Taking panels off SL3s

[JohnA]

Hi there fellow enthusiasts.
I've just got a pair of SL3s in my living room, replacing two pairs of extremely efficient 'box' speakers (Kelly KT2) at the front. The result is a mixed bag, but I'm not giving up so early I've got tow-in, tilt and acoustic interventions still to try.
They are driven by Musical Fidelity X-A200 monoblocks, a one-off pair made with extra output resistors (as I found out accidentally at their factory!)

The bass being wooly and hazy, I thought I'd check if the woofers are loose, so I tried to take the side trim out with the mallet, using the pdf from this site (referring to Sequels though).
No way, they wouldn't budge more than half an inch max. So I stopped banging and pushed them back until I verify what is wrong.
They should move from the bottom upwards, right? Is there anything holding them into place apart from friction?
I am an auto entusiast and have lots of tools, so when I feel that I was using excessive force, it probably was over the top. I don't want to break something.

 

[benleeys]

John,

Sometimes you have to knock a bit harder to move it. If I remember correctly from my previous Sequel, it shud move only about an inch or less and then lifted straight upwards. Room resonces usually cause wooly bass.

Ben

 

[JohnA]

John,

Sometimes you have to knock a bit harder to move it. If I remember correctly from my previous Sequel, it shud move only about an inch or less and then lifted straight upwards.

Is there something to stop it from lifting upwards? (sticky tape or watever?)
I was banging very strongly using a large mallet that was hitting a small mallet pressed on the speaker edge.
I.e. How do you know it has moved far enough?

Room resonces usually cause wooly bass.

Yeah, but surely the same resonances would be present with the previous speakers, wouldn't they?

I ran it through the Stereophile test CD with the frequency tones, and marked the results of the decibelometer. There are indeed 8db peaks at 120Hz and 80Hz and a smaller one at 40Hz.
With the ML woofers at the -3db setting the response measure much better, but music sounds so thin that it's lamentable.

Yeah, I know they are not first-choice for hard rocking, but this is ridiculous. I tried Rolling Stones SACD 'The London Years' and Mick's voice was flat as a pancake. Gone was the raspy, rough edge, it was like an impostor was singing it softly.
(Acoustic music and voices are ethereal, that goes without saying. )

 

[roberto]

Is there something to stop it from lifting upwards? (sticky tape or watever?)
I was banging very strongly using a large mallet that was hitting a small mallet pressed on the speaker edge.
I.e. How do you know it has moved far enough?

Yeah, but surely the same resonances would be present with the previous speakers, wouldn't they?

I ran it through the Stereophile test CD with the frequency tones, and marked the results of the decibelometer. There are indeed 8db peaks at 120Hz and 80Hz and a smaller one at 40Hz.
With the ML woofers at the -3db setting the response measure much better, but music sounds so thin that it's lamentable.

Yeah, I know they are not first-choice for hard rocking, but this is ridiculous. I tried Rolling Stones SACD 'The London Years' and Mick's voice was flat as a pancake. Gone was the raspy, rough edge, it was like an impostor was singing it softly.
(Acoustic music and voices are ethereal, that goes without saying. )

Hola...if you are tapping at the top and the rail does not come off, hit at the bottom...the rails must move about one inch or so and suddenly the rail is not secured to its hinges. Usually the models that it is possible to take the rails off from the top have a little metal piece secured to the speaker´s bottom cabinet by two philips screws tip No.2. to prevent a rail loose. Hope this might help!...happy listening,
Roberto.

 

[JohnA]

Roberto,

I can see no metal pieces top or bottom.
My assumption was that the rail has to be hit at the bottom and it moves towards the top.

These are SL3s made early 2000.

Could it be the other way round and I should be hitting at the top?

 

[DTB300]

Could it be the other way round and I should be hitting at the top?

It has to be one way or the other :haha1:

Remember the rails only move an inch or so like Roberto stated, then they can be pull directly away from the speaker - if speaker is laying with the back on the floor, the rail will be removed after unlocking with a movement up toward the ceiling.

I cannot remember if the posts are on the rails or on the speakers. So with the description below, we will assume that the posts are on the speakers and the locking mechanisms are on the rails. If opposite, it should not matter as removal is the same - just reverse the names

There are metal posts on the speaker that go into locking mechanisms on the rails. When you hit them up or down this unlocks them, but you still need to pull them away from the speaker. The locking mechanism on the rail is like a old time keyhole - with the hole at the top and a small groove below or above the hole. When hitting the rails, you are moving the metal posts from the small grove to the holes so the rail can be pulled directly away from the speaker cabinet toward the ceiling. You should be able to tap the rails and once they move, see if they can be pulled up toward the ceiling to remove. If not, you need to hit the rail up or down more - you cannot move the rails too far as they will stop at the hole in the locking mechanism.

More confused or does this help???

Dan

 

[htchou2395]

JohnA

DTB300 is right...

I'm also a SL3 owner and I've been taking off the panel several times...

You have to hit from the bottom to move the rail for about an inch and then pull them up directly. I usually use a hammer along with a small wood to achieve this and not to harm the rail

The posts are on the rail itself.

Hope this helps and good luck!

It has to be one way or the other :haha1:

Remember the rails only move an inch or so like Roberto stated, then they can be pull directly away from the speaker - if speaker is laying with the back on the floor, the rail will be removed after unlocking with a movement up toward the ceiling.

 

[JohnA]

Thanks guys.

Looks like I lost my nerve banging them so hard, fearing I'll break something.
Next time (perhaps when it's time to give them a shower) I'll be more brutal