Vandersteen 5A batteries


Does anyone here know if its safe/simple/easy to change the batteries in the crossovers?  Mine are in need of changing, I read the manual, seems do-able, and Johnny is far away, so, is it easy to do?
rpeluso
tomic601, this is hilarious!  I may even be able to decipher your first message, thanks for the laughs.  
I recently heard Richard Vandersteen talk about his speakers and afterwards I asked him about replacing the batteries.  He made a comment that if a mistake was made you could send 9 VDC into the amplifier which would cause, shall we say, serious problems!  I thought about that and it would seem you would have to be very sloppy to do that, but just the same it’s something for the beginning solderer to keep in mind.  Further, soldering a battery is a delicate operation, especially a lithium battery.  One other thing, I checked my amplifier high pass filters recently (the previous owner replaced them about seven years ago) and I noticed a soldering iron had touched a couple of the red capacitors on the side of the board.  Richard said that was not a problem, but if a soldering iron touches the silver capacitors it’s bad!  I haven’t reopened the crossover to check for that, but another thing to consider.  One last thing, Richard said the battery should be restrained, on my low pass filters there was a tie wrap through the board that had been cut but not replaced or even removed.  His point was movement of the battery could cause an intermittent circuit.

With respect to the cost, Richard did mention it was $90, but I’not sure if that would cover just the amplifier crossovers or both the amplifier crossovers and the speaker crossovers.  You provide the batteries, so might as well get the best ones.  I’m right at the seven year point, so this will be a summer project when I’m not listening near as often.
The most important thing ignored with all Quatros, Fives, etc is when changing to the new 10 year Lithium Batteries or changing to a different amp like the OP did is to confidently confirm the amps input impedance spec for proper dip switch settings.

The high passes, when returned from Tech, could have had their vital corresponding dip switches moved.
Best way fix is Voltmeter probes attached to main power amps speaker binding posts Red to Plus Black to Minus
Set the meter to AC volts if your afraid get someone who can ya
 studeren prick ya...
 
Play track 27 Vandertones CD adjust Pre amps volume control looking at Voltmeter slowly adjust preamp to 1 V AC close as possible.
Then play Track 30 if it’s .707 or close you are good, if not change settings and start above again track 27 confirm 1 V AC etc
 
If track 30 reads .79 V ac or above or .62 V ac below you are off the 100 HZ x over losing performance. Never assume the owners manual is correct most listed are off the mark with how these specs relate to 1000 and 100 hz
 
Best JohnnyR
I did, however, take the new unit to Johnny R and ask him to check impedance, and he graciously did that for me.  Johnny, do you replace the batteries, or does it require sending off to California????
not gloating......but let me tell ya the super high voltage speaker wire and IC DBS system built into the M7-High Pass amplifier is the catz a&&

i have enough listening hours in and breakin time on the AQ Wild to know......

replace those batteries !!!!!!!