Help! Flattened Tweeters!

[Guest John Faulkner]

I just received a set of drivers to help in an AR-3a rebuild, but the seller did not pack them well and they suffered in transit. I suspected trouble when I opened the one box and saw a woofer wrapped in one layer of bubble wrap sitting magnet down on top of a small box containing the tweeters! Sure enough, both tweeter domes now look like fallen souffles. Are these savable. I tried the 1.5 v battery test and they both make noise but what might this do to overall sound? The midranges also suffered - their wire cages are now somewhat misshapen and out-of-round, but they also make some sound. I remember being told that a fabric dome tweeter can be carefully re-domed with a small needle and light pressure, but these AR-3a domes are not that kind fabric.. Any suggestions? Should I try to pry the midrange cages off and re-curve them then glue them back on or leave them as they are? Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

john

[genek]

I just received a set of drivers to help in an AR-3a rebuild, but the seller did not pack them well and they suffered in transit. I suspected trouble when I opened the one box and saw a woofer wrapped in one layer of bubble wrap sitting magnet down on top of a small box containing the tweeters! Sure enough, both tweeter domes now look like fallen souffles. Are these savable. I tried the 1.5 v battery test and they both make noise but what might this do to overall sound? The midranges also suffered - their wire cages are now somewhat misshapen and out-of-round, but they also make some sound. I remember being told that a fabric dome tweeter can be carefully re-domed with a small needle and light pressure, but these AR-3a domes are not that kind fabric.. Any suggestions? Should I try to pry the midrange cages off and re-curve them then glue them back on or leave them as they are?

I've heard some dented domes over the years. They can often sound ok on-axis, but the dispersion is usually hosed at the most extreme listening angles. We've heard stories over the years about people successfully repairing damaged high and mid drivers, but most of them are as legendary as Bigfoot.

If these make sound, I'd leave them alone for now and see what you think of their sound in the rebuilt speaker before making any repair attempts. You've got nothing to lose by giving them a listen first.

[KlausDK]

Sure enough, both tweeter domes now look like fallen souffles. Are these savable.

Any suggestions?

Hi John

I have succesfully restored the dome of tweeters by applying a small amount of water to let the papermass in the impressed area soften up, and then "lifted" the dome back in position with a needle. You might have to apply a little tension somehow to the dome, while the paper dries up.

BRgds Klaus