Magnepan Tweeter: Repair/Replace

[MRC01]

Well after 24 years of reliable daily service it finally happened. The right tweeter of my Magnepan 3.6/R is blown. Yet the irony is, it wasn't due to music or audio equipment! My wife decided the speakers were dusty and decided to vacuum them. She didn't know any better because she doesn't care about audio and I don't beat her over the head with it. At least the left tweeter survived, but after 24 years maybe I'll replace it too. Though in REW it did measure total distortion about -70 dB a month or two ago, so it's probably fine.

Apparently, Magnepan can ship new tweeters for user replacement, and I have a copy of their tweeter replacement guide, so I've sent the parts request to Magnepan. I've built speakers and audio equipment before so I'm sure I can handle it, but if anyone has done this before, I'd appreciate the advice. Otherwise, I'm just venting.

 

[DonH56]

Fortunately it's an easy swap. Had to do it many times, and many times for that exact reason (somebody decided to vacuum the speakers). Can do it standing, though I usually laid them down (carefully, on carpet- or blanket-covered boards), then just a matter of removing all the screws, pulling the old tweeter, and plugging in the new. Be careful pulling off the metal strip at the end; it can easily snap back and may take out the new tweeter. I usually cleaned and tightened (gentle squeeze with pliers) the connectors while I had it off. The hardest part is handling it carefully, not touching the ribbon with anything, and moving slowly during the process to prevent blowing the new one.

 

[LTig]

Ouch. Does the manual state that one must not vacuum them?

 

[AudiOhm]

Now that sucks...

Ohms

 

[MRC01]

Fortunately it's an easy swap. Had to do it many times, and many times for that exact reason (somebody decided to vacuum the speakers). Can do it standing, though I usually laid them down (carefully, on carpet- or blanket-covered boards), then just a matter of removing all the screws, pulling the old tweeter, and plugging in the new....

That's good to know. I've read there is a repair kit where they mail you just the ribbon element itself and you install it into the tweeter. But this appears to require tedious assembly. When Magnepan gets back to me I'll find out what the options are and follow up here.

At least I know I'm not deaf. It didn't sound right which led to the investigation. Magnepan says some people don't even notice when the tweeters go, which is hard to believe.

 

[MRC01]

Ouch. Does the manual state that one must not vacuum them?

Not explicitly. But they do say the tweeters can be damaged by strong air currents and provide protecting panels to cover them that stay on magnetically, for moving & shipping.

 

[DonH56]

That's good to know. I've read there is a repair kit where they mail you just the ribbon element itself and you install it into the tweeter. But this appears to require tedious assembly. When Magnepan gets back to me I'll find out what the options are and follow up here.

At least I know I'm not deaf. It didn't sound right which led to the investigation. Magnepan says some people don't even notice when the tweeters go, which is hard to believe.

I do not remember ever getting anything except a complete tweeter assembly if you mean they ship just the foil element. Been a while so I could be wrong, but I'd be surprised. Depending on how old they are, Magnepan recommends (or did) replacing both tweeters at the same time. There were some DIY schemes but my only try was a dismal failure. YMMV.

Note the main diaphragms are thicker but by no means indestructible, especially with the thinner material of the "quasi-ribbon" design. In the primordial past I saw a pair with every section blown by an overzealous owner who used a shop vac to clean them. The customer wanted to know if I could just "tape them up", hard "no".

 

[Phineas Newborn Jr.]

Well after 24 years of reliable daily service it finally happened. The right tweeter of my Magnepan 3.6/R is blown. Yet the irony is, it wasn't due to music or audio equipment! My wife decided the speakers were dusty and decided to vacuum them. She didn't know any better because she doesn't care about audio and I don't beat her over the head with it. At least the left tweeter survived, but after 24 years maybe I'll replace it too. Though in REW it did measure total distortion about -70 dB a month or two ago, so it's probably fine.

Apparently, Magnepan can ship new tweeters for user replacement, and I have a copy of their tweeter replacement guide, so I've sent the parts request to Magnepan. I've built speakers and audio equipment before so I'm sure I can handle it, but if anyone has done this before, I'd appreciate the advice. Otherwise, I'm just venting.

Well after 24 years of reliable daily service it finally happened. The right tweeter of my Magnepan 3.6/R is blown. Yet the irony is, it wasn't due to music or audio equipment! My wife decided the speakers were dusty and decided to vacuum them. She didn't know any better because she doesn't care about audio and I don't beat her over the head with it. At least the left tweeter survived, but after 24 years maybe I'll replace it too. Though in REW it did measure total distortion about -70 dB a month or two ago, so it's probably fine.

Been married for over twenty years. Wife doesn't get involved with maintaining my stereo and I don't touch her dozens of plants, unless either of us asks another to help move things. Coincidentally, I, too, have Magnepan 3.6/R. I'm sure you'll keep them going again!

 

[MRC01]

I spoke with Magnepan today, here are the options:

Option 1: replace
Each tweeter costs $150, so long as you return your old "core" to them in the box. If you don't, there's an extra core charge of $350 each.
So replacing both tweeters costs $300 plus shipping both ways.
They're over 5' long and heavy, but shipping is surprisingly cheap at around $40.

Option 2: repair
They sell a tweeter repair kit that has 3 foil ribbon elements. You extract the old ribbon and install the new one, gluing it to support pins spaced every 3" or so along the full length of the tweeter. The kit has 1 extra in case you tear one. Cost $300.

The only thing the repair option saves you is shipping. Even though one tweeter still works, "she" vacuumed both speakers and they are 24 years old, so I'm replacing both. This will save a few bucks on shipping and give me peace of mind.

 

[GXAlan]

For the older replacements (MG-III era) you needed to solder the wires. I'm not sure if the newer setups are designed for more user-friendly swaps.

 

[DonH56]

I spoke with Magnepan today, here are the options:

Option 1: replace
Each tweeter costs $150, so long as you return your old "core" to them in the box. If you don't, there's an extra core charge of $350 each.
So replacing both tweeters costs $300 plus shipping both ways.
They're over 5' long and heavy, but shipping is surprisingly cheap at around $40.

Option 2: repair
They sell a tweeter repair kit that has 3 foil ribbon elements. You extract the old ribbon and install the new one, gluing it to support pins spaced every 3" or so along the full length of the tweeter. The kit has 1 extra in case you tear one. Cost $300.

The only thing the repair option saves you is shipping. Even though one tweeter still works, "she" vacuumed both speakers and they are 24 years old, so I'm replacing both. This will save a few bucks on shipping and give me peace of mind.

You chose wisely.

 

[MRC01]

So this long box arrives at my house:

I open it up and find this inside:

Yes they take their tweeter packing seriously. Those PVC tube walls are about half a CM thick! Inside I find these:

Visually inspected, installed, rang out with a meter, tested with test tones and music. We are in business! After 24 years of daily use, those old tweeters served me well. The new ones sound great and I hope they prove as durable. Now I just gotta send the old ones back to avoid the $700 core fee.