Analogman Posted January 25, 2018 Report Share Posted January 25, 2018 This is a very old issue for me but it still bugs me after more than 15 years Around 2002 I completely rehabbed an pair of 2-axs for my Daughter which are still being loved to this day They sounded and still sound VERY good They are the version with the brass posts on the front baffle (spring loaded) BUT, when I unloaded the cabs, I failed to put match marks on the tweeter's leads, only to learn later on in the project that there was no obvious (not to me anyway) markings or indications as for tweeter VC polarity - so I think I just went with hooking them back up in the way that the leads would naturally fall if that makes sense I am 100% that all my network wiring is correct - but to this day, whether or not I re-installed those tweeters correctly still nags me (I did install them the same, box to box) How do you identify which lead is which on this incarnation of the 2-ax tweeters? And the mids as well while we're on the subject (when the little red paper dots are long gone) Thank you Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dchristie Posted January 25, 2018 Report Share Posted January 25, 2018 Hi Craig, I did not see in your post which version of the tweeter you have but in any case I also had the same issue when I was restoring my AR 2ax speakers this fall. Mine are easier versions with the cloth surround bass drivers and the large orange phenolic tweeter. This tweeter tends to get less mobile with age so I was not able to see any movement at all when subjecting it to the battery test until I subjected it to about 40X magnification and then I could barely see the dome move. But, I recently had these domes refreshed by Chris 1 and now I can definitely see the dome move and for my pair, the lead on the right (when looking straight on at the dome) is the positive lead. For the 3/4 inch paper domes, the polarity is the same as above; right terminal lead is the positive. For the mids, I was able to easily pop off the protective grills ( due to the very old glues) and the battery test showed the terminal with the yellow dot as negative and the unmarked terminal was the positive. This seems to be contradictory to what some others have found but the only way to be sure is to conduct the battery teat without the grill and damping pad so you can see the cone move. In the long term, I just wired everything according to how it was originally wired with the yellow leads going to the terminal with the yellow dot and so forth. If the leads on the mids are not marked, then the only way to be absolutely sure would be to pop off the covers and check with the battery test. If you wired everything correctly then, I am sure you are OK as long as the drivers in both speakers are wired the same. Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dchristie Posted January 25, 2018 Report Share Posted January 25, 2018 OPPS ! Sorry Craig, I told you wrong in my earlier post. I meant to say the the lead on the LEFT is the positive lead for the phenolic tweeter (when viewing straight on). So the yellow wire from the crossover is attached to the positive lead of the tweeter in my speakers when viewed from the front. However, 3/4 paper dome is still as my post above (+ on right when viewed straight on) . And the mid polarity is the same as I wrote in my original post - Yellow wire to negative terminal on the mid. Hope this makes sense to you. Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Analogman Posted January 25, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2018 Hi Dean, Mine were/are a later pair with foam surrounds on the woofers but still an all plywood box (the backs) I was not willing, and still am not, to subject that ancient tweeter to the battery voltage check Ergo my question; is there any other way without a scope? I also have a secondary concern, that even with the polarity absolutely identified, did AR wire either the Mids or Tweeters out of phase? (I've long lost my hand drawn diagram and notes for this pair as they were when first opened up) They were definitely virgins so those drawing would be accurate - just failed to note tweeter wire orientation like a dummy As I mentioned, this restoration was done approximately 15 years ago, and as of this writing they aren't here with me (they're with the Daughter) so my recollection isn't 100% but I am reasonably certain they also had the later version tweeter with the smaller dome as well as the later version woofers previously mentioned (which were replaced with Layne Audio units) The speakers sound VERY well and everyone is happy - my fretting is only over the obvious - could I have made a simple error which if corrected could make them even better I also failed to identify the woofers Stephen sold me beyond the fact that they were U.S. made Can't remember what type of surrounds they used now either, rubber or foam, so ut's been long enough now after 15 years they're due for a good inspection I know those woofers Stephen sold lived up to his hype (he claimed he had them custom made and I have no reason to doubt him based on our positive dealings) - they had a nice gentle natural roll off much higher than the stock woofer and really helped this pair throw an almost holographic sound I'll take your suggestion and see if my work matches your findings Thanks for your suggestions Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.