One speaker is playing softer - less louder than the other

[rwnano]

With reference to these threads:
1.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...ver-and-m-a-r-s-system-mystery-repair.405114/

2.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...uld-i-change-it-to-parallel-crossover.405233/

I felt that one tweeter was SOFTER than the OTHER - so I used a multimeter but still Measured 4.5 Ohms on EACH Tweeter when each was individually disconnected from the Loudspeaker and connected across a MultiMeter.
So I was under the impression that the Tweeter that was ostensibly faulty is actually NOT faulty. [Since it read 4.5 Ohms in a multimeter instead of INFINITE Ohms or Open Circuit..]

But then I EXCHANGED Faulty tweeter into the non faulty Loudspeaker chassis, and vice versa.
Immediately, I could feel that the faulty tweeter, even though it read 4.5 Ohms, it is playing MUCH SOFTER in the new Chassis.
Thus, the error seems to be in the SOFTER playing TWEETER and not in the crossover.
In the meantime, since David Ellis had mentioned to me on call that the Series Crossover in Bud Frieds designs tends to cook the Tweeter, I went ahead and sourced these :

https://www.ebay.com/itm/374834504920

Feedback on these Hiquphons? They seem identical to what I got inside my speakers, just that the eBay Tweeter listing read circa 1991 and mine in the Loudspeakers I possess, read circa 1996. guessing year of manufacture.

Next steps would be to replace the tweeter
&
Should I replace these 27 year old 10 mFarad Capacitors in the Crossover ADDITIONALLY?

EDIT: Made the Left Speaker the Right and vice versa. The erstwhile soft-playing-faulty tweeter is playing better now, much louder and clearer.

In an interesting twist, almost as if some celestial key has been unlocked, the non-faulty tweeter in the the supposedly faulty chassis (and crossover) is ALSO PLAYING okay.

 

[ajuvignesh]

View attachment 80936

What does this mars switch do? Is it an attenuator?

 

[rwnano]

What does this mars switch do? Is it an attenuator?

some sort of socket to connect L & R speakers....quite mysterious. Its connected to left and right binding posts, this socket.
This seems to be some trick on the series crossover circuit diagram actually.

 

[ajuvignesh]

some sort of socket to connect L & R speakers....quite mysterious. Its connected to left and right binding posts, this socket.
This seems to be some trick on the series crossover circuit diagram actually.

If possible please tweak it and see if theres a change in sound.

 

[Passive_audio_enthusiast]

With reference to these threads:
1.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...ver-and-m-a-r-s-system-mystery-repair.405114/

2.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...uld-i-change-it-to-parallel-crossover.405233/

I felt that one tweeter was SOFTER than the OTHER - so I used a multimeter but still Measured 4.5 Ohms on EACH Tweeter when each was individually disconnected from the Loudspeaker and connected across a MultiMeter.
So I was under the impression that the Tweeter that was ostensibly faulty is actually NOT faulty. [Since it read 4.5 Ohms in a multimeter instead of INFINITE Ohms or Open Circuit..]

But then I EXCHANGED Faulty tweeter into the non faulty Loudspeaker chassis, and vice versa.
Immediately, I could feel that the faulty tweeter, even though it read 4.5 Ohms, it is playing MUCH SOFTER in the new Chassis.
Thus, the error seems to be in the SOFTER playing TWEETER and not in the crossover.
In the meantime, since David Ellis had mentioned to me on call that the Series Crossover in Bud Frieds designs tends to cook the Tweeter, I went ahead and sourced these :

https://www.ebay.com/itm/374834504920

Feedback on these Hiquphons? They seem identical to what I got inside my speakers, just that the eBay Tweeter listing read circa 1991 and mine in the Loudspeakers I possess, read circa 1996. guessing year of manufacture.

Next steps would be to replace the tweeter
&
Should I replace these 27 year old 10 mFarad Capacitors in the Crossover ADDITIONALLY?

EDIT: Made the Left Speaker the Right and vice versa. The erstwhile soft-playing-faulty tweeter is playing better now, much louder and clearer.

In an interesting twist, almost as if some celestial key has been unlocked, the non-faulty tweeter in the the supposedly faulty chassis (and crossover) is ALSO PLAYING okay.

If they measure differently on a multimeter, it can be partly faulty. That means, the coil’s laminate coating will melt and then you have a short on some of the turns. Now you have less number of turns on the coil making the shorted turns into one single turn. This alters the response on the higher frequency end and the tweeter sounds more “mid rangy”. Loudnesswise it will be low at the very higher frequencies and but if some upper mids are played they would be loud.


