Opening the LS50s

[Swerd]

I put a dent into the cone. It is so small and barely visible that most of you would probably tell me to leave it and touch nothing, but it has no place there and it needs to disappear.

The dent will not make Madonna start sounding like Lady Gaga.

By your own admission, you speakers sound good despite the visual flaw. Learn to live with it. Turn the lights down. No one else but you will see it. Did the speakers come with grilles? Use them.

Before trying to open the cabinet, try this. Put an ice cube or two in a plastic bag and close the bag to keep all water inside. Rub the ice over the dent for about 5 minutes or so. Does the dent grow smaller as it cools? It's worth a try. I've seen this ice cube trick work on a car's dented sheet metal.

If you succeed in opening the cabinet, do you plan on pushing the dent out from behind the cone? Getting that barely visible dent to return to a non-dented state isn't as easy as you may think. The more you handle the cone, the more opportunity you have to do worse damage. Learn to live with it…

 

[afterlife2]

These look cool:

 

[killdozzer]

The dent will not make Madonna start sounding like Lady Gaga.

By your own admission, you speakers sound good despite the visual flaw. Learn to live with it. Turn the lights down. No one else but you will see it. Did the speakers come with grilles? Use them.

Before trying to open the cabinet, try this. Put an ice cube or two in a plastic bag and close the bag to keep all water inside. Rub the ice over the dent for about 5 minutes or so. Does the dent grow smaller as it cools? It's worth a try. I've seen this ice cube trick work on a car's dented sheet metal.

If you succeed in opening the cabinet, do you plan on pushing the dent out from behind the cone? Getting that barely visible dent to return to a non-dented state isn't as easy as you may think. The more you handle the cone, the more opportunity you have to do worse damage. Learn to live with it…

I can't. I just can't. I'm devising a tool for this job as we speak. It has to look like a lollypop. A ball on a stick. No one move will do but a series of light clasps. Checking after every two or three.

It will eat through me.

I keep thinking how many guests with children I had over... Little bastards.

 

[killdozzer]

Nothing is heard, really. Even when very loud. But it is so embarrassing...

 

[KEW]

...it is so small, it is more of a dent to my heart.

It haunts me.

My speakers can not have a dent. It makes me feel stupid.

True Confessions: Audioholic's Edition!

 

[John Parks]

I feel your pain...

I do not know what happened and all suspects pleaded not guilty, but I have an idea that it was my five-year-old as she is fascinated by my speakers. My media room is off limits without my expressed written consent and all interlopers must be escorted by yours truly. Unfortunately, it has been a long summer and on several occasions, my two girls have helped themselves to my "hospitality" whilst I was at work. There is a nice lock on the door, but I did not want to seem too untrusting. My mistake... Fortunately, the only thing truly affected was resale value.

 

[snakeeyes]

I feel your pain...
View attachment 25469

I do not know what happened and all suspects pleaded not guilty, but I have an idea that it was my five-year-old as she is fascinated by my speakers. My media room is off limits without my expressed written consent and all interlopers must be escorted by yours truly. Unfortunately, it has been a long summer and on several occasions, my two girls have helped themselves to my "hospitality" whilst I was at work. There is a nice lock on the door, but I did not want to seem too untrusting. My mistake... Fortunately, the only thing truly affected was resale value.

Dang.... Do I need to keep my grills on my speakers? Prefer without.

 

[killdozzer]

I feel your pain...


I do not know what happened and all suspects pleaded not guilty, but I have an idea that it was my five-year-old as she is fascinated by my speakers. My media room is off limits without my expressed written consent and all interlopers must be escorted by yours truly. Unfortunately, it has been a long summer and on several occasions, my two girls have helped themselves to my "hospitality" whilst I was at work. There is a nice lock on the door, but I did not want to seem too untrusting. My mistake... Fortunately, the only thing truly affected was resale value.

I feel for you as well. I must say your case looks much worse. I wouldn't even know where to start with that. Although, it looks like you were trying to fix it and that you pulled the edge of the membrane to straighten it.

I do actually have a chance to make it invisible. It is so slight.

Also, I believe that the ease with which you can permanently damage this speaker should always be listed as a con in pros and cons. It’s a glass Ferrari.

I would always recommend this speaker and I think they are a small marvel. Still haven’t heard anything that plays so well even up to 2k (my opinion). Having said that I would always warn people about this risk (especially with kids). All those paper cones and silicone membranes you can tap on no fear. And this one I barely touched and it is dented.

 

[killdozzer]

Sorry. Double post due to Internet failure.

 

[killdozzer]

The dent will not make Madonna start sounding like Lady Gaga.

I didn't miss this. I wouldn't want you to think I'm so imperceptive. I did see it and I see the dent. I think it goes hand in hand.

Right now, doing nothing seems the worst.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

I feel your pain...
View attachment 25469

I do not know what happened and all suspects pleaded not guilty, but I have an idea that it was my five-year-old as she is fascinated by my speakers. My media room is off limits without my expressed written consent and all interlopers must be escorted by yours truly. Unfortunately, it has been a long summer and on several occasions, my two girls have helped themselves to my "hospitality" whilst I was at work. There is a nice lock on the door, but I did not want to seem too untrusting. My mistake... Fortunately, the only thing truly affected was resale value.

I'll give you $5 for them right now.

 

[KEW]

I'll give you $5 for them right now.

