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RSW-10 Passive Radiator Problem (Severe Rattle)


Thomper

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My 3 year old RSW10 has, for as long as I can remember, had a very disitint rattle to it, most noticable with very deep bass.

I originally thought it was just not able to go as deep as it was being asked, so I kept turning the volume down to avoid the rattle. I don't use the sub all that often, and whenever I would fire it up to watch a movie, I would quite frankly get depressed because even with the volume well below half-way on my recevier, any time there was an explosion etc. all I would hear was the very pronounced rattle.

Tonight I decided to pull the PR off the front. Now, please excuse me, as I'm not well versed at some of the terms, but there is an aluminum sleeve, approx 2" in diameter attached to the "cone" of the PR, which was apparently glued to the rear "diaphram" of the PR (again, I honestly don't know what the parts are called).

The factory glue had let go, and the aluminum sleeve had retracted inside the diaphram, causing some sections of it to become firmly lodged inside the diaphram, as a result, the pressure of the sleeve against the diaphram had caused it to split/tear in a couple spots.

As I have resigned myself that I will need to order a new PR from Klipsh, I thought, "what the hell", why don't I tried a DIY repair. Preventing access to this area was a black metal screen. It was apparently glued onto the back of the PR, and held on with 3 screws which were also covered with the glue. I was able to get one screw out, but broke 2 tips off of Mastercraft screwdrivers trying to get the other screws out. So, one more "what the heck" and I took a small pair of side cutters and simply snipped the metal cover, cutting it off, so I could access the sleeve.

I then used a couple of old dentals tools I keep around to reach inside the diaphram and pull the sections of the aluminum sleeve that had become lodged inside into the hole where it belonged. I then took some industrial strength automotive weatherstripping adhesive and reglued the sleeve to the diaphram, as well as repairing the small tears in the diaphram itself.

I'll let the glue dry overnight then reassmeble the sub tomorrow. I have a feeling it might hold up for awhile, but will likely fail again once I start "working" the sub.

Has anyone had similar problems? Does anyone know how much a new PR might cost. Obviously I'll contact Klipsch directly, but I thought I'd check in here first.

Thanks.

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Mastercraft... as in Canadian Tire tools? If you are in Canada, you have to contact Micron Electronics in Missisauga, Ontario for replacement parts, you can call or email them. You can call Klipsch in the U.S., but you can't use a canadian credit card to pay... ask me how I know....[^o)] If you have family in the U.S. that could order you the PR, and send it to you that might work out. 1-800-klipsch ( US )

Micron contact information is listed on this site, search around on the 'home' tab.

Sorry to hear of the failure, it sounds like the glue joint let go on the inner suspension ( also called the spider ) and the tube that is atttched to the cone. If the spider is torn, you can make it work kinda... but it will let go again in the future. If it hadn't torn the spider, and the glue simply let go I would recommend a 5 minute epoxy syringe to 'heal' it.

Do you have any pictures of it? Welcome to the forum by the way!

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Thanks for the quick reply Michael.

Yeah...Canadian Tire tools. I've had pretty good luck with them, so the fact that they broke indicated to me that these screws were not going to come out. I felt bad cutting the screen, but I felt I had nothing to lose. I can't see that the screen had any impact on the actual performace of the PR, but seemed to be more of a protective device? I'll probably learn that it had some dampening effect on the pressure waves created by the actual sub, and that by cutting the screen the box will now produce some abnormal pressure waves that will cause me to go sterile LOL [:)]

Attached are a couple pictures.

Thanks for the info on Micron. I'll contact them today and see what they say.

Mark - Calgary

Passive Radiator Repair 1

Passive Radiator Repair 2

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Thanks HardOn...

120 bucks, plus tax and shipping for a new PR. I'm still at work so I have no idea whether or not my repair job is going to hold up. My gut tells me it will probably hold together for basic TV/Movie watching, but once I crank on it it will probably let go.

SVS Ultra!!! Lucky fellow! That would certainly solve my subwoofer woes - plus those of my neighbours, their neighbours, etc. Sadly, I don't think I'd be able to sneakily replace my Klipsch with that bad boy...the wife would probably notice.

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Was the adhesive you used the 3m stuff in the tube, designed for automotive weatherstripping? That is a contact cement based adhesive, and I would recommend an epoxy instead. It does not look like the spider is torn bad, otherwise you would see that in the picture.

$ 120 is not a terribly bad price in my opinion, but heck if you can fix the one you have and make it work, why not..?

Here's a link to my build of a very large PR'd subwoofer. http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/100846.aspx

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It was a weatherstripping adhesive, not 3M brand though. I used it 'cuz it seems pretty "sticky" yet is pretty pliable.

The PR, so far, is holding up well - no rattle. I watched Ironman and the Hulk, at about 1/2 volume on my reciever with the sub set at about half volume, and the sub worked quite well actually. I hope it continues to hold up. If it fails again, I could try using an expoy, but with the amount of the other adheisve I have on there now, I don't know how well it would bind.

The cracks in the spider weren't that bad. I was able to manipulate them back into proper position, then covered them with the adhesive. I am confident that the spider will stay together, its just whether or not the aluminum sleeve will stay attached to the spider.

That's quite the project you have undertaken...I'm speechless. I can only imagine what they "feel" like! Well done!

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