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Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!

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Posted on October 15, 2009 at 13:55:50
Bibo01
Audiophile

Posts: 118
Joined: December 18, 2008
 The bass panel of one of my 3.6 speakers has developed a problem. It makes tiny "farts", not heavy distorted sound, sort of vibration. That "prrr" takes place about a foot above the crossover, more or less where the 1st horizontal support can be seen at the back. It is audible at close range and even more from the back of the speaker; it is not very spread out onto the panel and it vibrates at certain frequencies only.
Has the membrane come ondone from the mylar in that particular spot?
I will have to take the sock off to verify, but do you have any idea what has happened and how to cure it?!

Thanks for your help.
What about the front cover?, posted on November 5, 2009 at 13:42:14
Bibo01
Audiophile

Posts: 118
Joined: December 18, 2008
 I finally took my 3.6 loudspeaker apart.
It was the 1st time for me. It was a revealing experience. I was rather tense but also curious about seeing the inside.
Well, as expected, the bass panel has started to delaminate, just one inch top and bottom ends, and about 4 inches in patches on the centre coils.
I have started the repairing procedure. Luckly, I have my guardian angel - Peter Gunn - for that. However, I would like to wash the front grey cover as well.
After washing, how do you fix it back to the supports?
What type of glue?
Any reccomandation?
Thanks

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 23, 2009 at 07:02:36
Avocat
Audiophile

Posts: 154
Location: Southwest
Joined: June 13, 2006
Contributor
  Since: April 22, 2009
If you determine that it's the result of the speaker panel wires coming loose from the supporting film/panel (e.g., if the buzzing sound stops when you press in on the speaker panel where the sound is coming from), you can get instructions for repairing them on several previous discussion threads. - Search for speaker repairs, instructions from Peter Gunn, etc. It's rather tedious, and you should check out the instructions carefully before starting, but several of us have done it successfully. There is some variance of opinion as to which glue is preferable.

Jim

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 23, 2009 at 08:13:50
Bibo01
Audiophile

Posts: 118
Joined: December 18, 2008
 Thanks.
Previously Benie was kind enough to point to the right link by Peter Gunn for repairing internal wire.
I got hold of a bottle of DAP and hopefully next week I will start to dismantle the speaker.
In the meantime, with a sweeping signal I have discovered that distortion is at around 115Hz and 190Hz.

Could it be that that particular metal cross-brace has become detached somewhere??? ..., posted on October 18, 2009 at 00:34:18
andyr
Audiophile

Posts: 6555
Location: Melbourne
Joined: September 2, 2000
 Before you remove the sock, why don't you try the following:
* find out which track causes this "prrrr".
* start the LP/CD enough time before this track that you can get behind whichever 3.6 has the problem - and listen!
* repeat the track ... but this time press your thumb firmly on one end of the cross-brace - and listen again! :-))

If you no longer hear the "prrrr" then you've found the problem.

If you still hear the problem, keep repeating the test but move your thumb along the cross-brace, say, 3" at a time till you get to the other end (as a) you don't know which end of the cross-brace might have come unglued and b) the problem may be in the middle of the cross-brace, not at the end).

Regards,

Andy


RE: Could it be that that particular metal cross-brace has become detached somewhere??? ..., posted on October 18, 2009 at 11:04:55
Bibo01
Audiophile

Posts: 118
Joined: December 18, 2008
 Thanks for the suggestion.
I tried but it did not work.
The brace seems firmly in place and the "prrr" is still there or just above.
As soon as I get hold of a DAP bottle I'll try to discover the culprit.

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 16, 2009 at 04:29:45
benie
Audiophile

Posts: 1050
Location: B.C. Canada
Joined: October 24, 2004
 Could be the wires my be lifting in that area,you may have to take the sock of and have a look. Are you playing it loud and with heavy bass when this happens?

