Maggie Tympani 1d tweeters dead

[IBSTORMIN]

All of a sudden, both tweeters have quit working. Played them hard one night for friends, listened again a couple nights later and forgot to turn the system off. I noticed it was on a couple days later and just shut it off with out listening. Next time I went to listen, neither tweeter works. Checked both fuses and they are OK. Anybody know what might be wrong and how to fix?

[dakatabg]

First thing I will do it take off the tweeters and try them if they work. If both stopped working at the same time it might be the system or the crossovers. I am not familiar with the speakers but that is the first thing I will do!

[JoeE SP9]

The ribbon tweeters Magnepan uses are known to be fragile. Magnepan made them inexpensive (relatively) and easy to change.

Disconnect them from the crossovers and check for continuity using a meter. Open circuit (infinite reading) = buy new tweeters.

[IBSTORMIN]

The ribbon tweeters Magnepan uses are known to be fragile. Magnepan made them inexpensive (relatively) and easy to change.

Disconnect them from the crossovers and check for continuity using a meter. Open circuit (infinite reading) = buy new tweeters.

Thanks for the advice, but an open sounds like a wire came loose or voice coil came apart. I already learned a new pair of the same tweeters is around $300 but would like to fix these instead of buying new. Can they be taken apart and repaired and does anyone know how. I'm pretty good at repairing things but would like instructions, if at all possible, before I tackle these. If I have to buy new I will look into true ribbons instead.

[JoeE SP9]

With ribbon tweeters, the ribbon is the voice coil is the tweeter. There is no repair, only replacement. Standard maggy tweeters and the quasi ribbon tweeters can be repaired. Magnepan has kits to repair them. The kits are reasonably priced.

They don't respond to email. Give them a call. The are nice people to deal with.

[Mr Peabody]

Sorry to hear another issue come up IBS.

[IBSTORMIN]

With ribbon tweeters, the ribbon is the voice coil is the tweeter. There is no repair, only replacement. Standard maggy tweeters and the quasi ribbon tweeters can be repaired. Magnepan has kits to repair them. The kits are reasonably priced.

They don't respond to email. Give them a call. The are nice people to deal with.

Thanks for the advice. I'll call Maggie on Monday.

[IBSTORMIN]

Sorry to hear another issue come up IBS.

Hi Mr P, long time no talk to. Yeah, it sucks. I had to show them off to a couple neighbors........the fuses that were supposed to protect them didn't blow, the tweeters did.
I am finally pretty much done with the lake house and have it listed on Craiglist. Just look for the 2br 2ba at Lake Tapawingo, MO.

[IBSTORMIN]

The ribbon tweeters Magnepan uses are known to be fragile. Magnepan made them inexpensive (relatively) and easy to change.

You guys do have me confused. I keep reading that "Maggies love power, the more you can give them, the better they sound". Then you say the tweeters are known to be fragile. All I know is the fuses didn't protect them.

[Dawnrazor]

You guys do have me confused. I keep reading that "Maggies love power, the more you can give them, the better they sound". Then you say the tweeters are known to be fragile. All I know is the fuses didn't protect them.


Yeah it is a bit confusing.

What sounds like happened it that the amps clipped. The idea behind a bunch of power is that the amp wont clip and you will be ok.

THe unfortunate thing is that fuses are never 100%. Many report dead tweeters and a fuse that never tripped. Some of those people report that getting a different amp or adding an amp solved the problem. SOmetimes power and current ratings are divorced from real world reality.

For instance my pass amp was rated at 300w into 4 ohms and my old Carver was rated at 500w into 4 ohms....the pass IMHO would be the amp less likely to clip....

Sorry this has happened.

It is also possible that the ribbons just wore out after all this time, but both at the same time is not that likely.

FWIW there IS a repair kit. Magnepan doesnt hype it and prefers to send you replacements because it is easier for everyone. The repair kit though has 3 tweeters with the idea that you will screw up the first one, even with the instructions. Dont hold me to this, but I remember it being somewhere around $150 for the 3 ribbons and shipping. CAll magnepan and ask Karen about the repair kit. I know they have have it for newer models and perhaps they do for the tymps too.

