Infinity RSIIIa’s need some help.

[f_inscreenname]

Infinity RSIIIa’s crossover help.

Hi; Nice place you have here.
OK to my problem. I bought a set of Infinity RSIIIa’s a bunch of years ago second hand. As any teenager / early 20’s guy will do , I beat on them pretty hard. Never had a problem with them until one day a EMIT tweeter burn up. I fixed it with a new ribbon but then at anything over half volume it would burn it up again. Now back in the mid to late 80’s you still could parts for these speaker so I just kept the volume down and if I went to far I would just go get a new ribbon. After a while that got old and they went into storage and I replaced them with a cheaper set. A year ago after redoing my basement club room I thought it was time to get the whole system (it all was packed away by then) back out and do all the things I didn’t have the money for as a kid. The first thing I did was replace my receiver with a Onkyo that had enough *** to drive the speakers. Then off to eBay for speaker parts. I have now been to eBay many times for the same ribbon (I buy the whole EMIT). Installed one the other day and again at about half volume I saw a spark arc from the tweeter and it was dead.
I know this new receiver is good enough and I have never had a problem with the other speaker (I have switched a proven tweeter from the other speaker to the one in question and blew it also). The only thing I can think of is there is something wrong with the crossover. I know the volume pots for the tweeter and mid range on the back of the speaker has a lot of static in them when turned and sometimes will cut off completely if not set in the right place .So I would like to replace the crossover’s also. I am really not into fixing 25 year old technology and Infinity crossovers are very cheap. Can I use the newer crossovers (like for the Bata’s) in a older set of speakers?

 

[MacManNM]

Hi; Nice place you have here.
OK to my problem. I bought a set of Infinity RSIIIa’s a bunch of years ago second hand. As any teenager / early 20’s guy will do , I beat on them pretty hard. Never had a problem with them until one day a EMIT tweeter burn up. I fixed it with a new ribbon but then at anything over half volume it would burn it up again. Now back in the mid to late 80’s you still could parts for these speaker so I just kept the volume down and if I went to far I would just go get a new ribbon. After a while that got old and they went into storage and I replaced them with a cheaper set. A year ago after redoing my basement club room I thought it was time to get the whole system (it all was packed away by then) back out and do all the things I didn’t have the money for as a kid. The first thing I did was replace my receiver with a Onkyo that had enough *** to drive the speakers. Then off to eBay for speaker parts. I have now been to eBay many times for the same ribbon (I buy the whole EMIT). Installed one the other day and again at about half volume I saw a spark arc from the tweeter and it was dead.
I know this new receiver is good enough and I have never had a problem with the other speaker (I have switched a proven tweeter from the other speaker to the one in question and blew it also). The only thing I can think of is there is something wrong with the crossover. I know the volume pots for the tweeter and mid range on the back of the speaker has a lot of static in them when turned and sometimes will cut off completely if not set in the right place .So I would like to replace the crossover’s also. I am really not into fixing 25 year old technology and Infinity crossovers are very cheap. Can I use the newer crossovers (like for the Bata’s) in a older set of speakers?

Can't use a new Xover. Xover technology hasn't changed much. Sounds like a shorted out cap. Pretty easy fix actually.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Can't use a new Xover. Xover technology hasn't changed much.

Cant use the new but they haven't changed??? Don't understand Can I get one (I don't know what the real term is) that is a 3 way and puts out the same Hz's (frequencies).
Like I said, I am not into fixing them. First I have no clue what is wrong with them and how to test for it or the tools to do it. Also the pots have had it. Before I could find, buy and try to fix it I could have new ones delivered and it would be over. Then if it happened again I would know it wasn't my work that failed and I could move on to some thing else.
By the way, thank for your help.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Still need some help.

 

[MacManNM]

Cant use the new but they haven't changed??? Don't understand Can I get one (I don't know what the real term is) that is a 3 way and puts out the same Hz's (frequencies).
Like I said, I am not into fixing them. First I have no clue what is wrong with them and how to test for it or the tools to do it. Also the pots have had it. Before I could find, buy and try to fix it I could have new ones delivered and it would be over. Then if it happened again I would know it wasn't my work that failed and I could move on to some thing else.
By the way, thank for your help.

To change crossovers, you need to know the parameters of your drivers and match something with them. Take the crossovers to a qualified tech to fix them. Or, go buy a multimeter and a digital camera and I'll walk you through it.

 

[f_inscreenname]

"Or, go buy a multimeter and a digital camera and I'll walk you through it."
I have both. I have no clue why I have a multimeter but I do.
Step two?? A picture?

 

[MacManNM]

"Or, go buy a multimeter and a digital camera and I'll walk you through it."
I have both. I have no clue why I have a multimeter but I do.
Step two?? A picture?

I can't tell exactly, but I believe the blue wires are for the tweeter. Is this correct?

 

[f_inscreenname]

"I can't tell exactly, but I believe the blue wires are for the tweeter. Is this correct?"
Yes.
I am sure you already figured out that the blue with black strip is positive, solid blue is ground.
By the way, thanks for your help.

 

[MacManNM]

Take your ohm meter, set it on the lowest Ohm setting (200), and touch the leads to the yellow cap, (that is the one connected to the level control for the tweeter) and tell me what it reads. Then reverse the leads. you should see the numbers change pretty quickly.

 

[f_inscreenname]

I hope I did this right. When I reversed it I go a -.1
Please check my meter setting.

 

[MacManNM]

The meter is set wrong, you need to set it to the 200 Ohm setting, the dial should point to about 6 o'clock.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Anywhere between 6 and 9 O clock settings and I get nothing but 1 _ _. _
If I put it on the 200 where the "V" is (around 11 o clock) I get a reading 00.8 and when reversed I get -00.8. if that helps.

 

[MacManNM]

Why is there tape on that blue w/black stripe witr?

 

[f_inscreenname]

A wire splice. I guess the former owner did it for some reason.

 

[MacManNM]

A wire splice. I guess the former owner did it for some reason.

Could it have been a cap was there and he took it out? Is the other speaker like that?

 

[f_inscreenname]

The other speakers wire is solid all the way.

 

[MacManNM]

The other speakers wire is solid all the way.

I need to think about this, I'll get back to you in a bit.