Help KEF Speaker Spares

rossyl

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Hello,

Unfortunately I was on the receiving end of an eBay purchase that didn't go to plan. I'm now trying to make the best of an unfortunate situation and repair this myself.

The item in question is an HTC3001C

I've cracked it open, played about with it and think I've managed to figure out that BOTH the small drivers (either side of the main one) have blown. How this wasn't noticed before is anyone's guess.

I do not believe it is a problem with the crossovers (fingers crossed I'm right on that).

Trying to get the part is difficult, KEF want a bit too much for what are very small 3" drivers. KEF describe them as bass drivers, but they are miniscule.

Part number is: 8900-6650

I've been Googling A LOT, but cannot seem to find a supplier of KEF parts (other than KEF).

Does anyone happen to know anyone who might be able to help?

106009-1.jpg


Thanks
R
 
Being eBay you should have returned it and got another.
As it is I'd suggest you have three choices:
Bin it and buy a working one;
Pay KEF what they want as you're unlikely to find elsewhere;
Buy another and make the best you can out of two.
 
Thanks

I was wondering whether there were others who might have the parts cheaper - as there seems to be a market for buying broken items and repairing, presumably they aren't buying spares from KEF.

Or, use alternative parts that might be able to serve a similar purpose. Granted sound might be slightly different.
 
Seems a bit weird that both have blown, did you buy as spares or repair?

Can you test them by trying them a very low volume directly of an amp? If they have already broken then there won't be an issue. However, if they are still viable it would indicate something else is wrong.

As to why they are not available, KEF design their own speakers like the UniQ so wouldn't surprise me if these are custom manufactured. So you're options are as MaryWhitehouse has stated.
 
I was wondering whether there were others who might have the parts cheaper - as there seems to be a market for buying broken items and repairing, presumably they aren't buying spares from KEF.

Most speaker drivers tend to be manufacturer specific as that's where they add their design as well as the makeup of the cabinet. Crossovers will, however, use generic parts so may be able to repair them.
 
Seems a bit weird that both have blown, did you buy as spares or repair?
Nope, described as working. As I say, an unfortunate situation taht I have found myself in.

Can you test them by trying them a very low volume directly of an amp? If they have already broken then there won't be an issue. However, if they are still viable it would indicate something else is wrong.
The Uni-Q driver in the middle sounds fine. I change moved the inputs from that to each of the drivers - each had a problem.

As to why they are not available, KEF design their own speakers like the UniQ so wouldn't surprise me if these are custom manufactured. So you're options are as MaryWhitehouse has stated.
I had guessed as much, but they don;t seem overly special. If it was the Uni-Q I would completely understand, just wondered if these were somehow generic.
 
The Uni-Q driver in the middle sounds fine. I change moved the inputs from that to each of the drivers - each had a problem.

But the cross over should be taking those frequencies away from the uni q one. So it shouldn't work as you tried.:confused:

What is the actual fault?
 
Then send it back and buy another.
If it wasn't clear, I've tried that. I'm stuck with them and rather than squabbling over 'he said/she said' I'm trying move forward and make the best out of a bad situation. Hope that's now clear enough?
 
But the cross over should be taking those frequencies away from the uni q one. So it shouldn't work as you tried.:confused:

What is the actual fault?
I think I've described the fault.

To rule out crossovers, I moved the wires feeding the Uni-Q driver (which sounds fine) to each of the smaller "bass" drivers.

Given the Uni-Q driver sounded fine, it means the crossover feeding that is fine.

From the sound being emitted, using the feed coming from the working crossover (that normally feeds the Uni-Q), the two smaller bass driver speakers were clearly blown.
 
If you wait forever there might be spare drivers on eBay eventually. If you want to fix it fairly soon you'll need to buy them from KEF, no one is going to have them in stock.
 
I think I've described the fault.

Not exactly, you haven't you just said you thought the two drivers were broken, but your tests are not conclusive.

So your signal on the wire is freq A + B +C, A goes to the tweeter middle of uniq, B goes to the bass driver round the uni q, and C to goes to your two mid range drivers. Your test is effectively given A or B to the speaker expecting C. Depending on the speakers actual performance this may not work too well. Hence me saying is your test really valid.

If it wasn't clear, I've tried that. I'm stuck with them and rather than squabbling over 'he said/she said' I'm trying move forward and make the best out of a bad situation. Hope that's now clear enough?

How is it clear? If somebody described something as working on eBay and it wasn't when you received then you can file a dispute if they are arguing otherwise. It does not matter if this is a business or private sale even used a private seller selling something has to as described. See here, if was described as working and it is not then they have broken the law.

 
How is it clear? If somebody described something as working on eBay and it wasn't when you received then you can file a dispute if they are arguing otherwise. It does not matter if this is a business or private sale even used a private seller selling something has to as described. See here, if was described as working and it is not then they have broken the law.

eBay make it impossible for a seller to not issue a refund for an item that's not as described. It takes minimal effort on the buyers part and if the seller ignores the request the buyer will get a refund anyway.
 
Thanks @MaryWhitehouse and @ChuckMountain. But allow me to revert to the question I was asking, rather than the answer you'd like to give please. I think you've made your point, and then made it again.

So aside from those comments, I'd be grateful for some help...

I remain after those KEF parts, as described. If anyone has any suggestions of where, outside of buying direct from KEF, they might be available, I'd be most grateful.

Thanks
 

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