2. amps-preamps
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Amp or speaker issue?

Was not sure if this should be under amps or speakers, I picked amps.

I have a Sunfire 300w x 2 amp. In 2012 I sent this to Rita”s, Carver”s shop, and they replaced a handful of capacitors and upgraded some wiring. Has seen little use since then. 

I purchased a pair of used Vandersteen Model 2 speakers and the sound was great. After a month or so I started to get a “crackle” on deeper bass only on one speaker. This was in 2014. Over the past couple years I haven”t used this setup often but both speakers have started to, for lack of a better description, crackle on bass.  Not constant but seems more frequent. I am setting a simple 2 channel setup and was thinking of getting new Vandersteen”s.

Yeah, finally to the question...Is this crackle from the age and damage to the speakers, if so new speakers. Or could the amp be too much power for the speakers? If that is the case what amp would be recommeded for new Vandersteen Model 2CE Sig 2?

Thanks for any advice!
walstib
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,390 posts
 
Had the same problem on one of the Vandersteen 2CE speakers I was using. Removed the woofer and sent it to Vandersteen. Seems the glue holding the surround lost its grip and the speaker voice coil came uncentered. Vandersteen sold me another woofer for around 100.00 or so. That was 13 years ago and the raw driver probably costs more now. Vandersteen said the older woofer could no be repaired.
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walstib OP
22 posts
 
Thanks to all for fast and great advice.
Happens frequently when watching a movie and a sound effect has a deep sustained bass even at normal listening volume. I can”t say i never listened at loud volume but it occurs at middle volume just as much as louder.  I switched left and right, follows speaker. Prevous owner said he had them for 7 years, they are at least 12 years old.  Possibly older, not sure how to tell.  I paid 750 shipped so i am not heavily invested in them.  I do love the overall sound and i am willing to buy new, just want to be comfortable the amp is not going create the same problem on new Vandersteens.
dwmaggie
222 posts
 
Noise following the speaker indicates the woofer is most likely bad.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,811 posts
 
Sounds like the voice coil is OK, so it might be a simple matter of replacing the surround and or regluing the spider.
Here in the Twin Cities area, there is an outfit called Midwest Speaker reconing that has been doing work like that for the last 60 years or so. You're going to have to remove the woofer (and if I were you I would remove the one from the other channel as well and get it done too); there may well be a place like that near you. Google 'loudspeaker reconing service' and see.

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