[Mr Peabody]

Pass and Carver have two entirely different power supply technologies. Pass would create a tremendous more amount of current where the Carver's voltage was much higher. And, generally, speakers need the current for performance. Higher current typically gives you a more powerful sound as well. Pass is an excellent amp.

It is possible for a speaker to need ample amounts of power to sound or perform correctly while having a fragile driver. I'd say not the wisest combo. But the crossover should protect the tweeter by the excess power being converted to heat. It could be possible the fuses were replaced in the past and maybe the wrong value was used or a slow blow opposed to quick blow.

[IBSTORMIN]

What sounds like happened it that the amps clipped. The idea behind a bunch of power is that the amp wont clip and you will be ok.

FWIW there IS a repair kit. Magnepan doesnt hype it and prefers to send you replacements because it is easier for everyone. The repair kit though has 3 tweeters with the idea that you will screw up the first one, even with the instructions. Dont hold me to this, but I remember it being somewhere around $150 for the 3 ribbons and shipping. CAll magnepan and ask Karen about the repair kit. I know they have have it for newer models and perhaps they do for the tymps too.

Can poor power from an old house going to the amp cause clipping?

Thanks for the advice about the repair kits. I might take them apart and have a looksee first. Maybe I'll get lucky and a wire just came loose.

[Mr Peabody]

I can't see how your source of AC would cause clipping unless maybe the amp was being starved. What causes your amp to clip it runs out of power and you still are asking it to do more. You will notice this happen when the music begins to no longer sound perfectly clear, it will begin to distort. This distorted signal is what blows tweeters. That's also why you will hear me and many others say it's better to over power speakers than under power them.

[IBSTORMIN]

I can't see how your source of AC would cause clipping unless maybe the amp was being starved. What causes your amp to clip it runs out of power and you still are asking it to do more. You will notice this happen when the music begins to no longer sound perfectly clear, it will begin to distort. This distorted signal is what blows tweeters. That's also why you will hear me and many others say it's better to over power speakers than under power them.

Starving the amp is what I think happened. My house was built in '51 and still has the original small supply wiring to 40-60 amp service even though it has been upgraded to 100 amp service. I had been using a battery back-up to protect the amp and speakers as it would shut off if the amp demand was too high. I decided to run a dedicated outlet directly from breaker box bypassing the house wiring. It sounded better without the battery back-up so I told myself not to turn up the amp until I ran a new supply line. I actually have gotten the wire to do this from a lineman friend of mine, just haven't found the time to install it. The night I was showing my speakers, I thought that since I had turned it up before without a problem, I could do it again. I forgot I had taken my failsafe, the battery backup, out of the circuit. With my wife upstairs watching TV with surround on and five powered bookshelf speakers, a sub, lights on in the house and me downstairs with the volume turned way up playing electronic music (Darude), I think I starved the amp for power, clipping it and damaging the tweeters. I think it's my own fault, not the equipment. But you could FEEL the bass in your chest!

[Mr Peabody]

Man, I have to hear those Tempany's. I don't remember you ever saying you use a sub and "feeling it in your chest" is something I didn't think I'd ever hear when discussing Maggies.

[IBSTORMIN]

Man, I have to hear those Tempany's. I don't remember you ever saying you use a sub and "feeling it in your chest" is something I didn't think I'd ever hear when discussing Maggies.

No, I do not use a sub and Yes, you do. Gotta fix everything first.

[frenchmon]

No, I do not use a sub and Yes, you do. Gotta fix everything first.

So are you saying the Maggies has Tymphany's in them? I've always wondered what speaker used them. I've read about them. They are made by the same company that owns Peerless, and Vifa, and who use to own Scanspeak....they also make drivers for Klipsch and drivers for other speaker companies as well.

[Dawnrazor]

So are you saying the Maggies has Tymphany's in them? I've always wondered what speaker used them. I've read about them. They are made by the same company that owns Peerless, and Vifa, and who use to own Scanspeak....they also make drivers for Klipsch and drivers for other speaker companies as well.

