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KEI speakers [message #22640] Wed, 11 March 2015 13:52   Iowa Boy Messages: 767 Registered: June 2014 Senior Member I have two 15 KEI speakers that yesterday stopped working. These were in a 2-15's with horn cabinet and I had a tape deck connected to a K-200 amp on low volume. The amp on occasion has done the popping and crackling thing in the past and when turning the unit off and then turning in on again has made the noise stop. Unfortunately, I was outside when I heard the noise and by the time I got to the amp, the speakers had stopped working but the crackling was still coming from the horn. I have noticed that the sound quality over the past couple of weeks has been sounding muddy. I pulled the speakers and the cones are all intact; I did the 9 volt battery test and one of the speakers did make a clicking sound but the cone did not move; the other speaker did nothing. The magnets are the big square one's with the 3 screws. I tried to take it apart but didn't want to pull apart so decided I had better get some expert advice before making matters worse. Is it possible for me to repairs these speakers or do I need to send them in for repairs and if so, does anyone know of anyone or company here in Iowa that could do it for me? Appreciate any help offered. Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22643 is a reply to message #22640] Thu, 12 March 2015 06:22   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Do a web search for mid west speaker reconers and you will find a listing for one in Roseville MN, but the other issue is why is that amp blowing up your drivers and I would take a guess that it's due to dc voltage off set from the amps output stage! I would take a voltmeter set for dc and hook it across the amps speaker Jack and sit down and watch it for 15 minutes and write down what the highest voltage is that you see. If you do not see anything over the 25 volt range than your 15s failed just do to age, but any dc voltage seen at the output of over .030 volts is a problem that needs to fixed ! Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22646 is a reply to message #22640] Thu, 12 March 2015 11:48   Iowa Boy Messages: 767 Registered: June 2014 Senior Member Thanks Stevem........I contact that company about the speakers. Question I have: is it worth it to have these speakers repaired or should I just replace them? This is not a cabinet that I intent to keep, only restore and then sell. I'll take voltage reading this weekend and check that amp. I'll post back what I find. Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22656 is a reply to message #22640] Fri, 13 March 2015 06:11   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member I can't say, as you can likely find some type of used drivers on eBay just to stuff in there that will cost less than having those re-coned which I would guess would be 55 to 60 bucks each with out the shipping cost back and forth! Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22665 is a reply to message #22640] Mon, 16 March 2015 21:17   Iowa Boy Messages: 767 Registered: June 2014 Senior Member I keep hearing about re-coning. Does this include replacing the voice coil as well? I'm wondering if I couldn't try repairing these speakers myself. Is it that hard to do? Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22666 is a reply to message #22665] Mon, 16 March 2015 22:28   pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi Senior Member If the cabinet is in great shape, you may want to re-cone the originals to keep the cabinet for a purist as far as selling. You can youtube speaker re-coning for tips on how easy it is. pleat Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22667 is a reply to message #22640] Tue, 17 March 2015 06:23   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Reoning is not hard,but what is tricky is getting the right parts to do such when they are not offered in a kit like what can be had for JBLs, Altec, and some others ! Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22671 is a reply to message #22640] Tue, 17 March 2015 12:01   Iowa Boy Messages: 767 Registered: June 2014 Senior Member Are kits available for the KEI's? Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22672 is a reply to message #22640] Tue, 17 March 2015 13:49   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member I belive that the KEI drivers where made by Eminence and as far as I know there are no off the shelf kits to fix them, the needed parts must be matched up. If you go to the Weber speakers site you can look at a list of the seperate reconing parts they offer!! Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22673 is a reply to message #22672] Tue, 17 March 2015 16:35   Iowa Boy Messages: 767 Registered: June 2014 Senior Member Weber doesn't re-cone anything by Eminence. Will keep looking. Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22674 is a reply to message #22640] Tue, 17 March 2015 17:00   Iowa Boy Messages: 767 Registered: June 2014 Senior Member Contacted Midwest Speakers and they said they could repair them for $85 to $125 each. Now I am trying to decide if its worth repairing them, sell them as is or just buying new speakers. Buying used is always a crap shoot. Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22675 is a reply to message #22674] Tue, 17 March 2015 18:14 C4ster Messages: 686 Registered: June 2001 Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee... Senior Member I use Simply Speakers for my reconing supplies. I just finished 2 Jensen C12N's with the black voice coil cover and they got the parts and created a kit. Call them at 1-800-511-3343. They open at 10:00 AM EDT. I have reconed both Jensens and JBL's and all you need to do is take your time. They supply instructions but it is very generic. JBL supplies what is called a "drop in Kit". the entire voice coil, leads, spider and cone are pre-assembled and all you need to do is put in the supplied shim and glue all the edges and drop it in and let it dry. I find it's easier to build your own "drop in kit" with the parts supplied and then drop it in after the assembly is done. The Jensen kits were $40.00. I would think that speaker manufacturers would use common parts but the guys at Simply Speakers will need some info so have the speaker close by when you call, and a good measuring caliper would be in order to measure the voice coil. You can measure the magnet and gap with the guts removed. You might as well tear it apart and see what goes into it. Start by using a razor knife and cut the cone around the mounting perimeter and then around the voice coil cover. You can then see how the spider and voice coil are sitting and the height that the voice coil itself. I wish I had some pictures to add. Then cut the spider and remove the voice coil. Put some masking tape over the voice coil gap to keep debris out. You need to clean up all the remaining material from the raw frame. At this point you might as well dive in, you have nothing to lose. Conrad Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22676 is a reply to message #22675] Tue, 17 March 2015 18:17 C4ster Messages: 686 Registered: June 2001 Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee... Senior Member Go on You Tube, they have quite a few videos. It isn't hard if you take your time. Also. be sure to order the adhesives from Simply Speakers. I forgot and it set me back a couple of days. Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22677 is a reply to message #22640] Tue, 17 March 2015 19:43   Iowa Boy Messages: 767 Registered: June 2014 Senior Member Thanks for the additional info. I'll look for the video and then call tomorrow to see what's available. Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22679 is a reply to message #22677] Wed, 18 March 2015 00:16   Kustom_Bart Messages: 601 Registered: October 2010 Location: Greenville, MichiGUN Senior Member Very easy to do. if you have any questions shoot me a message. Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22820 is a reply to message #22640] Sat, 02 May 2015 00:04   pinkjimiphoton Messages: 45 Registered: May 2015 Location: the dark side of the moon Member hi guys, newb here. google orban audio dot com, he's in the ohio area and does some really good work. i sent the jensen c12n from my k50-2 to him, 50 bux plus shipping for repair/reconing, i asked if he could "beef it up" for me, he said he can. it wll be back in a week or so. dc leakage to the speakers often burns out the voice coils. tell tale symptom is an open reading with a multimeter. i figure i'll replace all the electrolytics in the power supply to start.. these are built like a tank. a real credit to bud ross that an amp made 45 years ago is still running strong. thanks for the info on simply speakers, good to know they sell recone kits. it really isn't that hard, i did a couple eminence's a friend had popped a few years back. Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22823 is a reply to message #22640] Sat, 02 May 2015 05:51   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Note that the sourse of dc on the speaker output is not the main power supply filters, it will always be a bad or Leaky transistors, weak power supply filters will just allow 120 hz AC ripple to be on the speaker output. Before you hook up your re-man driver be sure you have only a very small amount (MV) of dc voltage going to the driver once the amp is on! Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22824 is a reply to message #22820] Sat, 02 May 2015 10:28   pinkjimiphoton Messages: 45 Registered: May 2015 Location: the dark side of the moon Member thanks steven, i will indeed do just that. hopefully if there is an issue, i can find suitable replacements still for the q's i've been doing tube amps as a hobby for a couple decades now, fuzzboxes etc for 10, but just beginning to learn about solid state amps, so any and all advice is gratefully appreciated!! jimi Report message to a moderator

Re: KEI speakers [message #22825 is a reply to message #22824] Sat, 02 May 2015 22:22   Kustom_Bart Messages: 601 Registered: October 2010 Location: Greenville, MichiGUN Senior Member It is simple to recone a speaker and yes what goes bad if it doesn't work is the voice coil. You have to have a few hand tools and patients and time. There are great videos on You Tube that show exactly step by step on how to do it, I have my own way of doing it now as I watched a bucnh of them and took the best parts from all of them and used them to make the easiest, most efficient method for me to do it. Many companies can get you the parts, but are just as expensive as getting it done professionally, but I would rather do them myself as you don't know if they had some young kid do them or an experienced Tech to them. I will do it myself so I know what I have when i am done. Report message to a moderator

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