Cerwin Vega speaker help needed

[avguytx]

After I downloaded the tone generator on my phone, I gave myself a hearing test and discovered I can't hear anything over 13MHz and under 45Hz, at least out of the tone generator. I don't know that I am really even able to tell what a good sounding speaker is any more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm thinking you meant 13KHz and not 13MHz, right? MHz is way the heck out there.

 

[desertrat748]

I'm thinking you meant 13KHz and not 13MHz, right? MHz is way the heck out there.

Well I definitely can’t hear anything above 13MHz. Nothing...

 

[cimchazz1]

I'm thinking you meant 13KHz and not 13MHz, right? MHz is way the heck out there.

Oh, so that's why I couldn't hear it! Thanks, must be the onset of dimentia caused by loud music and deep pounding bass!!

 

[cimchazz1]

Still trying to solve my midrange mystery. I posted a few more pics and looked at many pics of HED online. The cabs I have seen to have a bigger space between the mid and tweeter than other 1230. Frustrating, this should be a lot simpler.

 

[desertrat748]

Still trying to solve my midrange mystery. I posted a few more pics and looked at many pics of HED online. The cabs I have seen to have a bigger space between the mid and tweeter than other 1230. Frustrating, this should be a lot simpler.

I don’t want to take mine out again as the last time I broke the plastic backers. I’m thinking that you have original cabinets and the original mids will fit. Are you saying that they are modified to hold the aftermarket mids and you are concerned?

 

[cimchazz1]

I don’t want to take mine out again as the last time I broke the plastic backers. I’m thinking that you have original cabinets and the original mids will fit. Are you saying that they are modified to hold the aftermarket mids and you are concerned?

No, I'd like to put the originals back in and I don't want to cut or modify the cabs. I just don't know which mids I'm supposed to have that will fit existing holed

 

[desertrat748]

No, I'd like to put the originals back in and I don't want to cut or modify the cabs. I just don't know which mids I'm supposed to have that will fit existing holed

The center to center of the screws across are is 5 3/4” and edge to edge of the metal housing is 6”. Inside is 4 1/4” including the suspension edges.

I hope this helps. I’m thinking that you can find a pair from u123 s

 

[cimchazz1]

Thanks, I REALLY appreciate you trying to help me out with these!! I still feel bad about the issue you encountered with the screw holes.
So, my screws center to center are 4 1/2" apart, and the cutout is 3 5/8" diameter. So it is something different. I just can't figure out why it is like this and what used to be in there?????
And look at the spacing between drivers with a 6" od paper plate screwed down in the mounting holes. I'm guessing 5" OD driver of some kind with a whimpy magnet. (BTW, I put in W121-4 woofers that I just re-foamed for now until I can find some L121-4, I think the same speakers but 4 ohms instead of 8, sound great though).

 

[desertrat748]

Thanks, I REALLY appreciate you trying to help me out with these!! I still feel bad about the issue you encountered with the screw holes.
So, my screws center to center are 4 1/2" apart, and the cutout is 3 5/8" diameter. So it is something different. I just can't figure out why it is like this and what used to be in there?????
And look at the spacing between drivers with a 6" od paper plate screwed down in the mounting holes. I'm guessing 5" OD driver of some kind with a whimpy magnet. (BTW, I put in W121-4 woofers that I just re-foamed for now until I can find some L121-4, I think the same speakers but 4 ohms instead of 8, sound great though).

Your boxes look original u123. Pull out that foam over-ring and see if you have old screw holes close to my measurements

 

[cimchazz1]

Your boxes look original u123. Pull out that foam over-ring and see if you have old screw holes close to my measurements

That foam was a styrofoam plate I cut as a pattern to see if I could make an adapter to put a bigger mid in the small cutout hole.
I see no other holes. There must be a 5" or 5 1/4" mid that was made for this cutout you would think with a 4 1/2" screw hole circle?? If there was a difference between a 1230 and a U123, this could be it? Or, there was originally some other sticker over my 1230 number and someone removed them. The guy I got them from didn't know what they were until I asked him to look and tell me, so I don't think he had any idea, his father gave them to him for college years ago. The foam went bad and some salesman at Radio Shack probably sold him all new drivers and the old ones got trashed.

