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I posted this over at DIY Audio too, which seems to be where all the Acoustat gurus hang, but I thought I'd try here additionally. I have some new to me Acoustat Model 3 speakers I have been running for three weeks now. At first I thought they were perfect, but I now know there is one problem. The speaker I'm running as the right channel has a "buzz" or vibration that happens with deep, loud bass, especially on transients. I think it sounds like it's coming from the plastic grid that holds the wires in place, and not the mylar panels. I switched lines in to the amp to confirm it was only happening on the right channel. With the bass line that caused the worse buzzing with the channels hooked up correctly, swapping them lead to no buzzing in the left channel. I believe I can hear the buzzing isolated to the top right of the speaker.
Don't get me wrong, I love these things, I just want to get them to as close to perfect as I can. I assume I'll need to roll the sock down and take a look inside. I already tried unplugging them for a few hours and lightly running a vacuum over the speaker with the sock still on, which years ago did fix a rattle in my 1+1s.
What should I look for when I roll the sock down? Also, are there any experts near SE CT who might be willing to come take a look at these? I have to admit I'm a little nervous about messing anything up.
Follow Ups:
The hair dryer trick worked. I approached heating the panel with some trepidation, and moved the dryer constantly, but it worked! No more buzz, I played Jen Chapin's cover of Master Blaster, and the Suzanne Vega cover of China Doll, two tracks that gave the most pronounced buzzing or vibrating, quite loud and no buzzing. Thanks everyone for your advice.
I did check the screws holding the panels in place, as I had also wondered about them, but they were very well tensioned.
one or more of the teflon screws that attaches the panel to the frame is loose. Each one should have a washer with it as well.
If you get the sock off, I would tension each one to make sure they are tight.
Believe it or not Acoustat offered a lifetime guarantee. I believe Fosgate in Arizona handles the repair and warranty work. That being said shipping would be, uhhh, rather expensive...
Roll the sock off and play the speaker. If the wires are loose you ought to be able to see it, with the use of a strong flashlight.
The stator wires are glued into what looks like a fluorescent light grid diffuser. They are insulated. Trace where the buzzing is coming from and a little glue: super glue, or even epoxy will reglue the wires back down after drying allowance time is factored in.
If the panels themselves are buzzing you can tighten them up with the use of a hair dryer. Do NOT apply steady heat: keep the dryers constantly moving and the heat will slowly shrink the mylar. In using heat on one side, it will sound different from the other, but allow it a weeks time to stretch back out and all will be fine ( just play some good old fashioned Rock and Roll).
Remember, Excessive heat will literally melt the mylar. I cup one hand in front of the dryer as I pass it over and if it becomes uncomfortable, that's too hot.
Thanks everyone for your help. Is there any reason the offending wires, if that is the problem, can't be glued with the speakers upright?
Agree with Dogwan. Most likely a loose stator wire. Even if not a stator wire, worst case is to replace the offending panel. Very easy to do with my Monitor IV's, but kind of a PITA for you due to the way the Model series is put together - you have to mess with the socks. The Monitors have the Velcro'd cover on the back which pops right off and gives easy access to the panels. Don't worry about opening them up too much. Once you get to see what's inside you might be surprised to see how simply put together they are. It's nowhere near brain surgery. Replacing a panel is no big deal if you have to got that route. The only trick to installing a replacement panel is to be sure to connect the wires from the front and back stators in the proper phase with the other two panels. You don't want the other two panels to be pushing and the replacement to be pulling ... ask me how I know.
Pretty easy to do when you're dealing with multiple drivers. My MG-IIIA's originally had the midrange drivers connected in reverse polarity (factory) with the stock crossovers. I wired them they same way at first once I went active, with linear phase XO slopes, and they sounded off . I have all drivers in the same phase now. I can reverse them with the click of a button, and also incorporate delay in any driver which helps with fine- tuning.
Anyway, did you see that a pair of Acoustat Monitor IV's just got listed here- (and for a steal)? I wish that they were closer.
Cory
Hey, Cory:
When I got mine they were disassembled and I had to put them together. Someone before me had converted all the three-wire panels to five-wire panels and with all those wires I thought I did pretty good getting all but one panel wired correctly.
That one for sale is a Model 4, not a Monitor. The difference is the Monitors used servos, the Models used step up transformers. Still an excellent buy at the asking price.
Hey, Cory:
When I got mine they were disassembled and I had to put them together. Someone before me had converted all the three-wire panels to five-wire panels and with all those wires I thought I did pretty good getting all but one panel wired correctly.
That one for sale is a Model 4, not a Monitor. The difference is the Monitors used servos, the Models used step up transformers. Still an excellent buy at the asking price.
Take a look for loose stator wires. It will be a tedious task to be sure, but most likely cause.
The stator wires are glued to the plastic louvre and the glue is pretty old.
Hasn't happened to mine. I have read where people have fixed it by taking the panel out, laying it flat with the loose side down, and carefully applying dabs of super-glue with a toothpick. They do it upside down to avoid dripping glue on the diaphragm.
Also look for tears in the diaphragm. However, based on description I would lean towards the loose stator wire. A torn diaphragm would sound more like a flapping sound I think.
Hope that helps and wishing you the best of luck. Keep us posted on the diagnosis.
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