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 16, 2009 at 12:39:41
benie
Audiophile

Posts: 1050
Location: B.C. Canada
Joined: October 24, 2004
 Here you go: http://www.integracoustics.com/MUG/MUG/tweaks/peter_gunn/repair.html
RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 16, 2009 at 08:03:20
Bibo01
Audiophile

Posts: 118
Joined: December 18, 2008
 It does not depend on the volume of the playback.
It definetly depends, however, on bass but only at certain frequencies nad at close range.
For example, during long stretches of a Brahms Piano Concerto it was not happening; then, some Terry Riley's pieces and i could hear it straight away.

If it is what you suggested, what's the usual treatment?

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 18, 2009 at 22:06:24
Jandjwheaton@yahoo.com
 How much power is your amp and what gauge is your speaker cable? I think your amp may be clipping from too little power or too small of speaker gauge cable. You need at least 12awg/gauge cable and at least 100wpc to play at moderate levels, preferably 400wpc/4 ohms. The clipping of a maggie is exactly the sound you describe. I have the 3.6 and have heard it more than once. The big deception is an amp which claims 100wpc, but that is at 1Khz. At 40hz, it may only put out 25wpc....just a bit inadequate for a panel. This happened to a friend of mine. A tube amp, monoblocks, 4 KT88's each, rated at 100wpc, but on the bench could only muster 26wpc at 50Hz, at 1% distortion.... absolutely pathetic. Buyer beware of tube amps with claims unverified by a complete bench exam. There may be a mechanical problem with the speaker but I would look elsewhere initially. Jallen

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 18, 2009 at 22:58:17
Bibo01
Audiophile

Posts: 118
Joined: December 18, 2008
 I actively bi-amp my maggies.
The bass power amp is a Magtech by Sanders Sound System. It is 800W at 4ohm. I doubt the amp is the problem, although I did check it first.
Cable gauge is 12.
Thanks anyway.

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 19, 2009 at 07:24:59
Jallen
Manufacturer

Posts: 120
Joined: February 4, 2002
 You might check the amp/preamp by switching by switching speaker leads and see if the sound follows them. If not then internally the speaker has an issue. Possibly a delamination of the panel internally and a re-glueing is needed. Jallen

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 19, 2009 at 09:59:57
Bibo01
Audiophile

Posts: 118
Joined: December 18, 2008
 That is exactly what I've done.
The problem does reside in one of the speakers as I posted.
Today I bought a bottle of DAP and I will soon decide to remove the sock and check it out.
RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 18, 2009 at 15:16:21
watts
Audiophile

Posts: 261
Location: B.C.
Joined: June 30, 2004
 Just out of curiosity, how old are the 3.6's? And does the sunlight reach them?

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 18, 2009 at 23:02:25
Bibo01
Audiophile

Posts: 118
Joined: December 18, 2008
 I bought them 2nd hand 6 months ago. They were about 5 years old and in very good conditions.
I do not know about their previous life, but I keep them out of sunlight.

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 23, 2009 at 18:40:38
macdadtexas
Audiophile

Posts: 33
Location: Houston, TX
Joined: December 17, 2003
 They are toast and need to be sent back to Magnepan for rebuilding. That is the bad news, happened to me last year, the good news it that it is relatively cheap, and they will literally be brand new speakers.

I think including shipping my tab was under $600 and the speaker are new. New bass panels, new tweeters, ,,,,, new speakers. It took about 3 weeks for them to break in. Best speakers I have ever owned, I swear they are much better than when new. Perhaps we get the benefit of Magnepan advances in the last 8 years.

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 23, 2009 at 18:44:48
macdadtexas
Audiophile

Posts: 33
Location: Houston, TX
Joined: December 17, 2003
 graeat amps by the way, what is on the high side and what active crossover are you using? I am looking at about the exact same set up!!

RE: Problem with my 3.6 bass panel - please help!, posted on October 23, 2009 at 21:50:21
Bibo01
Audiophile

Posts: 118
Joined: December 18, 2008
 On the high side I use an Innersound ESL 600w @ 4ohm. I use a cMP type modified PC with Allocator as digital XO.
Magnepan is across the ocean for me, so I hoped the speaker wire can be repaired. I will find out next week.

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