Cornwall sound problem

[foppy]

Hey guys. I grabbed a pair of Cornwalls today for pretty cheap, as least as far as Cornwalls go ($250). Serial numbers are 8451327 and 28, which makes them Cornwall 1s, 1984, right?

They have a few cosmetic issues (paint spatter) which I hope I can address.

The more serious issue is that one sounds rather dead, quieter and tinnier than the other--kind of muffled. All the drivers work, they just aren't adding up to a good sound.

It sounds for all the world like a mix up of red and black wires, that kind of sound. But I've triple checked, and it's not that.

So am I right in guessing this is likely a crossover problem? It's just that I've never had an aged crossover sound quite this bad.

It was hard to audition them--they were installed in the walls at odd angles to each other, and I could ascertain just that the drivers were working, without much more. The people were renters and barely knew how to turn the system on.

Sorry if this is too obvious a question even to ask. I did some searches and didn't find anything directly pertinent. Thanks!

 

[Analog_Ed]

Swap the crossover from the good sounding one into the dead sounding speaker.

BTW....$250 is a steal

 

[foppy]

Swap the crossover from the good sounding one into the dead sounding speaker.

BTW....$250 is a steal

Thanks Ed. Yeah, the price tag made me perhaps not the most critical listener.

But it's still a deal if I can make this work.

I'll get in there tomorrow, do the swap, and report back.

 

[BillWojo]

The folks you purchased them from were renters, new little about the system, they were installed in the walls.............
Does the landlord know his speakers got sold?

BillWojo

 

[foppy]

The folks you purchased them from were renters, new little about the system, they were installed in the walls.............
Does the landlord know his speakers got sold?

BillWojo

Yeah, I spoke with him first. He's the one who posted the CL ad. He put me touch with the renters.

He told me the renters would show them to me and collect the money for him. He's selling the house, and the speakers were an inclusion, but the new buyers didn't want them.

The renters, by the way, were not fly-by-night kids, but a family with grown children. It turned out we happened to know people in common too. So I'm beyond satisfied this was on the up and up.

 

[foppy]

Here's the update. It's the tweeter which is dead.

I switched the crossovers and the bad speaker still sounded bad. After listening closely, blocking out the mid drivers, etc., I determined the bad speaker's tweeter simply wasn't working. Just to be sure that's all that I was (or wasn't) hearing, I swapped tweeters and the problem transferred to the previously good speaker.

So I'm going to buy a replacement diaphragm from Simply Speakers for around $20 unless someone here warns me off of that. Not sure I want to invest any more money. Wife is past horrified, she just laughs at their size. These probably won't be staying here long.

 

[moray james]

replace diaphragms in pairs not singles. The Bob Crites CT125 would be a much better option but it will cost you more your call. If all your concern is that it works and costs little your plan is fine.

 

[Hermit418]

I would agree on replacing the pair. Also if you happen to look over at Parts-Express they have both titanium and polyprop versions.
If your budget will handle it the better choice is go for Bob Crites replacements. I put those in my Klipsch and been very happy with them.

I discovered the others after I replaced mine and in side by side the Titanium version from Parts Express look very similar and in playback sound very close if not the same to my friend who did a comparison. I loaned him mine for a party and he said he listened but couldn't tell the difference. I think Crites sells good quality parts and is fair to deal with, just my 2 cents.

Cheers
Hermit

 

[foppy]

Thanks guys. I'll take the incremental approach on this and see how far I get down the improvement road. I could see myself springing for the Crites replacement tweeters if these are in my life long enough.

 

[usedto]

I had to replace the diaphragms in my Cornwalls after my at-the-time teenage son got a little too frisky with them. Other than that, they're bone stock, and a pleasure to listen to.

 

[foppy]

Victory.

I put in the diaphragm last night. There were a few tense moments. It's never as easy for me as it looks in the YouTube video.

Worst was when I was reattaching the horn lens to the rest of it when I was done. Two of the screw holes on the magnet had disappeared. It turned out I'd rotated the square plate on the back of the magnet when I was working off the diaphragm and covered up the holes. Well, by the time I got the holes lined up, I was sure something else had to be misaligned.

As I dropped the needle after re-installation, I was thinking "no way I didn't mess something up." But I heard the needle touch the record out of the offending tweet and the highs were there. Unbelievable!

It's amazing what a difference a working tweeter makes. Even the bass notes out of that side sound better. Without the tweeter they were just hmmm hmmm but now there's definition all around them.

Listening to Sibelius 5 right now, beautiful. I may decide to do the other side's diaphragm, then the crossovers. But for now I'm very much enjoying them. First Klipsches, first horn speakers. Fun!

 

[foppy]

Well, spoke too soon. The K-77m I repaired now has quite low output. Sounded great at first. Guess it's time to look into the Crites or call it quits with these.

 

[RuralTom]

I read this then looked around on eBay and found these (I am in no way affiliated with the seller):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Klipsch-K-7...495692?hash=item23642c894c:g:6xQAAOSwoBtW2lf0

I may be in the minority, but I didn't like the Crites 125 in my Cornwalls and pulled them shortly after install in favor of the good old fashioned OEM AlNiCos. That being said, people seem to like the new 120s, just wanted to throw out another time-proven path, especially to replace the ceramics that I imagine were in that year's production.

 

[twiiii]

BOB publishes a curve comparing the 125 to OEM tweeters, and if you are sensitive to be overly bright like I am you are going to use your tone controls, heaven forbid.

 

[RuralTom]

Some folks, myself included, don't have tone controls! That being said, what I didn't like about the 125s personally was that it felt like they 'sat back' in the mix, like they were possibly less sensitive than OEMs.

 

[foppy]

Saga continues: took the bad tweet out, and it tested weak. I took it apart and put it back together. Tested good so back into the cab it went.

It's been a few days now, and we're still good. Finally getting a chance to hear what these speakers are all about, and I've been really enjoying them.

 

[Eric n Kc]

Hey
Now you got the tweeters worked out, listen to them for awhile. Then sooner or later you'll need to upgrade the x-overs .
Again Bob Crites is probably the best go to guy for these as well. There's 2 or 3 different ways to go depending on your budget. You will be shocked at the improvement. Take my word on that.
Your in these pretty cheap so you really could put together a pair of speakers that are keepers. If you can swing the $$$ and the WAF. Good luck and enjoy . Eric

 

[Thocom]

You auditioned them at $250? I wouldn't have bothered plugging them in, just ran out the door with them!

 

[131east23]

Just keep working with them. I got mine for 300.00 and recapped them and installed new diaphragms. They are now the only speakers I own. Very happy with them. We use them all the time, sometimes all day, and there is no listener fatigue with these speakers.

 

[Zeke]

1. I haven't been around for a while.
2. Many life changes.

I have my Cornwalls in a somewhat too small room but listening to them for the first time in nearly four years. I, too, got a once in a lifetime steal.

Enjoy.