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I posted here asking for assistance for a friend whose Acoustat speaker had an issue. I got help for him from here and promised an update.
So it appears that he got great advice (at no cost) and a free inspection, but has repairs to try himself. Thanks again to everyone.
Here is his complete note to me today:
. . . to pick up the story:
I was contacted by Roy Esposito, the Acoustat tech in Florida as someone had cancelled an appointment. So I shipped my interfaces about a month ago. They were tested and could definitely use servicing as they are only putting out 4,000 volts instead of the recommended 5,000 volts. This 20% drop in bias can cause the bass (from the sub-woofers) to dominate. I have noticed this on some recordings.
However, there was nothing else wrong with the interfaces. They were shipped backed to me with no work done and at no charge. I was advised to switch the interfaces to confirm what Roy told me, which I have done. The occasional static is completely gone but one of the two panels in the same unit is silent. This tells me that a loose wire has now become completely disconnected.
Roy has advised me what I need to do, but it's a big project. The unit must be disassembled. The fabric has to be removed and the wooden frame of the sound panel taken apart. As there are no screws or nails -- it is stapled together -- this will be a hassle to take apart and reassemble. Then I have to determine where the problem is (with the very thin wiring). It could be a break or a kink. It may require using a flashlight, and I may have to carefully cut away some of the plastic honeycomb (which is over 1/2" thick) to repair it. If the problem is at the sound panel itself, there is no solder; there are no connectors. The end of the wire will need to carefully be pushed into the sound panel, which is a sheet of gel.
I'm not sure when I'll start this project.
Rick
Follow Ups:
Make sure the three paralleled connections - red (Bias) blue and white are bundled together from all panels, and securely in the interface connectors.You wont get any sound if bias is not hooked up (probably will destroy the tranies if he turns volume up) and will get distortion and/or very little sound from only one blue / white connection with bias hooked up. Have him start there before ripping everything apart.
Loose wire is probably at the connector
I VOID WARRANTIES
Edits: 05/24/16
The fabric has to be removed and the wooden frame of the sound panel taken apart. As there are no screws or nails -- it is stapled together -- this will be a hassle to take apart and reassemble.
Which model does he have? I've owned four different Acoustat models over the past (almost) forty years and haven't encountered one like that. Yes, the sock is stapled at top and bottom. You remove interface, base and top place to access sock. Remove staples and slide sock off. Here is what a 1+1 looks like "sockless". This pic was taken while new ones were being made:
Teflon screws affix the panels to the frame. You can see them as white spots along the panels with eight per panel.
Has your friend considered a replacement panel? They're not exactly hen's teeth, and they're not that expensive either. Usually ~$100. Would be a lot easier than attempting surgery on one.
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