 

[pliskin]

CV made a bunch of the same or very near identical speakers and labeled them with different model numbers, especially for overseas and certain vendors. So I'm thinking and assuming your U 15's are going to be similar to any of the HED 15" models of that time period.

Look for any of the original horn tweeters being sold on ebay or craiglist etc. I would bet you could use any of the ones for 12" or 15" models and it will put you back to what you had. The ones they sent you are not even close to those older bullet horn tweeters.

Just so you don't feel bad, I did something similar. I have an original pair of U 123s I bought in '78. Somewhere in the late 80s or early 90s, I blew one of the tweeters, or so I thought. I ordered a new tweeter and misplaced the old one. The new tweeter was noticeably different than the old, and sounded like crap. I lived with it for awhile and then put the CW into storage. Last year I pulled them out and re-foamed the woofers and searched for an original tweeter. I ended getting one that was identical to my old and voila, I had my old U 123s back and can get some serious sound @ 30-40 watts.

I found that old tweeter. Turns out that it wasn't blown out at all. I think I must have tripped overload protection and didn't notice or didn't reset it until I had already replaced it. All that for nothing!

Good luck with your search. I don't know why, but those old CW horn tweeters were matched really well for the U-### models. You probably can even go all the way to the early 90s with the D series like D7 or D9 tweeters and get better performance than what you have now.

I have a similar problem with my CV 380SE. Both tweeters seem to be dead. I have a feeling they where driven hard so they might he be blown...but maybe not. You mention tripping the overload protection. How do you reset this? I'm sure yours are likely different than mine but I read somewhere else I the 380SE has overload protection built-in however I can't find a manual for them. I believe they are dated from 87 according to the date stamp on the woofer.

 

[desertrat748]

I have a similar problem with my CV 380SE. Both tweeters seem to be dead. I have a feeling they where driven hard so they might he be blown...but maybe not. You mention tripping the overload protection. How do you reset this? I'm sure yours are likely different than mine but I read somewhere else I the 380SE has overload protection built-in however I can't find a manual for them. I believe they are dated from 87 according to the date stamp on the woofer.

On the back where the wire terminals are located check either for a breaker that is like a gfi breaker, push it in to reset or a fuse, or both. Depending upon the model.

Edit: I can almost say for certain that you have a tripped protection circuit rather than blown tweeters.

Some models have tweeter control on the front panel and I believe they might have protection circuit on the front but I can’t remember.

 

[Harvestor]

I have a similar problem with my CV 380SE. Both tweeters seem to be dead. I have a feeling they where driven hard so they might he be blown...but maybe not. You mention tripping the overload protection. How do you reset this? I'm sure yours are likely different than mine but I read somewhere else I the 380SE has overload protection built-in however I can't find a manual for them. I believe they are dated from 87 according to the date stamp on the woofer.

It's an auto reset on the crossover board...
Check the tweeters with an ohm meter they're probably blown.

 

[Harvestor]

I have a similar problem with my CV 380SE. Both tweeters seem to be dead. I have a feeling they where driven hard so they might he be blown...but maybe not. You mention tripping the overload protection. How do you reset this? I'm sure yours are likely different than mine but I read somewhere else I the 380SE has overload protection built-in however I can't find a manual for them. I believe they are dated from 87 according to the date stamp on the woofer.

https://www.parts-express.com/speaker-circuit-breaker-25a-200w--260-830
The 380SE has a chincy cheep ass version of one of these on the crossover network..
And they are only good for a few protection cycles before needing replacement...

I have a set of D9 Cerwin Vegas in need of 3 mid-ranges & 2 tweeters and a 1 crossover is fried.... Just unreal !
Somebody was an idiot....
Abuse of speakers is usually done by drunken idiots or people that are not supposed to be messing with the stereo in the first place....

https://www.parts-express.com/speaker-circuit-breaker-25a-200w--260-830

 

[desertrat748]

It's an auto reset on the crossover board...
Check the tweeters with an ohm meter they're probably blown.

I have purchased several models used that had “blown” tweeters. Each of them were driven hard and tripped their breakers. Don’t recall seeing any with a blown fuse but I check those with every purchase. None were truly blown.

