Side Rail Installation help

[Pcar928fan]

Hey Austin ML fans, anyone want to give me a hand installing my new pretty glossy black side rails on my Prodigy and Ascent?!

I have wanted these FOR YEARS and Jim Power (ML GOD of customer service!) was able to find me a set for each of the speakers and got them to me for a GREAT DEAL that I could not pass up so I am chomping at the bit to get these beauties on the speakers to dress them up nicely! They are good looking to begin with and these should just make them better...kind of like looking at a model in a sexy short black dress vs. slacks and a blouse...she looks good either way, but there really is no question which I would prefer to see her in...or out of...wait, that's a different forum! :haha1: :devil:

Anyway, if any of the Austin ML gang is interested in helping out with this I would love to have a hand with it. I may also get a pair of blue LED's to upgrade the Ascent but I will need someone who is good at soldering (I assume there is a touch of that needed...) to make that happen!

 

[Reverb2009]

I installed a set of dark cherry trim rails on my Ascents a few months ago, took about half a hour. I would be more then happy to do it for you but unfortunately I am in California and making a trip to Texas is not an option right now.

On changing out the Led's for blue, if you can buy a pair of blue LED's with at least 12 inches of wire attached you will not need to solder anything. The wire leads on the LED's clip in and out of the Martin Logan's crossover/charging board.

 

[Pcar928fan]

I installed a set of dark cherry trim rails on my Ascents a few months ago, took about half a hour. I would be more then happy to do it for you but unfortunately I am in California and making a trip to Texas is not an option right now.

On changing out the Led's for blue, if you can buy a pair of blue LED's with at least 12 inches of wire attached you will not need to solder anything. The wire leads on the LED's clip in and out of the Martin Logan's crossover/charging board.

Sorry you are so far away, or I am so far away or whatever... I am sure one of the Austin boys will step up to give me a hand on this little project. Any thoughts on where I can find Blue LED's that already have a 12"+ lead on them? I doubt Radio Shack has that... Maybe Altex down on I-35...

Thanks for the info on ease of install of both! Looking forward to the visual upgrade!

 

[Reverb2009]

I got mine from AutoZone. Their for adding accent lighting to your car, I believe they were 3mm LED's with a resistor and wire lead soldered onto the end.

 

[eknuds01]

Hey Austin ML fans, anyone want to give me a hand installing my new pretty glossy black side rails on my Prodigy and Ascent?!

I have wanted these FOR YEARS and Jim Power (ML GOD of customer service!) was able to find me a set for each of the speakers and got them to me for a GREAT DEAL that I could not pass up so I am chomping at the bit to get these beauties on the speakers to dress them up nicely! They are good looking to begin with and these should just make them better...kind of like looking at a model in a sexy short black dress vs. slacks and a blouse...she looks good either way, but there really is no question which I would prefer to see her in...or out of...wait, that's a different forum! :haha1: :devil:

Anyway, if any of the Austin ML gang is interested in helping out with this I would love to have a hand with it. I may also get a pair of blue LED's to upgrade the Ascent but I will need someone who is good at soldering (I assume there is a touch of that needed...) to make that happen!

I would also be interested in this. My Aerius i got a little scuffed up from a move a few years back. Is it hard to change out the wood rails???

 

[Pcar928fan]

I got mine from AutoZone. Their for adding accent lighting to your car, I believe they were 3mm LED's with a resistor and wire lead soldered onto the end.

Thanks Joe, will check there! Good call!

Not sure how the Aerius i rail change is...I think the Prodigy, Ascent, et. al. are the easiest but I don't know that for sure...just from looking at them vs. looking at the Aerius i's I used to own, it did not seem as straight forward with those...

 

[Craig]

Changing the rails on the Ascent is very easy but they can be a little stubborn at times. ML used to have instructions in PDF format listed on thier website but I think it's no longer there but these steps will get the job done just fine.

Tools needed:
1. Soft mallet
2. Small towel
3. Phillips screwdriver - medium size, don't use one too small. Using too small of a phillips screwdriver is a common cause of stripping the screw head.

