One speaker quieter than the other

[croyde]

I've just dug out my old Acoustic Research AR18s from the garage and connected them up to my NAD amplifier. All bought in 1985

I'm only running my daughter's Crosley turntable through the amp and it all sounds nice apart from one speaker is much quieter than the other.

I've tried swapping them around, changing inputs, cables etc but I'm sure it's the speaker.

This one was stored in a cardboard box in a damp garage whilst the other was in the same garage but in a plastic crate.

The wood has suffered a little but the main driver isn't decayed but the central cone is dented.

These aren't the original 8ins drivers as they perished yonks ago but these were put in by me maybe 10/12 years ago.

So why would one be quieter than the other? before I buy two new drivers.

Thanks folks.

[NDA]

I used to have a pair of AR18's a long time ago.... I am trying to remember if they have a fuse. If they do, I'd check they're both running the same rating.

[dickymint]

Try a different source other than the Crosley TT?

[megaphone]

You say you've swapped the speaker outputs over and the issue stays with the same speaker? You've swapped the left and right inputs over and it stays with the same speaker?

Could be a faulty crossover in the speaker, unusual. Could be some corrosion on the voice coil, copper goes green.

[dickymint]

megaphone said:

You say you've swapped the speaker outputs over and the issue stays with the same speaker? You've swapped the left and right inputs over and it stays with the same speaker?

Could be a faulty crossover in the speaker, unusual. Could be some corrosion on the voice coil, copper goes green.

Talking of crossovers I found this excellent discussion...........................

https://community.classicspeakerpages.net/topic/96...


Seems that the crossovers are simply capacitors.

An even better explanation here.............

https://community.classicspeakerpages.net/topic/43...

[Tony1963]

dickymint said:

Seems that the crossovers are simply capacitors.

/

Usually not

[dickymint]

Tony1963 said:

dickymint said:

Seems that the crossovers are simply capacitors.

/

Usually not

Yes but not on the OP's speakers.

From my second link..........

Edited by dickymint on Tuesday 26th March 10:06

[NDA]

dickymint said:

That's British craftsmanship right there.

[Watcher of the skies]

American actually.

[Timothy Bucktu]

Most likely a dry capacitor. You could always swap the crossovers over to confirm it.

[croyde]

Cheers.

I tried newer speakers and the 40 odd year old Nad amp is ok.

Storing the ARs in a damp garage for over 3 years wasn't my best idea.

I might get away with just replacing the drivers.

[dickymint]

croyde said:

Cheers.

I tried newer speakers and the 40 odd year old Nad amp is ok.

Storing the ARs in a damp garage for over 3 years wasn't my best idea.

I might get away with just replacing the drivers.

From what I've read the woofer and tweeter are a matched pair hence just the capacitor as a crossover. As an aside are the two speakers consequently numbered? As apparently that's uncommon and what the audiophiles want.

[croyde]

The drivers are already replacements from when the foam perished on the originals.

I didn't know about matched pairs and crossovers but they were fine in use, when I literally had a music room, 10 years ago.

Those were the days. Lovely detached rented cottage, far from neighbours.

Old HiFi set up, a drum kit, guitars and a Mustang and a BMW on my drive as well as a motorbike.

How the mighty have fallen eh

[megaphone]

Looking at what others have posted, the capacitor/crossover is only on the tweeter, the woofer looks like it runs full range.

[megaphone]

OP , have a look at ebay local collection or Gumtree or similar, often good HiFi speakers come up for very little money as no one wants them, probably cheaper than fixing the ARs.

[croyde]

Cheers. I didn't realise there was a local collection option. Ta.

[dickymint]

megaphone said:

Looking at what others have posted, the capacitor/crossover is only on the tweeter, the woofer looks like it runs full range.

Yes this is what I read and why they were 'matched' at the factory.