ML Request Woofer Issue

[texas42]

Hi,
I recently purchased a pair of Request for what I thought was a good deal until I got home and realized one of the woofers didn't work. Any ideas on where I should start to diagnose? Are there internal fuses perhaps? Does it use an off the shelf woofer? If so, what model number and brand and perhaps a source to purchase? Any idea, suggestions greatly appreciated as I would love to hear what these would sound like in their intended form. Hopefully, this will be an inexpensive fix and I can quickly recover from my downer feeling. Thanks again....

 

[FISH_MAN]

chill out dude you bought Logans. I would call Jim Powers and explain your situation I believe they will sell you the proper parts. a sales rep their once told me that they could get any pair of their speakers back into working condition no mater what was broken.warranty is no more but I really think they will sell you parts you probably have a loose wire though

 

[JonFo]

Hi,
I recently purchased a pair of Request for what I thought was a good deal until I got home and realized one of the woofers didn't work. Any ideas on where I should start to diagnose? Are there internal fuses perhaps? Does it use an off the shelf woofer? If so, what model number and brand and perhaps a source to purchase? Any idea, suggestions greatly appreciated as I would love to hear what these would sound like in their intended form. Hopefully, this will be an inexpensive fix and I can quickly recover from my downer feeling. Thanks again....

Hi, and sorry to hear about the issue.

But don’t despair, this is usually pretty simple to fix.

You have checked that the bridges between the binding posts are correctly seated and connected, right?

First, let’s assume the speaker driver itself is OK, and that all you have is a wiring problem.

I believe the reQuest has a removable back panel that houses the speakers crossover.

* unplug the speaker from the amp, and from the wall *

You will need to open it up. See examples in this thread.
http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126


Once you have the panel removed, look at the connections from the binding posts to the crossover and from there to the woofer. Double check that the connection on the woofer spades are tight.

If all the connections look good, then try a 1.5v battery across the terminals of the woofer binding post (and only the woofer’s, so remove the bridges).
If the woofer moves in or out when the battery is connected and disconnect, then you know the driver is wired in OK from binding post to driver.

If your driver is dead (a possibility in such an old model), the factory can sell you direct replacements. But I’d plan and doing both speakers to ensure you have matched bass output.

More than likely it’s a loose wire.

 

[texas42]

Hi, thanks for the response thus far. I'd like to check the woofer by removing it (I'm assuming it is screwed in from the front) but what is the best way to remove the grill to access it? I tried removing the side rails to get to the woofer panel but to no avail. My guess is there is a specific technique to this? Also, thanks for the tip on removing the back panels, I'll check the connections there as well. I checked both bass panels for sound by using only the bottom speaker connectors; one works the other doesn't. I then have to assume the issue is either a loose connection somewhere; a loose solder point in the XO; a blown driver in the woofer or a fried XO board.

 

[Bill T]

I just sold a pair of ReQuest Woofers on ebay for $50, They were like new. I had a 2nd pair of ReQuest damaged when moving

 

[JonFo]

Hi, thanks for the response thus far. I'd like to check the woofer by removing it (I'm assuming it is screwed in from the front) but what is the best way to remove the grill to access it? I tried removing the side rails to get to the woofer panel but to no avail. My guess is there is a specific technique to this? Also, thanks for the tip on removing the back panels, I'll check the connections there as well. I checked both bass panels for sound by using only the bottom speaker connectors; one works the other doesn't. I then have to assume the issue is either a loose connection somewhere; a loose solder point in the XO; a blown driver in the woofer or a fried XO board.

I'm not familiar enough with the reQuest to guide much past this point, but I'd guess that removing the x-over panel would be much easier than removing the woofer from the front.

For one, those woofers generally are placed with some form of sealant foam that is fairly sticky, and makes pulling the woofer out a bit hard.
Plus, you'll now need a new foam ring to seal the driver in again when you put it back.

Also, if the problem is wiring in the X-O, then you’ll still need to look at that anyway.

What sometimes happens in transport is that the box is subject to a high G-force that loosens an inductor coil from the x-over board and that pulls the wires out.