Help - blown La Scala tweeter

[dubai2000]

Hello everybody,

someone over here is selling a pair of La Scala. The problem with one of the speakers is that the tweeter is not working. I don't know when they were built so I don't know which tweeter they use. The seller claims that one only needs to replace a kind of diaphragm which should cost about US$100. Now my questions:

is this info correct?

can this be done even by someone who has absolutely no technical skills and can't even use a soldering iron? (yes, I have to admit this weakness),

does such a damage point towards other weaknesses?

is the quoted price realistic?

wouldn't I have to do this on both tweeters?

Sorry for all those questions but why is one called a newbie after all?

BTW: I need any help until tomorrow evening (German time!) as the guy wants of course to finalize the deal.

Thanks a lot in advance for any response.

Wolfram

[lynnm]

Take a look at this post. I don't know how accurate the cost you were quoted is but I think it sounds about right:

http://216.37.9.58/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000162.html

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It is meet to recall that the Great Green Heron rarely flies upside down in the moonlight - (Foo Ling ca. 1304 BCE)

[JohnA]

The diaphragm for the K-77/K-77-M/E-V T-35/E-V T-350 can be bought in the U.S. for about $23. Many here have replaced them themselves. I have not, but it's not supposed to be hard. Go to a Pro Audio shop and ask about getting the diaphragm in a T-35 replaced and see what it'll cost. $100 is too high in the U.S.

Klipsch will do it for $77.

Blowing a tweeter in a La Scala with it's tweeter protection circuits in place indicates the speaker has been pushed too hard (or the attached amp has). Unless some other part has failed, I wouldn't worry about damage. Replacing the other diaphragms or reconing the woofer is relatively inexpensive, if one of those parts turn out to be damaged. The squawker diaphragm is about $55 and reconing the woofer in the U.S. is about $75.

John

This message has been edited by John Albright on 09-30-2001 at 12:50 PM

[johnnyp]

Good advice, as always, from John A.

I would add it is entirely possible that only one tweeter diaphragm was damaged with no damage to any of the other drivers or speaker components. To replace the tweeter diaphragm yourself, you will have to:

1) have basic soldering skills, and

2) install the diaphragm in-phase with the other drivers (There is an easy test to verify you are installing it "in-phase").

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John Packard

[WMcD]

I normal suggest that people experiment and pick up some new skills.

However, soldering the thin leads in the tweeter is not a good first project.

On the other hand, it shouldn't be too difficult to un mount the driver and disconnect it from the passover. Keep track of which wire goes where.

Then you can ship it off to Klipsch. They're certain to do a first rate job.

Gil

[dubai2000]

Thanks everybody for your input, it's really highly appreciated. This morning I phoned the German Klipsch distributor. This conversation was anything but what you expect from a good service department. First of all the gentleman on the phone told me that a to replace the diaphragm of the latest tweeter I would have to pay about ...US $ 177.00 - can you believe that???

When asked about replacement for older tweeters he didn't have ANY idea and was not at all interested in trying to be helpful. All he suggested was that I should find out which tweeter is used in the La Scala in question. Surely, that does make sense, but I would have thought that he might at least be able to tell me if the prices are in the same range. He also declared that one has of course to change the diaphragmas (spelling?) in both tweeters because otherwise the speakers would sound noticeably different. Of course I can't tell if the last info is correct, but it very much felt like talking to an unmotivated salesman who likes to push up his income!!!

Sorry for the anger and frustration, but I think Klipsch deserves BETTER THAN THAT. If all callers are treated in that way, no wonder Klipsch doesn't have much of a presence on the German market!!!

I will now try one of the local dealers, perhaps I find some more support.

Wolfram

Later:

Forget about dealers, either their sales personal is useless or they purchase their patrs from... the distributor (or send broken parts there).

I have just send off a message to Klipsch, perhaps they'll be more helpful?!

This message has been edited by dubai2000 on 10-01-2001 at 10:14 AM

[dubai2000]

Again a bit later:

having sent a message to Klipsch was a good idea. Within a very short time (30 min.?) I received a reply from Matt Whatley (THANKS AGAIN!) informing me that the item in question can be purchased for US $ 76.00.

Even if I add shippment and tax costs this will still be far below the German price (I am about to write something very nasty, but ...)

Now that's what I call first-class service, something Klipsch products certainly deserve.

Wolfram

[RossVTaylor]

Wolfram,

Call Matt back and ask him if he'll toss in one of his own demo CDs! He's a very talented musician and it'll give you a great taste of some homegrown rock. You'll enjoy this with your new tweeters!

Ross

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"Time flies like an arrow.

Fruit flies like a banana."

[oosting]

You can buy them directly from Electro-Voice for $23 each. They can ship them to you. Go to www.electrovoice.com for contact information. Ask for a T-35 replacement diaphrams. They are easy to replace. I replaced both diaphrams on my laScalas. The soldering is easy. The leads are flat copper tabs, not fine wire. I would replace both.

Ed

[dubai2000]

Thanks everybody for your input and although the deal fell flat (I somehow got this feeling right down in the middle telling me that I shouldn't go for this pair of La Scalas), I appreciate your help.

Wolfram

[EvilMinion]

I've seen the inside of the K-77 tweeter (electrovoice T-35).... The voice coil doesn't have a former, so if you're not careful putting it back together you can crunch that. I believe some models had basically the lead off the coil going to the terminals and that was later beefed up (due to the lead in wire frying before the coil got all that toasty).