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Ever Have One Of Those Evenings?

Tonight, I went downstairs, turned on the system, and it sounded like crap. Within an hour I had:

>Discovered that one of my Thiel 2.2's has either a dead woofer (most likely), or a crossover or internal wiring problem. Testing to diagnose will commence tomorrow, tonight I'm too P.O.'ed.

>Additionally discovered that the tweeter on the other side is distorting badly, and will need the dome/voice-coil assembly replaced (again).

>Confirmed that my most costly set of interconnects has a bad jack connection (these are Harmonic Technology Magic Link Ones, which naturally feature a plug design that cannot easily be opened up for inspection or repairs without destroying the heat-shrink sleeve).

>Faced the distinct possibility that my futzing around behind the preamp trying to ascertain the culprit in the latter problem - without first turning down the volume - may well have been the cause of least one of the first two problems.

>Realized that now, not only can't I listen to my system the regular way, but since the OEM (non-standard) headphone amp output jack I got from Musical Fidelity's distributor to replace the faulty original in my X-Cans quickly developed the same exact problem as the old one (no right channel with either set of 'phones), I cannot even listen with my headphones for the time being, except through my CD-R recorder's wimpy monitoring jack.

Looks like I'm on a steady diet of cable movies and NPR for a while. (Way to go, Trent Lott: at least you'll be out-of-sight, out-of-mind by this time next week, you plastic-haired cretin - your plight is the one redeeming feature of my evening!)
zaikesman
zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
Um, getting back to my speaker...

I removed the silent woofer, and it checks out fine for continuity, registering 4 ohms (I haven't tried applying a music signal to it). The woofer's leads going back to the crossover also sound the buzzer on the meter. At the time I disconnected the speaker from the system, the mid and tweeter were working, and the woofer was doing nothing, even when the volume was turned up. It sounded to me like the mid and maybe the tweeter were showing some distortion at lower volumes than I would expect, but I chalked this up in my mind to the woofer's not functioning properly, thinking its voice-coil was fried and that this might have been affecting the overall circuit - not actually the case. When I disconnected the woofer, the solder joints on its leads were solid. Now I've got to wonder about the crossover. Any ideas before I call Thiel?

As if that weren't discouraging enough, it turns out the spare tweeter I found for the other speaker fails the continuity check. Ha! Guess that's why I hadn't remembered it in the first place. :-(

LATE UPDATE: Reinstalled the woofer, hooked up the speaker, played music, and I got some woofing, although it didn't seem to me like full-on woofing. I turned up the volume to see if I still perceived excess distortion, and I did - for a few seconds, then no more woofing again. Heard it cut right out. Bizzare - what in the crossover (if that's what it is) could be behaving like this? Something tells me this speaker is going to be taking a Kentucky trip...
zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
Well, this about seals it - the impedance of the affected speaker measures over 25 ohm (with all the drivers installed), the other one about 4 ohms as intended. BTW, I've learned my lesson about digressing too much on a thread I've posted where I might eventually want some more advice - I seem to have effectively driven everybody away! Oh well, if I'm lucky, maybe I'll be listening to my speakers again by the time "Ol' Massa" Lott gets kicked either downstairs or out in early January...
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
sorry to hear about the fried crossover. Hope you get it fixed soon. Being without music is no fun at all. Heck .. you might have to watch TV over Xmas ... how's that for torture !
zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
Tell me about it - if my girlfriend's in the house, the cable is on. I don't mind if it's a good old movie, TV Land, a science documentary, or even the news, but usually it's The Style Channel, Trading Spaces, MTV, Oprah, or Dr. Phil. I tell you, it's enough to make me seriously consider quitting paying for all this crap - if it weren't for the sports and TCM, and an occasional "Behind The Music". I can't decide what's more of a wasteland, cable TV or rock radio. As for Xmas however, I'll be at the beach and won't have to worry. :-)

Anyway, I'm mulling over taking a road trip with the speaker in the van to Lexington - it's not *too* far away (I'm in suburban DC), I'll spend less on gas than I will on shipping (as long as I take the sleeping bag and crash in the back, but the cost balance probably tips if I wind up wanting a bed and a shower), won't have to worry about the shipping gremlins or gorillas, and I'll get to go through the mountains and eat roadside BBQ. Problem is, I'd have to do it twice if Thiel can't prearrange to service the speaker the day I'm there. Then again, that would be twice as many opportunities (and excuses) to look for old records at country fleas'n'thrifts! Now, where are my overalls...
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
I've come to the conclusion that daytime television is an industry conspiracy to force the masses to go out to work. If mortgage, car and health payments aren't enough, then daytime telly will surely drive you out the door and seeking gainful employment.
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