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Crease in the wire mesh and dome of my AR303 midrange


Guest Bear

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There is a rather nasty crease in the wire mesh and underlying dome on one of my 303's. Looks like it may have been dropped /pushed over and the dome landed on a table edge or something. (Don;t know how it happened) It still makes sound. Hard for me to determine if the sound quality is affected, while I try to listen as closely as I can.

Based on your (whoever you are) knowledge of the construction of this midrange driver, is the part compromised? sound quality affected? Is there a remedy (as easy as 'grad the wire mesh and pull it back out' the mid-dome is another issue')

Is there more information needed to determine outcome?

If no remedy, I have o find another mid driver. I found a source for the 'new' 'replacement' mid drivers. They look like exposed domes. I am guessing I'll need to replace both, since they won;t sonically match??? Ideas? PPLLLEEEZZZEEE!

Thanx...Bear

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>There is a rather nasty crease in the wire mesh and

>underlying dome on one of my 303's. Looks like it may have

>been dropped /pushed over and the dome landed on a table edge

>or something. (Don;t know how it happened) It still makes

>sound. Hard for me to determine if the sound quality is

>affected, while I try to listen as closely as I can.

>

>Based on your (whoever you are) knowledge of the construction

>of this midrange driver, is the part compromised? sound

>quality affected? Is there a remedy (as easy as 'grad the wire

>mesh and pull it back out' the mid-dome is another issue')

>

>Is there more information needed to determine outcome?

>

>If no remedy, I have o find another mid driver. I found a

>source for the 'new' 'replacement' mid drivers. They look like

>exposed domes. I am guessing I'll need to replace both, since

>they won;t sonically match??? Ideas? PPLLLEEEZZZEEE!

>

>Thanx...Bear

Hi there;

First off remember that the driver has a very strong magnetic field.

Can email us a photo of it, up real close and personnal?

Afterwards, you may be able to pull out at the crease area, with small needlenose pliers, using great care to have non-metallic support at the base of the screen.

Wait for the photo for other opinions, please.

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>Hello. I would carefully pry the cage off snd strsighten it

>out then glue it back in position..Dale

Dale, thanx for the reply. How is the mesh held in place / tucked under? So I should be able to pull it toward the center & out?

Also, potential damage to the dome/cone?

Sure hope this works out. It took me quite a while to fond these boxes, and I sure love the way they sound.

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Based on your photos, there's a 90% chance that the midrange is fine, but you should pull out the dent. To be sure, put some mono vocals through the speakers, and switch between left and right, with the speakers as close together as possible. A broken dome will probably sound noticeably ugly.

Before I can suggest an approach to fixing the grille, give me an idea of how comfortable you are doing this kind of mechanical work. Do you have a workshop with tools that you know how to use? Also, are you concerned with restoring a perfect appearance, or just being sure the mid is working?

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>Based on your photos, there's a 90% chance that the midrange

>is fine, but you should pull out the dent. To be sure, put

>some mono vocals through the speakers, and switch between left

>and right, with the speakers as close together as possible. A

>broken dome will probably sound noticeably ugly.

>

>Before I can suggest an approach to fixing the grille, give me

>an idea of how comfortable you are doing this kind of

>mechanical work. Do you have a workshop with tools that you

>know how to use? Also, are you concerned with restoring a

>perfect appearance, or just being sure the mid is working?

>

Ken, thanx for jumping in. I am very adept at mechanicals, no concerns at all. Vintage motorcycle, project cars, guitar, full shop with all the acumtrements. I can't spell very well, but I am good with my hands. Not so concerned about asthetics, just want these babys to work well for me. Thank you for your help, I look forward to your instructions

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Great!

If you are not worried about slightly marring the metal finish, I would grab the mesh with a short needle-nose pliers and pull it out.

SO HERE'S THE CATCH:

As mentioned earlier in this thread, the speaker is highly magnetic, and the field is very intense close to the front of the dome. As you move it close, any kind of ferro-magnetic tool will suddenly be pulled very strongly into the dome. For this reason, speaker designers keep a bunch of plastic, aluminum and non-magnetic stainless steel tools around.

DON'T TEMPT FATE! The magnetic force will win.

What I would use for the job is one of those surgical steel "hemostat" pliers that people use for body piercing, roach clips, etc. They are easy to find at flea markets, etc, and have nice round tips to help avoid collateral damage. Just be sure that the one's you have are truely non-magnetic steel.

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>Great!

>

>If you are not worried about slightly marring the metal

>finish, I would grab the mesh with a short needle-nose pliers

>and pull it out.

>

>SO HERE'S THE CATCH:

>

>As mentioned earlier in this thread, the speaker is highly

>magnetic, and the field is very intense close to the front of

>the dome. As you move it close, any kind of ferro-magnetic

>tool will suddenly be pulled very strongly into the dome. For

>this reason, speaker designers keep a bunch of plastic,

>aluminum and non-magnetic stainless steel tools around.

>

>DON'T TEMPT FATE! The magnetic force will win.

>

>What I would use for the job is one of those surgical steel

>"hemostat" pliers that people use for body piercing,

>roach clips, etc. They are easy to find at flea markets, etc,

>and have nice round tips to help avoid collateral damage.

>Just be sure that the one's you have are truely non-magnetic

>steel.

>

Surgery to take place this evening. Thanx. I have said hemostats, and I have non-magnetic pliers. If I mar the finish at all, I'll touch it up with some flat black paint.

I did get a chuckle... a."It won't start" b. "Hit it with a hammer!@"

a. "It's smashed" b. "Yank on it with pliers!@"

I'll tell you, I am glad and relieved to hear that the mid is likely undamaged, that's for sure. I would NEVER have pulled on that mesh without advise to do so. So thanks a whole lot. It took me a long time to find these speakers, I am happy that they will be OK. Vinyl, baby!

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Let me/us know how it turns out. It really is a tough little driver, and I am pretty confident that it will perform normally if all that is the matter is a dented grille.

Now if, say, the speaker was dropped and the magnet came loose. that would be a different story. But it doesn't look like there was that kind of damage.

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