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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:DYPSS1::SCHAFER
Created:Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2852
Total number of notes:33157

859.0. "Speakers, Etc." by AKOV75::EATOND (Boat => Belly => Burp => Beach) Thu Jul 09 1987 13:09

	Since I've come into a number of used cabinets in the last month or so,
I have a number of questions concerning their repair and maintenance.

	1)  Is there any way to check out a crossover system without a lot of
test equipment?  In particular, I'm dealing with what appears to be simply a
large capacitor.  All I have for test equipment is a cheap multimeter.  Is there
some way to test it using tones or voltages created by a synthesizer, perhaps?

	2)  What can go wrong with a speaker when it has demonstrated it sounds 
lousy?  If a driver shows no visible sign of cone damage, can it be in the 
magnet or the winding?  How does one pinpoint the area needing attention?  
Again, assume minimal test equipment.

	3)  I just found out last night that, contrary to what I had thought
before, Pyle drivers are a BRAND of speakers, not a type.  Yet I've often heard
people throw around the name.  Is 'Pyle driver' synonymous with 'the cheapest
speaker you can get'?

	4)  I just bought a replacement diaphragm for an EV DH1506 horn.  Is 
anyone familiar with the model?  I paid $65 for the replacement part, which 
seemed high to me.  The dealer told me the horn itself lists for over $250 
(which made me feel better, seeing I only paid $20 for the horn WITH a two way
cabinet).  Was I ripped off on the price of the part?  He told me he charges $25
to replace it, but said it was easy enough to do it myself, so I did 
(instructions came with the diaphragm).

	Thanks for any help.

	Dan
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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859.1Did you mean PILE drivers?PIXEL::COHENRichard CohenThu Jul 09 1987 15:215
    Pyle drivers are not the cheapest, but they do provide good value
    for the money.
    
    	- Rick
    
859.2Answers...KRYPTN::JASNIEWSKIThu Jul 09 1987 15:2134
    
    	1) Sure, you'd have to drive your speaker with an amp connected
    to the synth. You'd want to set the synth to produce a steady tone
    and would probably want the VCF *out* of the signal path, use a
    sine waveform if possible. 
    Check that your meter reads a constant voltage over the frequency range
    of interest, that's thru the amp, so it's tone controls will have
    to be adjusted "flat". 
    Now measure the voltage across the Horn speaker. It should start
    going down below 500 cycles (A=440, etc.) for a big horn (dimensions
    in feet) below 3-4 Khz for a smaller horn and below 10 Khz for
    a "tweeter"...
    Likewise, the voltage across the Bass speaker will remain steady
    up to these values and then should start going down for frequencies
    *above*...
    
    	If the crossover follows these basic responses, it's "working"
    
    2. A speaker can be blown without apparent damage. Voice coils warp,
    then rub against the magnet, making this "scratchy" sound...
    
    3. Pyle Driver is a hoky brand name for speakers made by Pyle
    industries. They *look* OK, but, as I've heard before, if you're
    serious, go for the *real* brands like "JBL" or "EV" or "Gauss"
    or "Celestion". Might pay $200 a speaker, though...
    
    4. That's a fair price - he probably only made $30 off ya  :'#...
    Ya can only get widgets at the widget store...wish I could get into
    the Concord auto auction too, but, *I'm* not a dealer! As you get
    to know more you may find other options; for example, I wouldnt
    buy 6L6 output tubes at "Daddy's" for $29.95 each...
                
    	Joe Jas
    
859.3since this is the speaker note...EZ2GET::STEWARTNo, I mean Real Music.Mon Jun 17 1991 15:0510
    
    I'm looking for recommendations on small cabinets I can use for
    everything: synth, guitar, & some bass.  They've gotta have a real
    solid bottom end (so we're talking 15" driver, right?).  I don't want
    to bi-amp, yet.  This is for a small 100wt/chan. practice/jam rack.
    
    I'm purposely not setting a price limit, 'cause I can find almost
    anything in the recycler here.  I like JBLs, but EV is cool, too.  What
    about TOA?  Do they have anything that'll handle bass?
    
859.4TOA 380-SEPROSE::DIORIOA beer's eye viewMon Jun 17 1991 15:096
RE -1

I have a  TOA 380-SE. It's great. 3-way. 15-in woofer. Bi-ampable and 
tri-ampable. Used they go around $300.

Mike D