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Mid horn dampening methods


Alexander

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Have seen a few posts that they dampened their mid horns and wonder how many found a noticeable difference doing so. Just thinking I may do this to a set of k61's while they are out replacing a dead diaphragm (will replace both).

 

Have read a few different methods, dynomat, silicon even automotive spray sound deadener. The spray on sound deadener looks to the be easiest but silicon is a choice for me too. The dynomat would be too much of a pain with all that ribbing and then there is the cost of it too. Are there any other ways some of you used that gave you good results?

 

So, for those that have done this what is your verdict? Would you say it was worth it??

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I hate to be a stickler🙂 ...  It was "damped" until Star Trek allowed the incorrect "dampened" in one script in the original series; then it multiplied like the corona virus.  Likewise, it's "damping factor," not "dampening factor."  The last thing you would want to do would be to dampen an amplifier, horn, or any other part of a speaker.

 

From the book shown below:

 

When the vibration of a wheel is reduced it is damped, but when you drive through a puddle your tire is dampened. “Dampened” always has to do with wetting, if only metaphorically: “The announcement that Bob’s parents were staying home after all dampened the spirits of the party-goers.” The parents are being a wet blanket.

Common Errors front cover

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Thank God somebody else jumped on that, saving me in the process.  I had not heard about a Star Trek script gaining such notoriety.  I'm not saying I think it didn't happen.  Only that I think ascribing any episode of that show very much influence on (widespread) current novel use of the language is reaching a little far.  Always been a fan of the show.

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11 hours ago, Alexander said:

 

 

Have seen a few posts that they dampened their mid horns and wonder how many found a noticeable difference doing so. Just thinking I may do this to a set of k61's while they are out replacing a dead diaphragm (will replace both).

 

Have read a few different methods, dynomat, silicon even automotive spray sound deadener. The spray on sound deadener looks to the be easiest but silicon is a choice for me too. The dynomat would be too much of a pain with all that ribbing and then there is the cost of it too. Are there any other ways some of you used that gave you good results?

 

So, for those that have done this what is your verdict? Would you say it was worth it??

 

another option that's not permanent is rope caulk for sealing window gaps etc.  it sticks pretty good & can be removed if you don't like it or hear any difference. lots of guys do some form of damping on horns, even plastic ones, as well as the backs of woofer & passive radiator baskets, some say it made a difference some say "nyet." 

 

damping along with cabinet bracing does usually make a difference for the better, just hit or slap the sides of most klipsch speakers & you will hear a definite hollow echo or even slight ringing that comes from the cabinets & horns.  as good as klipsch speakers are, they are lacking in the bracing/damping category. experiment & decide what you like for yourself. 

 

 

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4 hours ago, jjptkd said:

The k-61 horn is pretty thick plastic unlike the KLF / CF horns, don't really think you'd gain much messing with those.

 

i agree the k-61 is thick... but actually the chorus & forte 2 are the speakers i was referring to that can have an echo or "ringing" type noise when you slap or hit the side or top of the box.  my chorus 2 are worse than the fortes but they both do it.  i haven't tried any damping on them, yet, so cant say how much of it is due to the horns or the cabinets or if it affects the sound, but its there.   

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2 hours ago, jimjimbo said:

Rope caulk makes a disgusting mess.  If you are going to use anything, put down a layer of blue tape, and then Dynamat.

 

what kind of disgusting mess does rope caulk make?  ive been using it for decades in the winter on windows & it goes on & comes off clean & leaves no residue or marks of any kind when pulling back off, i actually re-use it & get 2-3 seasons out of it.  the common stuff i buy at any home store is a very dry material & have never had it leave a mess.  are you thinking of something different maybe? 

ropecaulk.jpg

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Trey has a good story about asking PWK about putting rope caulk or material on horns... For instance a bell strike it and it rings. Screw down the lip of the bell to a baffle and strike it and it will not ring. The amount of force required to make it ring are so substantial you will not do it with a compression driver. The old thin metal horns from the 20's and 30's did actually benefit from material on the horn. I believe even the Western Electric 16A and the other horns used cloth.