Either way, you will have a tonality mismatch between left and right. And it’s rare to see a tweeter with 5 ohm. Normally it’s 4, 6, 8 or 16 when nothing is being played on them.

I would test both crossovers with one of the tweeter and see if the tweeters sound tonaly same on both. If yes, I would order a tweeter pair as tonality differences between left and right is irritating. Every panning of instruments from side to side would feel like switching between two instruments.

Also, replace all components going to the tweeter in the crossover for safety. I had situations when my newly bought scanspeak tweeters worth 12k blew up in 10 minutes after one of the inductors parallel to the tweeter was short circuited and I never knew it. I never imagined an inductor going faulty until the support person from the company asked me to check it.

 

[keith_correa]

And it’s rare to see a tweeter with 5 ohm. Normally it’s 4, 6, 8 or 16 when nothing is being played on them.

What you are referring to is the impedance. What he measured is the DCR [I think].

 

[rwnano]

If they measure differently on a multimeter, it can be partly faulty. That means, the coil’s laminate coating will melt and then you have a short on some of the turns. Now you have less number of turns on the coil making the shorted turns into one single turn. This alters the response on the higher frequency end and the tweeter sounds more “mid rangy”. Loudnesswise it will be low at the very higher frequencies and but if some upper mids are played they would be loud.


Either way, you will have a tonality mismatch between left and right. And it’s rare to see a tweeter with 5 ohm. Normally it’s 4, 6, 8 or 16 when nothing is being played on them.

I would test both crossovers with one of the tweeter and see if the tweeters sound tonaly same on both. If yes, I would order a tweeter pair as tonality differences between left and right is irritating. Every panning of instruments from side to side would feel like switching between two instruments.

Also, replace all components going to the tweeter in the crossover for safety. I had situations when my newly bought scanspeak tweeters worth 12k blew up in 10 minutes after one of the inductors parallel to the tweeter was short circuited and I never knew it. I never imagined an inductor going faulty until the support person from the company asked me to check it.

Thanks for your kindness in responding

 

[rwnano]

If they measure differently on a multimeter, it can be partly faulty. That means, the coil’s laminate coating will melt and then you have a short on some of the turns. Now you have less number of turns on the coil making the shorted turns into one single turn. This alters the response on the higher frequency end and the tweeter sounds more “mid rangy”. Loudnesswise it will be low at the very higher frequencies and but if some upper mids are played they would be loud.

IN FACT THIS IS EXACTLY how the Faulty tweeter is playing. It is very soft on the highs. Thus it might be that the tweeter is playing mid rangy.
After I swapped the Good tweeter for the faulty tweeter, in the chassis's - The GOOD tweeter, is still playing ALRIGHT in the "Bad chassis". Which likely implies that the crossover in the chassis is likely not that BAD, except for the capacitors being electrolytic and 27 years old.

Either way, you will have a tonality mismatch between left and right. And it’s rare to see a tweeter with 5 ohm. Normally it’s 4, 6, 8 or 16 when nothing is being played on them.

I would test both crossovers with one of the tweeter and see if the tweeters sound tonaly same on both. If yes, I would order a tweeter pair as tonality differences between left and right is irritating. Every panning of instruments from side to side would feel like switching between two instruments.

THANK YOU, I will do that on the weekend.

Also, replace all components going to the tweeter in the crossover for safety. I had situations when my newly bought scanspeak tweeters worth 12k blew up in 10 minutes after one of the inductors parallel to the tweeter was short circuited and I never knew it. I never imagined an inductor going faulty until the support person from the company asked me to check it.

I have 10 MicroFarad capacitors ordered with the help and guidance of another forum member from this forum, will test.

 

[Passive_audio_enthusiast]

What you are referring to is the impedance. What he measured is the DCR [I think].

Now I too think so, in that case it should be tweeter that has 8 ohms impedance. But still both should be equal. The problem is even with correct matching DCR, partial short circuit won’t be found which to me is the fault in this case

 

[rwnano]

Now I too think so, in that case it should be tweeter that has 8 ohms impedance. But still both should be equal. The problem is even with correct matching DCR, partial short circuit won’t be found which to me is the fault in this case

4ohm DC resistance na...it's reading on my multimeter.

Do see

https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/bud-frieds-series-type-crossover-in-a-pair-of-frieds-signature-a-6-loudspeakers-should-i-change-it-to-parallel-crossover.405233/page-2#post-7515262

 

[alpha1]

Yes it is possible. Simply use an equalizer to balance the offending frequencies.

 

[David.974]

Hello,
Be aware that a loudspeaker can also be faulty due to partial loss of motor magnetization. It's harder to pinpoint, but it can be repaired in a matter of seconds, with the right equipment !