What's wrong with my speaker?


I have a pair of Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grand Symphony Edition loudspeakers. I love them; however, I’m having problems with one of the drive units. The 6” midrange composite cone on one of them crackles at high volumes. If I press in on the right side of the cone (looking at it), it goes away. Any ideas? See photo: https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B14532ODWwWHkn. Thanks for reading.
jwhite
Either the voice coil is rubbing, or the speaker is traveling out of its intended  range of motion, or both  I once bught a set of B&W DM 14's which had tweeters substituted from a cheaper speaker.  They looked identical until I removed them. The popping and crackle at high volumes was because the cheaper speaker had a smaller voice coil and magnet, from a cheap B&W that cost a quarter of the DM14 price. You might be able to order a new driver, and on domes, replace only it, but you will not be able to straighten a bent (overheated) voice coil, unless you value your time at about a nickel an hour, or have a lot of experience, which practically no one does, because people value their time.
Pressing on the driver can change the alignment while you press, and it can limit the travel.  You might actually try an ageing woofer trick. Put the speaker in upside down.  I have seen (i.e. heard) this realign a sagging suspension enough to cure the problem.
Hey oldhvymec,

I do the same thing to my subwoofers. Once a year when I change the filters in the furnace I rotate the drivers 180 degrees. When I built the enclosures I set in stainless T nuts for the driver bolts which are also stainless. I sprayed the heads satin black so they would match. They are also Torx bolts which I love. They do not cam out or strip. I doubt any of this would affect these small, light drivers. It is TOAST. Can it. Hopefully the company will send you a new one fast. This is always where the rubber hits the road, service. Let us know how they do.
I know this is about 7 months old, but I'm having the same issue with an older baby grand, prior to the symphony edition. I know the problem, the rubber surround has come apart from the rubber cone. I just tried to re-glue using pliobond. Not sure if it will work or not. I have put the speakers away while grand kids are visiting and won't bring them back out until the end of the month. I would really like to replace the driver if anybody has figured out how to get one. If the pliobond doesn't hold, I may try the liquid nails.