Still, you would have to find corrosion on both XO's to have created the problem you've described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Looks like uncleaned flux residue. Probably not causing a problem, most fluxes used on electronics are inert once activated by the heat of soldering. But it can be cleaned off if you wish. Cleaning at the manufacturer costs $, if they don't need to do it they don't. As to the ugly solder joints does the board say "Pb free" anywhere? It is hard to make pretty solder joints with lead free solder in my experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Good point. To be RoHS compliant, you have to use lead free solder - and the stuff is terrible to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 1 hour ago, cincymat said: Where were the speakers stored before you bought them? That gunk on the circuit boards looks like corrosion. I don't think the McIntosh amp caused that to happen. Mark Yes, stored for some period of time 6-9 months perhaps. It was in a climate controlled storage in arid west Texas so humidity issue should be lessened. Factory sealed boxes had no evidence of moisture, bags intact, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 Right side installed and sounding good. I have had enough BS at work and took the rest of the week off and will causally work the left side in a minute or 60. I do not like having the networks inside the bass bin like Dean said. Want to clean, check connections...open heart surgery. edit: @Deang take me off your call / email block I was trying to contact you; jeeze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Is that MDF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 5 minutes ago, Schu said: Is that MDF? Yep, i do believe so on the 'adapter plate' where the crossover is mounted. I'll have to pay more attention on the bass bin close out material on the next one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincymat Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 1 hour ago, USNRET said: Yes, stored for some period of time 6-9 months perhaps. It was in a climate controlled storage in arid west Texas so humidity issue should be lessened. Factory sealed boxes had no evidence of moisture, bags intact, etc. That's good. I've seen stuff that looks like that on boards stored in unheated buildings. Temperature changes can cause condensation on their surfaces. I agree that it's flux after looking again. Hard to believe not cleaning it off to save manufacturing costs on something that sells for $12,000 and is the company's flagship consumer product. The new Xovers from Bob C. Will fix things up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 Left side removed and inspected. Not as bad as the right but under LEDs and 10x magnification I find tiny droplets of solder that appear to bridge between traces in a few places. Just a wild *** guess but could this be the reason that under very lower power they sounded ok but when volume was increased the boards shorted between traces? and yes everything is MDF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebse2a3 Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 2 hours ago, babadono said: Looks like uncleaned flux residue. Probably not causing a problem, most fluxes used on electronics are inert once activated by the heat of soldering. But it can be cleaned off if you wish. Cleaning at the manufacturer costs $, if they don't need to do it they don't. As to the ugly solder joints does the board say "Pb free" anywhere? It is hard to make pretty solder joints with lead free solder in my experience +1 miketn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebse2a3 Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 2 hours ago, wvu80 said: It looks like you might be on to something with those corroded boards. Still, you would have to find corrosion on both XO's to have created the problem you've described. Everything looks like normal flux residue and not corrosion IMO. The flux is causing no harm and just doesn't look pretty to the eye. miketn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 2 hours ago, Deang said: but inside the bass bin is the worst place to put a network. On the roof of your truck would be worse. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebse2a3 Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 56 minutes ago, USNRET said: Left side removed and inspected. Not as bad as the right but under LEDs and 10x magnification I find tiny droplets of solder that appear to bridge between traces in a few places. Just a wild *** guess but could this be the reason that under very lower power they sounded ok but when volume was increased the boards shorted between traces? and yes everything is MDF. I really doubt that anything you have seen so far is a problem and the tiny droplets spatter is not unusual when heating the joints. Most likely the solder droplets haven't even penetrated past the coating over the board/traces. Also keep in mind that anything wrong with the crossover should have caused a problem with any of the amplifiers you were using and would have had to have developed in both speakers at exactly the same time and in the exact same manner if they both sounded bad in the same way as you described previously. The..... "The $64,000.00 question"..... still seems to be waiting for a good answer I believe.... miketn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 Yep to all the above. Left side built up, just need to create a lead from board to woofer. I think that is it for the night. I'll get that done and put the left together in the morning. I've got broken airplanes to take of. So much for taking the rest of the week off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 13 minutes ago, mikebse2a3 said: I really doubt that anything you have seen so far is a problem I do suspect one trace 'jumper' but that doesn't answer the questions. I may take these to the lab gurus at work and get them to inspect. If miracles happen and I do make it to Hope these will make the trip in the condition they are now so they can be inspected with slushy eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 Left installed and fired up. All sounds much, much better overall but now my preferred sitting position to get a nice centered stage has moved back about 3 1/2 feet. Playing with treatments and toe trying to moved forward a bit as I like my couch not a bar stool. A huge difference to the better and no more screeching cats. Thanks for all the support, thoughts and ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 16 hours ago, DizRotus said: On the roof of your truck would be worse. On the roof of Mikes truck secured by bungees is even worse than that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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