Mixman
Member
One of my Spire's output is lower than the other. It is about 3db less than the other. Both panels have been replaced, also the power supply on the weaker speaker was replaced too, but the problem persists. What else could it be?
One Speaker's Output Lower Than the Other
- Thread starter Mixman
- Start date
Help Support MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum:
Tosh
Well-known member
Swap stuff between the two speakers in a sensible manner until you home in on the faulty stuff. Start with the ESL panel itself? (I'm assuming that you have somehow confirmed that one is indeed ~3dB down, ie it is not a location or upstream equipment issue?)
User211
Well-known member
Replacement panels aren't always good. It took me three changes to get a good set of Aerius panels years back. ****ed off? Yes. They were new panels each time.
Otherwise, as previous post.
X-overs far less likely to be the problem but it is possible.
Also, try swapping stuff upstream - like amp and source channels.
Otherwise, as previous post.
X-overs far less likely to be the problem but it is possible.
Also, try swapping stuff upstream - like amp and source channels.
Mixman
Member
Believe it or not it's not just the panels, the woofer is lower in output also. So it leads me to believe that there is something bad in the speaker cabinet. Since the power supply is new, that's not it. I even swapped the backplate and the same speaker still has lower output. At this point, the guys at ML figure it's either the crossover or the transformer.....most likely the crossover. Does that seem right, has anyone had their crossover go bad like that?
Hi Mix, have you swapped all of the cabeling to see if it follows with them? Sorry if you said you did and I missed it.
Mixman
Member
Haven't swapped any other cableing except what went with the backplate. Everything else seems to be tight and well connected.
ElectroNoob
Well-known member
Check is the sound is coming uniformly throughout the panel. One of the panels on my ESL was uneven so I had to replace it.
roberto
Well-known member
Hola ElectroNoob. When you replace a panel, you must replace both panels. That's why you get two when ordering one. They are sensitivity matched at the factory.
Mixman
Member
Crossover or Transformer? Which one would likely be the culprit? Everything else has been changed out on the bad speaker.
Tosh
Well-known member
If you still think BOTH the panel and the woofer are low in output, then you need to properly rule out upstream stuff, or location, or even your own hearing. If the audio step-up transformer is bad, it will only affect the panel, not woofer. The 'crossover' consists of two independent crossovers: a separate active lowpass xo for the woofer and a separate passive highpass and eq for the ESL panel, so there's nothing common to both ESL and woofer to make both have low output....
Couple things. My bro had one of his cables from his cd connected with the arrows in the wrong direction. It was causing a decrease in output believe it or not. Secondly - any diffs between setup in the room, ie is one speaker by a corner / side wall while the other is not. Sometimes that can give the impression that output is different. Two simple things to check
Mixman
Member
Ok, I did a lot of troubleshooting this weekend. Swapped a lot of components back and forth between the speakers and it seems like the replacement panels they sent me are ultimately mismatched in volume. The volume loss followed the one panel. When they replaced them under warranty they did so one at a time. Hence one is lower than the other, Roberto is right, both panels need to be replaced at the same time, but unfortunately, when under warranty, as I was told by ML, they are only replaced one at a time as needed.