 

 

 

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14 hours ago, glens said:

Thank God somebody else jumped on that, saving me in the process.  I had not heard about a Star Trek script gaining such notoriety.  I'm not saying I think it didn't happen.  Only that I think ascribing any episode of that show very much influence on (widespread) current novel use of the language is reaching a little far.  Always been a fan of the show.

 

I've always been a fan all of the Star Trek shows, and most of the movies.  I believe they use "dampening" in every later series, as well.  My wife (an even greater fan) started re-running Star Trek Voyager recently.  I've heard multiple "dampenings" since, so I guess they value consistency.  I thought they had done it again, back in the '60s, when Leonard Nimoy pronounced "aberrant," "aBEARant."  My wife said, "Allow him a Vulcan accent."  It turns out that "aBEARant" is one of the acceptable pronunciations.  😖 We're losing language.  It's the thin edge of the wedge.

 

Norman Mailer apparently coined the word factoid to mean something that is not a fact, indeed is not true, but becomes widely thought to be true, due to being treated as true in the public media.  It was a perfectly good word and a new and useful one at that.  It was ruined, allegedly, by CNN when they started using it to mean a trivial, but true, piece of information.  Apparently, the writers, editors, directors, talking heads, etc., at CNN didn't think of it as being like all the other "oids," which mean "resembling," or "like," as in alkaloid; anthropoid; cardioid; cuboid; lithoid; ovoid; planetoid.

 

How can we preserve the initial and true meaning of words?  All I can think of is Dynamat.

 

 

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It depends on the horn.  A short, thick horn may not benefit.  Rope caulk will be the easiest on a plastic horn.  Ignore the nay-sayers.  It won't hurt, even if it doesn't help.  And since it's out ......... 

On 4/19/2020 at 10:55 PM, Alexander said:

 

 

Have seen a few posts that they dampened their mid horns and wonder how many found a noticeable difference doing so. Just thinking I may do this to a set of k61's while they are out replacing a dead diaphragm (will replace both).

 

Have read a few different methods, dynomat, silicon even automotive spray sound deadener. The spray on sound deadener looks to the be easiest but silicon is a choice for me too. The dynomat would be too much of a pain with all that ribbing and then there is the cost of it too. Are there any other ways some of you used that gave you good results?

 

So, for those that have done this what is your verdict? Would you say it was worth it??

 

 

 

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  • 1 year later...
On 4/20/2020 at 4:55 AM, Alexander said:

 

 

Have seen a few posts that they dampened their mid horns and wonder how many found a noticeable difference doing so. Just thinking I may do this to a set of k61's while they are out replacing a dead diaphragm (will replace both).

 

Have read a few different methods, dynomat, silicon even automotive spray sound deadener. The spray on sound deadener looks to the be easiest but silicon is a choice for me too. The dynomat would be too much of a pain with all that ribbing and then there is the cost of it too. Are there any other ways some of you used that gave you good results?

 

So, for those that have done this what is your verdict? Would you say it was worth it??

 

Hey there, 

 

so does anyone have any advice on dampening the old metal Khorn horns w K55-Vs? I get that you use dampening material such as that used for cars etc but does it need to be wrapped in a specific way? Noob over here so thx for any advice.

 

best, dug

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34 minutes ago, dug said:

 

Hey there, 

 

so does anyone have any advice on dampening the old metal Khorn horns w K55-Vs? I get that you use dampening material such as that used for cars etc but does it need to be wrapped in a specific way? Noob over here so thx for any advice.

 

best, dug

I put down blue painters tape on the horn before I apply Dynamat.  If anyone ever wanted to remove the Dynamat at some future time, believe me, it will come off much easier.  Also, while applying the Dynamat, use a small roller with some pressure across all surfaces.

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