Tweeter Dome Puncture


Techie question. I was looking at some loudspeakers that I was going to buy (used from a private party) when I noticed a small, pin-hole sized puncture on the dome of one of the tweeters. Is this something that can be easily fixed--is a fix worth it for a pair of used speakers for which I will probably pay $500? Does the dome integral to the design of the tweeter, or is it more of a cover? Thanks!
crazy4blues
Yeah, the dome is the driven element of the tweeter - it's what moves the air. Although a pinhole sized puncture in and of itself is probably not going to appreciably change the sound of the tweeter, it may be indicative of some sort of past impact that could have damaged it in other ways you can't see. Depending on who made the driver and how old it is, you may be able to either buy an identical replacement whole driver, or sometimes you can obtain a kit to replace just the dome/voicecoil/leadouts assembly while still reusing the same motor/faceplate structure for less money. In either case it probably won't be terribly expensive if it is available, but research it first to make sure it can be easily done, and maybe have the seller take that expense into account on the price.
Hello,
It is possible that the dustcap was dented in the past, and the method used to "pull" the dent out was to take a pin or needdle and insert it into the center of the dent, angle it down, and gently pull upwards to pop the dent out.
The pinhole you see could be the result of that? Just a thought! As stated above, sound quality should not be affected enough to be audible.
Thanks!
If its just a pinhole it probably does not effect the sound. Make sure there are no hard to see cracks if it is a meddle dome. If you cant hear it dont worry about it. Point it out and maybe you can get a better price.
There seems to be some confusion among us respondees as to what design of tweeter you are dealing with here. If the tweeter is a dome tweeter, then this is not merely a dustcap, as I stated above; that would only apply if it is instead a cone tweeter. But in either case, the repair method that Calvin refers to is what I was talking about when I said it could indicate further damage having been done in the past than you can now see. Listen up close to that tweeter alone to make sure no rasping or vibrating noises are coming from it that might signify a misaligned voice coil. Do the same with the other tweeter as a comparision.
Thanks for the very thoughtful responses, all. A call was placed to Soliloquy, and they said that the silk cap is merely a dust cover. As a check, we played an old mono jazz recording, connecting only the tweeter section of each speaker. We then went back and forth with the balance, and we could discern NO difference. Basically, I'm satisfied. BTW, Soliloquy said that a replacement tweeter is $45.00, and it's a simpler solder job. Oh, I don't believe I mentioned the model; it's the 5.0 monitor. So, all, thanks again for your help! Johnny