Steps:
1. Remove the woofer grill. The rails will not clear the grill with the grill still on the speaker.
2. Completely remove the 4 screws (8 total on each speaker) from the inside of each speaker panel rail. They are the ones in a vertical row about 10" apart.
3. Cover the top of the rail with a folded towel to protrect the rail.
4. Try to slide the rail down with your hand. It's usually tight and may need some persuasion to get moving. If that's the case then gently tap on the top of the rail using the soft rubber mallet with just enough force to get it moving downward. The rail will need to slide down about 4-6" and will then be completely off. If you skipped the step about removing the woofer grill that will explain why your rail is stuck at the 2 inch spot.
5. Align the new new rail on speaker panel rail frame from the bottom and slide upward as far you can with your hand. You will probably need to tap on the rail from the bottom with the rubber mallet to get it all the way flush with the top of the speaker.
6. Once you have the rail all the way on then you can reinstall the screws. If your new panels came with a new set of screws then use the new ones. The new panels will not have any screw holes and you'll need the new screws to tap new screw holes into the new rails. No big deal, the screws are very pointy and sharp.
7. Screw the new screws in just enough to be slightly snug. No need to over-torque. These rails are not going anywhere.
8. Reinstall woofer grills.
9. Drink a beer listen to music and enjoy the increased Spousal Acceptance Factor.
10. Sell your old rails on Audiogon. If they are black or maple then don't waste your time since those colors rarely sell. Just save them for a later repaint/stain project.

 

[Pcar928fan]

Craig,

Thanks for the write up bro'! Most appreciated! My current rails are the black oak and I am moving to the "Obsidian" since Jim Power says you can not see the difference between that and Piano black unless you look at your pocket book after purchase or drill a hole into each of them and see how they differ on the inside!

I'll let everyone know how it goes...hope to get to it this weekend, but was informed of a gig we are playing on Saturday (we always play at church on Sunday) so I may not end up having time this weekend anyway...

 

[Craig]

I added the steps as a new post on the DIY section.

 

[eknuds01]

Changing the rails on the Ascent is very easy but they can be a little stubborn at times. ML used to have instructions in PDF format listed on thier website but I think it's no longer there but these steps will get the job done just fine.

Tools needed:
1. Soft mallet
2. Small towel
3. Phillips screwdriver - medium size, don't use one too small. Using too small of a phillips screwdriver is a common cause of stripping the screw head.

Steps:
1. Remove the woofer grill. The rails will not clear the grill with the grill still on the speaker.
2. Completely remove the 4 screws (8 total on each speaker) from the inside of each speaker panel rail. They are the ones in a vertical row about 10" apart.
3. Cover the top of the rail with a folded towel to protrect the rail.
4. Try to slide the rail down with your hand. It's usually tight and may need some persuasion to get moving. If that's the case then gently tap on the top of the rail using the soft rubber mallet with just enough force to get it moving downward. The rail will need to slide down about 4-6" and will then be completely off. If you skipped the step about removing the woofer grill that will explain why your rail is stuck at the 2 inch spot.
5. Align the new new rail on speaker panel rail frame from the bottom and slide upward as far you can with your hand. You will probably need to tap on the rail from the bottom with the rubber mallet to get it all the way flush with the top of the speaker.
6. Once you have the rail all the way on then you can reinstall the screws. If your new panels came with a new set of screws then use the new ones. The new panels will not have any screw holes and you'll need the new screws to tap new screw holes into the new rails. No big deal, the screws are very pointy and sharp.
7. Screw the new screws in just enough to be slightly snug. No need to over-torque. These rails are not going anywhere.
8. Reinstall woofer grills.
9. Drink a beer listen to music and enjoy the increased Spousal Acceptance Factor.
10. Sell your old rails on Audiogon. If they are black or maple then don't waste your time since those colors rarely sell. Just save them for a later repaint/stain project.

Craig,

Would the procedure be the same for the Aerius i?

 

[Craig]

I never changed rails on an Aerius but they appear to be similiar to the Aeon rails, only longer. If that is the case then all you have to do is to slide the rails upwards a couple of inches and they will come right off their tracks. Once you have one off then it will be obvious how to replace a new rail.

The Aeons don't use any screws.

You may want to ask someone else on this forum who have actually replaced Aerius rails or just call Martin Logan and they'll be glad to talk you through it.