Btw I have had mine tripped a few times before by extended high volume such as a house party. Never damaged just a tripped circuit.
Hopefully OP will find a protection circuit that has been tripped.

And the Mod beat me to it; if tripped enough they eventually get weak and will fail at low levels. Might have to replace. Btw it’s possible to have same problem with house circuit breakers.

 

[desertrat748]

https://www.parts-express.com/speaker-circuit-breaker-25a-200w--260-830
The 380SE has a chincy cheep ass version of one of these on the crossover network..
And they are only good for a few protection cycles before needing replacement...

I have a set of D9 Cerwin Vegas in need of 3 mid-ranges & 2 tweeters and a 1 crossover is fried.... Just unreal !
Somebody was an idiot....
Abuse of speakers is usually done by drunken idiots or people that are not supposed to be messing with the stereo in the first place....

https://www.parts-express.com/speaker-circuit-breaker-25a-200w--260-830

I’m not familiar with any models after early 80s. Seems like CW got cheaper and cheaper as years progressed.

So his 380se has internal circuit breakers on the board? Do D9s have this type?

 

[desertrat748]

No, I'd like to put the originals back in and I don't want to cut or modify the cabs. I just don't know which mids I'm supposed to have that will fit existing holed

Well I was hoping that someone knew what you needed. But I not seeing anything posted I decided to risk pulling out the mids on my u123 s. The opening is 5” or just under 5”
by a 1/32” maybe. I moved and didn’t unpack my tools yet. Used a tape measure.

The midrange has a covered back with two small slots with soft foam filling them in order to not have interference with the woofer I presume. Model number is 9T40b inked on it and it’s original.

I’m thinking maybe you have something different about your model even though my boxes are stamped as 1230 inside. But I’m pretty sure that you can find some mids like mine and they will sound fine. Or maybe just find something online that would fit in your cutouts? Either way you have to change something.

Take a look at the photos and then you have an idea. Good luck on this.

 

[cimchazz1]

View attachment 1549064 View attachment 1549065 View attachment 1549066

Well I was hoping that someone knew what you needed. But I not seeing anything posted I decided to risk pulling out the mids on my u123 s. The opening is 5” or just under 5”
by a 1/32” maybe. I moved and didn’t unpack my tools yet. Used a tape measure.

The midrange has a covered back with two small slots with soft foam filling them in order to not have interference with the woofer I presume. Model number is 9T40b inked on it and it’s original.

I’m thinking maybe you have something different about your model even though my boxes are stamped as 1230 inside. But I’m pretty sure that you can find some mids like mine and they will sound fine. Or maybe just find something online that would fit in your cutouts? Either way you have to change something.

Take a look at the photos and then you have an idea. Good luck on this.

Wow DR thanks very much for that info!!!!! And for taking the risk to get it! I have only seen one of those mids once in my researching. So now we know there is a difference between the 123 and 1230. I even thought my crossover looked the same as yours, but maybe the coils are different?? Who knows. So your mids are different.

 

[desertrat748]

Wow DR thanks very much for that info!!!!! And for taking the risk to get it! I have only seen one of those mids once in my researching. So now we know there is a difference between the 123 and 1230. I even thought my crossover looked the same as yours, but maybe the coils are different?? Who knows. So your mids are different.

Mids must be a different size/type or source but I think the tweeters are the same. I’m thinking that crossovers are the same. Can you post a pic of the back where the speaker terminals are at?

I’m recalling that your your cross overs looked the same and I’ll go back to check again.

I’m perplexed by the size of the hole for your midrange but I think it’s just a matter of purchasing a good quality replacement for your boxes and perhaps you could speak with someone who could recommend something for your 1230s. Anything in the 4-5” range should do the trick. Something efficient and reliable at a 800 hz crossover. I’m almost certain that you’re going to need something for that range. The mids are a big part of this equation and it’s such a pain to not know. Maybe email or call current Cerwin Vega? Maybe they still have records of what was used?

Time to experiment. Have you tried out the ones you had with it?

 

[teal'c]

Without knowing the specs for the missing mid, finding a replacement might be tricky. You could end up with a speaker that sounds too loud (unlikely I'd guess) or too quiet, or it could change the crossover points resulting in missing freqs or the tweet trying to recreate freqs below its abilities.
Or you might get a decent match on the first try.