RT FAN Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 So my Forte have been idle for several months and during the pandemic year saw very little action. Recently we consolidated our household so that my NYC stereo, the one with the Forte, is now my basement system. So today I went through the long process of hooking everything up, EQ, Cd Burner, CDP, Table, Tuner, Tape Deck, well you get the idea. After several hours I decided to drop in a disc and……no bass what so ever! My Forte sounded like headphones that were lying on the coffee table. Ugh. Round up the usual suspects, thinking it was a polarity issue. Checked and rechecked the speaker wire. Swapped out the banana plugs, went to bare wire. Changed speaker wire entirely, nothing. Changed inputs from CDP to tape deck to second cdp with a different input obviously, still nothing. Hooked up a different amp, still nothing. Finally hooked up a Academy and another center channel and, music. So there is no obvious damage that I can see after removing the grills. So what has happened to my speakers? In moving did the voice coil or some other internal wiring come loose? I guess I will have to check the connections on the Crites Crossovers, but since both speakers are sounding the same, that doesn’t make sense to me. So I am asking the experts around here if there is anything, obvious or otherwise, that I have missed. To say I am bummed would be an understatement. Thanks for any help you can offer. Stephen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 Just to be clear - Both speakers are showing the same symptoms? If so, is there a possibility the EQ was left in some "funny mode"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakeydeal Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 Yeah get the EQ out of there. Even if it doesn’t fix the bass issue, it takes care of another one. Shakey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RT FAN Posted November 23, 2021 Author Share Posted November 23, 2021 Yes both speakers are showing the same symptoms. When using the CDP, the EQ is not involved, straight from CDP Output to Input on the Amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason str Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 Check the connections on the crossover. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RT FAN Posted November 23, 2021 Author Share Posted November 23, 2021 So I again switched back to my original amp using a second set of speakers and everything works fine. So this eliminates the amp and cdp. Tomorrow I will take Jason’s suggestion and open them up and check the crossovers. Perhaps something got disconnected in the move. Odd that it would happen to both. With both having problems I would have thought Polarity would have been the culprit. Enough time in the basement for one day. I will report back tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 The speakers were physically moved from one location to another? If yes I agree with Jason check all connections INSIDE the speaker. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 What is perplexing is that both speakers are showing the problem. Well, at least no one has yet suggested that you need ---- 1) to use a tube amp, 2) to use a SS amp, 3) use vinyl, 4) put a few inches of foam along the south wall, 5) replace all crossover caps with $800 poly-metal-film-copper-etc caps. The last time something like this happened to me, I had modified something and intended to get back and finish it up. Instead I put the item in a closet and forgot I was in the middle of something and 2 years later I fired it up and it sounded like crap. I hope you have not fallen into my bad habits. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OO1 Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 4 hours ago, RT FAN said: Thanks for any help you can offer. Stephen -check to make sure that the connectors of the Crossovers are plugged into the proper drivers -if all fails , there is something wrong with the crossovers or the drivers- can you read the DCR on each driver with an Ohmmeter , that'll tell us if there is anything wrong with the drivers --8 ohm tweeter -16ohms midrange and 4 Ohms woofer - could you post pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWelsh Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 12 minutes ago, PrestonTom said: What is perplexing is that both speakers are showing the problem. Well, at least no one has yet suggested that you need ---- 1) to use a tube amp, 2) to use a SS amp, 3) use vinyl, 4) put a few inches of foam along the south wall, 5) replace all crossover caps with $800 poly-metal-film-copper-etc caps. The last time something like this happened to me, I had modified something and intended to get back and finish it up. Instead I put the item in a closet and forgot I was in the middle of something and 2 years later I fired it up and it sounded like crap. I hope you have not fallen into my bad habits. Yup...sounds just like the kinds of things I do. Things like forgetting to put the strap between the input terminals back into place. DOH! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 18 minutes ago, PrestonTom said: Instead I put the item in a closet and forgot I was in the middle of something and 2 years later I fired it up and it sounded like crap. Happens to the best of us and the rest of us...if you live long enough. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 2 hours ago, babadono said: Happens to the best of us and the rest of us...if you live long enough. @RT FANFAN Other than some really cold storage, know that you will let us know what the simple dimple fix was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 57 minutes ago, billybob said: @RT FANFANFANFANFANF Other than some really cold storage, know that you will let us know what the simple dimple fix was. BTW, guessing you used the same outputs to test your second set of speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RT FAN Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 12 hours ago, billybob said: BTW, guessing you used the same outputs to test your second set of speakers. Same outputs, different outputs, different RCA cables, different speaker cables, different banana plugs, switched to bare wire and went to the bullpen for a different amp. So basically every permutation I could think of. This afternoon I will pull the crossovers and check the connections, that is the only answer I can think of at this point. The knuckleheads who moved us must have treated them with less respect than they deserved. Probably some potholes on the Long Island Expressway on the way out as my wife lost a few Hummels in transit as well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjptkd Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 Basements can be horrible for bass response could it just be the acoustical environment? Have you tried walking around the room while the bass is playing could be that your listening position landed square in a dead spot-- assuming the woofers are actually working of course. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWelsh Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 I'm anxious to hear what you discover. I don't envy you the search for answers, though. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakeydeal Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 Since movers were involved my vote is for internal damage. Hope it's not too bad. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
001 Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 1 hour ago, jjptkd said: Basements can be horrible for bass response could it just be the acoustical environment? Have you tried walking around the room while the bass is playing could be that your listening position landed square in a dead spot-- assuming the woofers are actually working of course. this is a big possibility too but he said he tried other speakers & they sounded ok so might be an internal issue. or maybe the placement in the basement with the rear passive of the fortes just isnt working? get them in or close to corners & see if that helps the bass. would be very strange if both speakers had wires with crimped connections come loose from the xover or woofer terminals, dont think rough handling or pot holes would cause that to happen without some visible damage to the cabinets. but ya never know. i let my now EX brother in law borrow my pair of epic cf4s for his makeshift theater room in a basement & he complained they had no bass when as most know epics have great bass... turns out his room had a terrible null in his seating position & he had the speakers far away from corners or a rear wall... that plus his older AVR defaulted to "sub on" (but he didnt have a sub hooked up) which in turn cut the bass at 80hz to the main speakers. those 2 or 3 things combined made the big dual 12" woofer epics sound like a ghetto blaster. we moved them into the corners & changed the AVR settings & things were much better but still not as strong of bass compared to when they were upstairs in my living room. basements can be weird for sound depending on room dimensions & seating positions. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 With the OPs knowledge, was thinking something simple but, covered alot of bases. Curious situation...☕ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OO1 Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 2 hours ago, RT FAN said: Same outputs, different outputs, different RCA cables, different speaker cables, different banana plugs, switched to bare wire and went to the bullpen for a different amp. So basically every permutation I could think of. This afternoon I will pull the crossovers and check the connections, that is the only answer I can think of at this point. The knuckleheads who moved us must have treated them with less respect than they deserved. Probably some potholes on the Long Island Expressway on the way out as my wife lost a few Hummels in transit as well. 2 verifications are needed , the connectors of the crossovers may have been loose before the moving to start off with - a) in order to determine if the drivers are damaged or not , take an ohmmeter and check the DCR of each driver ---------woofer 4 Ohms - Mids 16 Ohms -tweeter 8 Ohms- b) check that the crossovers are still connected to the drivers for 1 , and 2 that they are connected to the right drivers - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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