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Topic: should I attempt to get this speaker repaired (Read 7230 times) previous topic - next topic
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should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Bought a nice used pair of paradigm 3se mk2s and wow love the sound. The bottom end from these during movies has me not needing a subwoofer. One problem though, during dialog I can hear distortion from one of the woofers. When the volume is low enough it goes away. I've tried the obvious, changing cables, amp, even removed the woofer and connected it directly to eliminate internal issue. Should I try and get my money back or is the driver repairable/replaceable?

should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #1 –
If it distorts, and there is no obvious physical damage - torn cone or surround - it most likely can't be repaired and would need to be replaced.

To keep the overall sonic character of that speaker the same as the other, you would need to replace the woofer with a new driver from Paradigm.

I've no idea what that cost would be, so I can't say whether trying to return the speakers is worth the effort.  Paradigm has always seemed like a reasonable "hi-fi" company - I'd try giving them a call/email and see what the replacement cost would be.
"Not sure what the question is, but the answer is probably no."

should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #2 –
After spending some time with them, now i dont want to bother the seller, even tho he assured me everything was tip top. Thing is the buzz im hearing could easily have been missed in casual listening so he could have sold them in good faith. It seems to be affected only by heavy mids. For example randy rhodes guitar in Crazy Train makes it buzz like crazy while during a song like diary of a madman it doesnt buzz at all. Indeed it was Zeppelins Moby Dick that convinced me to keep these things. Their ability to deliver the "you are there" impact without a subwoofer made me not willing to give them back. I emailed a local business that claims to specialize in driver repair/replacement so wish me luck...I also emailed paradigm.
 

should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #3 –
Voicecoil gets hot it can shift in the gap and rub, replace or recone, some report success from rotating the driver 180 degrees (cone "hangs" in opposite direction). If you dont' replace with a factory driver, doing both as a pair is a good idea.

should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #4 –
Gonna try rotating, but I contacted paradigm and they are willing to recone for $125, so that might be worthwhile. Would NEVER replace a paradigm driver with some 'off the shelf' thing haha.

should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #5 –
I do not know Paradigm specifically, but generally speaking: lots of manufactorers use drivers off the shelf, and sometimes one can find the very same driver at at DIY retailer.

For $125 there can't be too much to be saved on this anyway.

should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #6 –
That's where you are wrong porcus, paradigm manufacture EVERYTHING from drivers to enclosures to crossover components. They wind their own voice coils. 125 is perfectly reasonable to get the woofer refabbed. The cone isn't your regular paper, it's an extremely soft polymer of some sort and I wouldn't trust some diy shop to do it right. These aren't some crappy mass produced speakers, indeed paradigm speakers hold resale value even when vintage.

should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #7 –
Paradigm is the brand name, not its official status. Maybe check ebay, I saw at least one 8" Paradigm driver.

I don't have a good feel for what "buzz" might be, so I can't pin down a source other than guess. If you "gently" push the cone in and out do you hear anything?

should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #8 –
No, there's no noise when pushing on the cone. It's only when there is strong midrange, such as dialog in a movie, the voice will distort, seemingly a damaged voice coil. I've sort of alleviated it by setting up a center channel which takes some of the strain off and now it doesn't make any noise during most listening. Gonna send it to paradigm I think tho, once I find out if reconing also includes a new voice coil.
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should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Mach-X on
No, there's no noise when pushing on the cone. It's only when there is strong midrange, such as dialog in a movie, the voice will distort, seemingly a damaged voice coil. I've sort of alleviated it by setting up a center channel which takes some of the strain off and now it doesn't make any noise during most listening. Gonna send it to paradigm I think tho, once I find out if reconing also includes a new voice coil.
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I will take a wild guess that their "reconing" process is to throw your driver in the trash and take a new one out of the box from China.

Actual repair usually is one of three processes;

Replace the surround, the cone etc stays and new rubber part is glued on.
Replace the cone, the voice coil and spider stay, and new cone is glued to the old voice coil after cutting the old one off.
Replace the voicecoil, spider, and cone as a unit, more skilled requiring shimming and placement of the voice coil in the gap.

I would do a careful visual and audible inspection to see if you can pin down the fault. I also still like the idea of replacing both as a pair.

should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #10 –
You've tested the speakers by swapping which channel they're connected to, and/or tried another amp with the same result?
It doesn't seem likely to be an amp issue, but one never knows.

I'd contact Paradigm directly, as they seem to have amazing customer support that matches their speaker lineup. They had no problem shipping a replacement grille free of charge for one of my mini monitors (mk. 3), due to the vendor misplacing it. Many thanks to the owner of caav (caav.com) for suggesting it.

To my understanding they still assemble most their product line in Canada (possibly US as well), but the drivers are probably made in China, Taiwan, Brazil etc.

should I attempt to get this speaker repaired

Reply #11 –
Quote from: MikeFord on
Voicecoil gets hot it can shift in the gap and rub, replace or recone, some report success from rotating the driver 180 degrees (cone "hangs" in opposite direction).

Even if it's not the case of the speaker in question, I “cured” once a 25 years old 12” woofer sagged under its cone+voice coil weight, just this way, by rotating it 180°.