Man that's cold!
I mean he may be a little pissed at his girls right now, but sell them...and $5?

 

[John Parks]

I'll give you $5 for them right now.

 

[John Parks]

I feel for you as well. I must say your case looks much worse. I wouldn't even know where to start with that. Although, it looks like you were trying to fix it and that you pulled the edge of the membrane to straighten it.

I do actually have a chance to make it invisible. It is so slight.

Also, I believe that the ease with which you can permanently damage this speaker should always be listed as a con in pros and cons. It’s a glass Ferrari.

I would always recommend this speaker and I think they are a small marvel. Still haven’t heard anything that plays so well even up to 2k (my opinion). Having said that I would always warn people about this risk (especially with kids). All those paper cones and silicone membranes you can tap on no fear. And this one I barely touched and it is dented.

I have not tried repairing them - from the picture it does look like a little separation going on. I think the aluminum cone, due to its especially thin structure and stiffness, is inherently fragile and prone to cosmetic damage. Fortunately, it is like getting an indention in a soft dome tweeter in that the sound is not affected. It could be worse: loudspeaker manufacturer Kharma uses ceramic midrange drivers that may (or so I have read) shatter if touched. Small price to pay for one's $300K Grande Exquisites!

 

[3db]

Thank you, man. Your post, as well other, soothes my soul.

Look, I'm ashamed to say it. It really doesn't present me in a favourable light.

I put a dent into the cone. It is so small and barely visible that most of you would probably tell me to leave it and touch nothing, but it has no place there and it needs to disappear.

I was dusting my speakers. I'm fully aware of how soft aluminum membrane must be. So I never use anything hard or harsh on them, but I don't want to leave the dust because afterr awhile it sticks to the surface and doesn't go away.

I just take the cloth for reading glasses and I flick the dust away. I do this EXACTLY because I know I have to be careful. While flicking my fingers touched the membrane so slightly that I didn't even stop. I went on to dust the other one not even suspecting something could be wrong. While standing in front of my other speaker I glanced towards the previous and saw, much to my horror, that the membrane circle is not fully round, but that there is a small indentation slightly banding the curvature of the membrane.

I froze. I'm not making this up, I dreamt I was taking it to the shop and getting it back good as new.

No audible distortions even when played very loud. As i said, it is so small, it is more of a dent to my heart.

I can NOT leave it there. It haunts me. I have to make it right. It is so small that the lightest push in opposite direction would even it out right away. Barely visible.

My speakers can not have a dent. It makes me feel stupid.

I feel your pain.. I hate everytime a new scracth shows up on my new car or speakers. I would try the ice cube in a bag trick. Cold metal contracts and may pull that dent out. Worth a try.

 

[killdozzer]

I have not tried repairing them - from the picture it does look like a little separation going on.

Sorry, it just looked that way, because red marks seem to go in and the blue one seems to come out. Of course, that might have been the reaction; if you press half an inch from the fixed edge, it goes in where you're pressing and thee edge pops up as a reaction.

 

[killdozzer]

I feel your pain.. I hate everytime a new scracth shows up on my new car or speakers. I would try the ice cube in a bag trick. Cold metal contracts and may pull that dent out. Worth a try.

Thank you man, you're kind. I'm otherwise notorious for having heaps of very old stuff that looks out of factory new. I don't even try, it comes natural to me. Even I only noticed when my friends started teasing me. And now I've marked something I wanted to outlast me.

This is the deal; the dent is very small, I say it again. I don't even think it would react to ice. I know where it is, but every time I have to spot it first.

This is also a curse of a sort as it makes you really believe this could be fixed with no traces left.

I'm still thinking how exactly to do it, trying to foresee all possible hick ups. I'm waiting for KEF to write me back, I've noticed rubber covers can't be removed without damaging them. I want to see can I buy a set from KEF directly.

When removing screws from particle-wood and MDF there's always a small damage. That's why I plan to release the entire baffle. The baffle is curved which would mean it will rest on the driver's edge when placed so that the back of the baffle is visible. I must find soft resting material to put under so that the driver doesn't touch the surface.

I have to mark all the wires as @Swerd said. And then simply apply even softer touches from the inside to prevent merely bending it the other way. It has to gradually come back to the point where it can be detected any more.

I'll keep strategizing while waiting for KEF's e-mail.

 

[killdozzer]

Some good news on the horizon, finally! I'll become a Buddhist out of bare necessity. Hegel would smash my head in with a copy of The Phenomenology of the Spirit

It seems I'll be able to get the rubber covers through a dealer in my country. They responded suprisingly quick for what is customary here. They have to check by serial as there are more than one type of this cover.

It is moving, but painfuly slowly.

Since no one here opened this speaker before, I'll share a few info along the way. If or when I get my hands on these screw covers, I'll start devising a "mould" or a stand of some sort upon which I can lay the baffle once detached from the cabinet, without the driver touching the surface.

This will take some time.

 

[slipperybidness]

@killdozzer
I'm in the camp of "leave well enough alone". You will be completely miserable if you end up doing more harm than good on a repair attempt.

But, if it comes to it, at least A4L has singles available. Dunno about shipping though.
https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/kefls50blkea/kef-ls50-5.25-2-way-mini-monitor-high-gloss-black-each-1/1.html

 

[xreaperx22]

maybe a good vacuum could pull it out? but would need to be super careful ive used the vacuum trick on a few speakers i bought where the cone was in,and supprisingly worked pretty good.