Blown tweeter?

GloryisSilent · 8th April 2008

I finally got all my recording stuff setup and working really nicely with a treated room, new computer and everything.

Until I record a mono guitar track.

Right speaker sounds like there's a peice of paper lightly crumpling in it. I pan left and right to compare and yes, it's true.

Is this likely a blown tweeter?

StudioKing · 8th April 2008

Anytime i have had a blown tweeter the first sign is that it stops working, there didn't seem to be any period of crackling or anything, just working one minute and not the next

GloryisSilent · 8th April 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by StudioKing

Anytime i have had a blown tweeter the first sign is that it stops working, there didn't seem to be any period of crackling or anything, just working one minute and not the next

This is like a fuzzy sound. It almost sounds like clipping, but more of a crumbled paper sound.

I've checked and there's no clipping occur anywhere. I've checked the wires as well.

joeq · 8th April 2008

first- disconnect the wires going to the speakers in the back and switch them to see if your crackling stays on that speaker

does your monitor chain include a mixer or attenuator?
tried exercising the faders?

if it's a mixer check the inserts too- clean them and exercise them by ramming a plug in and out of the jack a few times - spray it, too.

GloryisSilent · 8th April 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeq

first- disconnect the wires going to the speakers in the back and switch them to see if your crackling stays on that speaker

does your monitor chain include a mixer or attenuator?
tried exercising the faders?

if it's a mixer check the inserts too- clean them and exercise them by ramming a plug in and out of the jack a few times - spray it, too.

Checked all those things.. seems to be the speaker.

zilver · 8th April 2008

The voice coil of one of the speakers could be burned. It gets thicker and scratches against the magnet.
Are you sure it's the tweeter ? Have you driven the speaker hard lately ?

Hans

oldgreensock · 8th April 2008

As Studion King said, Tweeters usually just stop working.
Blown drivers will be "fuzzy" or "crackely" or "on fire" haha!
take off the grill and look for tears or rips in the cone. Also look for rotted or damaged surrounds, if thats all clear try gently moving the cone in and out with your fingers evenly spread around the cone. If you feel any rubbing or resistance or worse yet no movement at all then its blown.

If they are active monitors try swapping drivers with the other monitor to check if your amp is working corectly. If they are passive you have already checked for that by switching speaker cables.

GloryisSilent · 8th April 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldgreensock

As Studion King said, Tweeters usually just stop working.
Blown drivers will be "fuzzy" or "crackely" or "on fire" haha!
take off the grill and look for tears or rips in the cone. Also look for rotted or damaged surrounds, if thats all clear try gently moving the cone in and out with your fingers evenly spread around the cone. If you feel any rubbing or resistance or worse yet no movement at all then its blown.

If they are active monitors try swapping drivers with the other monitor to check if your amp is working corectly. If they are passive you have already checked for that by switching speaker cables.

No tears or rips. The drivers have no resistance or problems as mentioned.

It's definitely the tweeter, I've listened more closely and it sounds like pink noise is being fed into it almost. Could that be a blown amp? Or perhaps just the tweeter gone bad or...

thanks for the help so far. I'm trying to figure out if I should get new monitors, or if it's worth my time messing with them.

GloryisSilent · 8th April 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by zilver

The voice coil of one of the speakers could be burned. It gets thicker and scratches against the magnet.
Are you sure it's the tweeter ? Have you driven the speaker hard lately ?

Hans

Well, I turned the volume down to a safe level (to be sure I measured it with an spl meter at the distance I put my eat), and hovered my head back and forth between the elements... it's certainky coming from the tweeter.

oldgreensock · 9th April 2008

Are they active or passive monitors?

dbbubba · 9th April 2008

Tweeters will get a raspy or edgy buzz going when partially blown or damaged.
2" compression drivers will often loose low end (they cross lower)

One really good way to see if a tweeter is blown is to play solo piano though it.
Because of a piano's complex harmonic signature any tweeter anomalies can be easily heard.

Drivers can be damaged and the effect produced by the damage can be quite small.
I have a pair of JBL monitors that have had a damaged woofer for twenty years!
You have to drive the dog pee out of them to hear the edge on stuff.

8th April 2008	#1
GloryisSilent Registered User Joined: Oct 2007 Posts: 160 Thread Starter	Blown tweeter? I finally got all my recording stuff setup and working really nicely with a treated room, new computer and everything. Until I record a mono guitar track. Right speaker sounds like there's a peice of paper lightly crumpling in it. I pan left and right to compare and yes, it's true. Is this likely a blown tweeter?

8th April 2008	#4
joeq Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2002 Location: New York Posts: 9,924	first- disconnect the wires going to the speakers in the back and switch them to see if your crackling stays on that speaker does your monitor chain include a mixer or attenuator? tried exercising the faders? if it's a mixer check the inserts too- clean them and exercise them by ramming a plug in and out of the jack a few times - spray it, too. __________________ . “What you ask about is music. What you like is sound. Now music and sound are akin, but they are not the same.” — Confucius

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8th April 2008	#2
StudioKing Gear addict Joined: Nov 2005 Location: Not sure Posts: 408	Anytime i have had a blown tweeter the first sign is that it stops working, there didn't seem to be any period of crackling or anything, just working one minute and not the next

8th April 2008	#6
zilver Gear addict Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands Posts: 324	The voice coil of one of the speakers could be burned. It gets thicker and scratches against the magnet. Are you sure it's the tweeter ? Have you driven the speaker hard lately ? Hans

8th April 2008	#7
oldgreensock Gear nut Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 109	As Studion King said, Tweeters usually just stop working. Blown drivers will be "fuzzy" or "crackely" or "on fire" haha! take off the grill and look for tears or rips in the cone. Also look for rotted or damaged surrounds, if thats all clear try gently moving the cone in and out with your fingers evenly spread around the cone. If you feel any rubbing or resistance or worse yet no movement at all then its blown. If they are active monitors try swapping drivers with the other monitor to check if your amp is working corectly. If they are passive you have already checked for that by switching speaker cables.

9th April 2008	#10
oldgreensock Gear nut Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 109	Are they active or passive monitors?

9th April 2008	#11
dbbubba Banned Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 7,099	Tweeters will get a raspy or edgy buzz going when partially blown or damaged. 2" compression drivers will often loose low end (they cross lower) One really good way to see if a tweeter is blown is to play solo piano though it. Because of a piano's complex harmonic signature any tweeter anomalies can be easily heard. Drivers can be damaged and the effect produced by the damage can be quite small. I have a pair of JBL monitors that have had a damaged woofer for twenty years! You have to drive the dog pee out of them to hear the edge on stuff.