Fixing a subwoofer

[rich m]

I've just taken a bit of a risk and bought a faulty AE Evo sub off ebay. I'm hoping to see if i can get it fixed. It only cost me £15, so if i can't get it sorted its not the end of the world.

I was wondering if anyone knew of anywhere i could take it to be fixed in the staffordshire area (i live in stoke-on-trent), or had any advice as to how to research local hifi shops that do repairs?

Many thanks.

[Andy98765]

There are a couple of dealers in your area

http://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/Whe...y/MIDLANDS.asp

[rich m]

Originally Posted by Andy98765

There are a couple of dealers in your area

http://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/Whe...y/MIDLANDS.asp

Thanks for the advice, thats really helpful. I should have thought of looking for dealers.

[rich m]

Before i waste my time, i was hoping some people with more experience might be able to offer some advice. The cone of the sub has become ridgid and inflexible. The owner says he noticed this after a power cut during a storm. I'm hoping that this isn't too major an issue, i'm sure the cone can be replaced. Can anyone offer any advice as to how this would have happened and if it is terminal?

[tahirti3]

sounds like you may only need to replace the driver.i would remove it and see if there are any brand markings,it is unlikely to be made by ae.i think they use peerless bass drivers but not sure.

[rich m]

Originally Posted by tahirti3

sounds like you may only need to replace the driver.i would remove it and see if there are any brand markings,it is unlikely to be made by ae.i think they use peerless bass drivers but not sure.

Thanks for the advice, sounds promising. Now here come the silly question...how do i remove the driver? I have unscrewed everything from the front, but it appears to be glued also. I don't want to do any damage and i'm very new to this.

[tahirti3]

try a flat headed screwdriver to prise it out,but put some cloth or cardboard under the screwdriver so as not to damage the wood.

[rich m]

Right, i've managed to get it loose with great difficulty. There are no brand markings that i can see, it has just been stamped "AE73". Does this mean it is a peerless driver, and if so do you have any recommendations as to where i could source a replacement?

Also, it appears to have been soldered on, so any tips on getting the wires off without damaging them?

[elvetost]

Originally Posted by rich m

Right, i've managed to get it loose with great difficulty. There are no brand markings that i can see, it has just been stamped "AE73". Does this mean it is a peerless driver, and if so do you have any recommendations as to where i could source a replacement?

Also, it appears to have been soldered on, so any tips on getting the wires off without damaging them?

Hello.
Use a soldering iron to unsolder the cables and remove them. Alternatevely you could simply cut them as close to the sub terminals as long as you have enough cable to rconnect to the new driver.
As fara s the driver is concerned, you could have a look at the box size and try to match another driver to the subwoofer. Having a look at the specs it is a 300mm = 12 inch driverthat handles 150watt (probably about 80-90w rms). there are cheap drivers and better ones that cost a bit more. But the most important thing to consider is to match the driver to the box as closely as possible.
Finally try the amplifier inside the sub to see if that is working too. If its a dead amp in there you may better bin alltogether.

Hope this helps, regards, Chris

[rich m]

Originally Posted by elvetost

Finally try the amplifier inside the sub to see if that is working too. If its a dead amp in there you may better bin alltogether.

Thanks very much for the advice. How would i try the amplifier? I know it powers up ok, is there anything more i can do?

[tahirti3]

just connect any speaker you have to the wires that you remove from the driver and play something with bass,but at a very low volume so as not to damage your speaker.if you could post some pics of the driver someone may recognise it.

[elvetost]

Yeah try that to test the amp, as said try at low volume and post back. Have you tried acoustic energy to see if they could source a replacement unit for you? they are a good bunch, give them a call on:

Please call 01285 646586 Monday to Friday 9.30 -4.30
Speak to Jasmine or Laura, they are very polite and will be happy to help I think. They could point you in the right direction too!

Kind regards, chris

[rich m]

Right, i've hooked up another speaker to test the amplifier. Unfortunately my present amp uses a mono lead, so i don't have the correct lead to test properly at the moment. However, it powered up fine, and as i slowly increased the volume and held my ear to the speaker there was the little hiss that you get, which incresed a little as i turned the volume up. There was no damage to the speaker i used to test it.

I'll give AE a call this afternoon and see what they say about sourcing a replacement. I have also looked at some replacement woofers online. What sort of price would you be expecting to pay? I'm looking for a good budget option really as the sub won't get excessive use (i live in a terraced house).

Thanks again for all the help and advice, its much appreciated.

[rich m]

I've spoken to the people at AE and got a part number for a replacement, which i can get through a local distributor. I may well source a cheaper alternative though. One thing i have noticed is that although the specs online say that it is a 300mm (12") woofer, measuring it myself it is actually closer to 250mm (10"). This has worried me a bit, as if i source one myself i obviously want to make sure it will fit ok.