Actually Frenchmon the Tympani was a model magnepan had 20-30 years ago that had different versions but it was unique in that it had 3 panels for the left and 3 for the right with 2 being bass panels and the other being mids and highs I think.

No cone drivers were used :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/acagr/profile08/system_haralgb.jpg


I believe him that you could feel the bass in your chest...

[IBSTORMIN]

Actually Frenchmon the Tympani was a model magnepan had 20-30 years ago that had different versions but it was unique in that it had 3 panels for the left and 3 for the right with 2 being bass panels and the other being mids and highs I think.

No cone drivers were used :)

Two panels are mid/bass, one is tweeter.


I believe him that you could feel the bass in your chest...

No reason to lie. It also came at a price! Don't know that I'll ever turn them up that loud again. Sounded awesome tho.
Mr P, you and Frenchmon need to come visit, once I get them fixed, so you can back me up on this. MAYBE I'll turn them up for you guys, for a short while. :)

[Geoffcin]

There's a set of Tympani 1d's going off on ebay now.

Sorry, they went off without reaching reserve. Might be worth a look to see if he will take an offer.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150449050514&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[Dawnrazor]

Two panels are mid/bass, one is tweeter.



Thanks for keeping me honest. Looks like I was off too in that the first pairs were made in 71, so nearly 40 years ago!

There were so many different models ranging from 4 panels total to 8 panels total so looks like they changed it up a bit through the years.

Either way those are great speakers, and if you look at the surface area it makes sense to me that you could feel it in the chest...even if you werent supposed to!

[Mr Peabody]

IBS, when they get up and running it may be productive to biamp them. Putting the brute force on the bass panels and not so much on the high panel. If it wouldn't be too much using an external crossover would be the ultimate.

Or, you could weigh the cost against a Krell 700cx, 700x2. That should about do it. Of course, with your electric issue you may have to go direct to pole :)

[Mr Peabody]

Just think if you snal another Tympani set up you could double the amount of bass panels!

[IBSTORMIN]

Just think if you snal another Tympani set up you could double the amount of bass panels!

What I'd really like to eventually snag is a pair of Tympani IIIb's with four bass panels in the middle and two outer panels on each side for mid/tweet. BUT, talk about taking up alot of room and a wall of sound ! ! ! ! !

OR, five Tympani 1d like I have in a DVD-A/SACD surround sound setup. Of course the center would have to modified........

[IBSTORMIN]

IBS, when they get up and running it may be productive to biamp them. Putting the brute force on the bass panels and not so much on the high panel. If it wouldn't be too much using an external crossover would be the ultimate.

I was wondering what everyone would recommend for a crossover, used of course.


Or, you could weigh the cost against a Krell 700cx, 700x2. That should about do it. Of course, with your electric issue you may have to go direct to pole :)

When you come, you have to bring your Krell so I can hear the sound.

HHHHMMMMMMMM.......the pole is in my back yard........

[Mr Peabody]

What I'd really like to eventually snag is a pair of Tympani IIIb's with four bass panels in the middle and two outer panels on each side for mid/tweet. BUT, talk about taking up alot of room and a wall of sound ! ! ! ! !

OR, five Tympani 1d like I have in a DVD-A/SACD surround sound setup. Of course the center would have to modified........

Now, you are talking!

[Mr Peabody]

A friend of mine uses external crossovers and I believe he told me they were Accuphase. Those may be a bit expensive.

Audio Control makes a gizmo called the Phase Coupled Activator. This has a built in 2-way crossover but it isn't adjustable. The last one I seen you had to buy a card from AC with the frequency you wanted. Just buy one the same frequency as the Tympani already has. The interesting thing about this unit, according to Audio Control, it digitally recreates low end frequencies that were lost in the recording process. It definitely will create some low end. I had one back in the day when I had some Kappa 7's. As if those 12's weren't low enough the PCA really produced some bass. If your amp and speakers are up to the job the PCA will make your system sound like you have a sub without having a sub.

If you are serious you might want to start another thread just asking about external crossovers to get more input.