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Just a little story.......

Z

Zygmo

Super Member
This is not exactly venting, though it may sound like it, since the problem is actually my fault.

Around 1972, I bought some Radio Shack speakers...Optimus 7, or maybe 8. They are 5 sided (I think), with a round top...like end tables. Very nice walnut wood. Lifetime warranty, which is what this is all about. I had/have the original receipt. They're stored in the garage right now, along with the receipt.

Somewhere around 1990, the woofer surrounds went bad. So, I was told to bring one in, so they could see what I needed to replace the drivers. The only store still open that evening was in a mall, and I got there about 10 minutes before closing. The manager looks at them and said...I can't do anything about that...those are 10in woofers, and we don't carry 10s anymore. So, I asked him if I could just take 12in woofers, and modify the cabinets....no problem. He agreed to that, gathered up 2 woofers, 2 mids and 2 tweeters, (woofers is reallly all I needed...but...you take what you can get!) and rushed me out the door.
I mounted up everything, and the speakers sounded better than ever. Happy camper.

NOW. (I bet you know what's coming) The surrounds have rotted. :D I call Radio Shack, tell them my problem. They said they don't sell raw drivers anymore...just bring in the speakers, cabinets and all, and they will send them back for repair. Uh oh. Modified cabinets! :tears: I have not told them yet about the modification...don't know what will happen now. But, I did not get any paperwork with the new drivers that night...probably a major mistake!

Wanna make bets on what happens? :D I will post more on this, after I go talk to them.
 
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I'm surprised the manager didn't see if they could get hold of a direct replacement before going with that deal.

According to this site, Radio Shack sold several 10" woofers in 1990. I didn't check any other years, though.

As for now, you might be SOL due to the modifications.
 
My first thought is kudos to Radio shack for attempting to service something that old. Yeah I know, lifetime warranty...but stil...
 
Interesting tale!

Since you already got a full driver replacement once, including a woofer upgrade, maybe you should let RS off the hook, buy some inexpensive surrounds, refoam your woofers and call it good. Just a thought.
 
Well, a couple of things. I don't know the exact year I replaced the drivers, so it could have been 2 or 3 years or more either way.....since someone here said they still sold 10in woofers in 1990.

As far a replacing the surrounds...these have a reverse roll, real stiff material....heavy aluminum basket with 4 big ugly mounting ears. I don't really want them! The surrounds are not rotted...they have just wrinkled and pulled the cones out of shape.

I dug one of them out of storage....it would for sure be a waste of time to try and return them. I had to modify the entire speaker mounting board...for the mids and tweeters, as well as the woofer. If I decide to do anything with them, I will just buy new woofers. The cabinets are in excellent shape.
 
toxcrusadr said:
Interesting tale!

Since you already got a full driver replacement once, including a woofer upgrade, maybe you should let RS off the hook, buy some inexpensive surrounds, refoam your woofers and call it good. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

+1 here... Man you got some life outta those puppies... :)
 
I've found with Radio Shack, as with most places, is that the Life time replacement is the "life of the equipment" while in possession of the original owner not the life of the original owner. As the internals have been replaced under the original warranty, the terms of the warranty have been fulfilled. Had the replacement drivers carried a separate lifetime warranty, AND you had paperwork to THAT effect dated at the time of replacement then Radio Shack should repair/replace the replacement drivers. Not having the drivers paperwork, and modifying the original cabinets to fit them, will lead Radio Shack to void the warranty IMO.

Larry
 
You're trying to get warranty work done on 38 year old speakers that you modified?:scratch2:

I would suggest that you ask for help from some of the speaker Gurus around here as to what to replace the drivers with. You will more than likely end up with something that sounds even better than the originals.
 
I wouldn't go down the route of having Radio Shack do this for you either. They've honored the warranty already. Surrounds are always going to go at some point. The key here is remembering what Radio Shack sells these days. An "expert" in their staff who can properly replace those surrounds is likely not to exist. Maybe they'll outsource the work? Or... maybe somebody will attempt it and mess things up for you. I wouldn't risk what might happen. I once heard of a guy sending in some vintage gear back to the brand company (can't remember if it was a receiver or amp, something like that) for servicing. He had bought some amazing extended warranty that he had used only once before. One of the clauses in it was "replacement of the item with another of equal or better value." Upon return, he found himself with a new unit, and NOT at all what he wanted. It ended up being a major hassle getting the original piece back, too... one of those "by the skin of his teeth" deals, where he'd almost lost it completely.

I'm with John James... time for driver replacement. :yes:
 
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I had already decided not to do anything. I prefer to update with modern woofers anyway, if I decide to do something with them. And, they DID say they would send them to the factory to be repaired. So...had they not been modified (which, if you read all of my first post, was originally OKed by Radio Shack).....I would have requested them to be repaired. I have the original paperwork, and the only thing not covered by the warranty is owner damage.
(Which, if you think about it...there is now considerable 'owner damage', OKed or not!!):D

I also bought a JCPenny battery in the mid 1970s, warranteed for the life of the car it was purchased for. This was for one of my restored 1957 Chevys. That warranty was not even honored for 7 years. (The only restriction on that warranty was in case of Damage caused by the Owner.) When I went to replace it, JCPenny had closed their auto stores. They told me that Firestone, which had moved into the JCPenny Auto building, had taken over their warranties. I went there, and they laughed at me..saying they never took over any warranties.

Soooo...I would say Radio Shack honored (and would still honor) their warranty:thmbsp:...and JCPenny didn't.
 
The manager of that RS must have just wanted to broom you out the door. I bought 4 10" woofers from RS 7 years ago. They only had 3 at the nearby store, I had to drive 15 miles to get the 4th one. They called and verified that the 4th was actually in store before I drove over there.

I still have them, in the box. Used them for awhile, just put them back in the box this year.

//Smorgy
 
Smorgy said:
The manager of that RS must have just wanted to broom you out the door. I bought 4 10" woofers from RS 7 years ago. They only had 3 at the nearby store, I had to drive 15 miles to get the 4th one. They called and verified that the 4th was actually in store before I drove over there.

I still have them, in the box. Used them for awhile, just put them back in the box this year.

//Smorgy
Click to expand...

I am sure you are right, Smorgy. It was closing time...and they loaded me up with stuff I did not even say I needed....woofers is all I was asking for. :yes:
 
Interesting tale. The dude should have given you exact replacements, and not what they had on hand. I know you asked for the 12" and to do the mods, but if I was the guy, I would have flat out refused, and put in a service request of some sort. Or let you buy new 12" woofers at a discount.
 
Well, ouimetnick...if I had it to do over again, I would get some paperwork, stating what had been done at the time. But, I had no idea I would still have these things in late 2011! And, as some have said...I have gotten my money's worth out of them. So, I am not complaining. Everything but the Woofers is still in very good condition. Woofers can be bought reasonably. Right now my wife is using them for nice end tables...so, hey...it's all good. :thmbsp:
 
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