Repairing a set of Paradigm Atom Bookshelf Speakers

[@zulumax1]

I've done dozens of pairs of speaker refoams and never have I removed the dust cap. I did get a heavy ball bearing lazy susan with a non slip rubber mat to aid in the glue application. I find it easier to get a more even and faster glue application to have the basket revolving like a potters wheel and apply a bead of glue from a tube as it spins. Just a different way to make soup, no two cooks make soup the same way. Love doing the pretty redish pink foam of the Cerwin Vega speakers.

[@catsbyondrepair]

Cerwin vega is cheap crap

[@zulumax1]

@@catsbyondrepair Depends on what you are comparing to and what you are using them for. They are party speakers. Are you going to put a set of $6,000 speaker monitors out on your patio in the summer and have someone set a beer on them? I didn’t think so…..

[@kyoudaiken]

Interesting approach with the 50Hz sine wave centering! Much better than poking dust caps.

[@12voltvids]

Was taught this at a manufacture (PSB) seminar.

[@tehMonarch]

Ive got a pair of titans I need to fix, ive always been scared of the dust cap thing.... might try it now! replaced them years ago but the v.2 titans were my first "good speaker" always wanted to fix them. thanks!~

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

Those paradigm cast metal frames with the ridges where the surrounds are glued are super hard to get surrounds off of. I have done a few of those, and that is by far the hardest part of the process. Other than that, this is a really easy task. I would advise, for speakers that have visible cones when assembled, to apply the glue to the surround instead of the cone, and use a much thinner layer. This makes a much cleaner fit, which looks better to the eyes, and is enough glue to hold up longer than your new foam will, when it gets dry rot some 2 decades later. Also, playing a tone through the speaker when applying the glue will cause the glue to splatter, based on past experience. I found that moving the cone up and down with my hands while working was more than enough to keep it centered. If you run into more issues with buzzing, I had my dust cap fall off. The dust cap glue had crumbled as well! I just used some “speaker glue” to reinstall it.

[@12voltvids]

Why does it matter how they look, you can't see them behind the grill and the grill can't be removed so nobody will see them till they need doing again in 20 years.

[@xAnAngelOfDeathx]

@@12voltvids I believe he was talking about speakers without grills. His centring technique is the one that I use also. "for speakers that have visible cones when assembled"

[@b.powell3480]

Great video, Dave ! Thanks for sharing this !

[@mjl4423474]

I found this quite useful as I have some car speakers I'd like to keep that need new surrounds, Cheers!

[@thedude1249]

Hi. Can you tell us what business you bought the surrounds from? Thanks

[@12voltvids]

Leeselectronic.com

[@thedude1249]

@@12voltvids Your awesome! Thanks bra. 😎👍

[@jpsullivan65]

I took apart a Paradigm Atom v.3 a few years ago that needed a woofer refoaming. Now I want to finish the job but I've lost the screws. Any way to learn what screws I need without taking the other one apart and matching?

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

These some of the easier speakers to work on, and I am just saying what my experiences with them are. You absolutely don’t have to take my advice, and I understand you do things your way: I am not a trained professional, but I make do with my materials and knowledge. I only comment a lot on these videos, because it is interesting what equipment, and issues with it, we have in common. I also had the Sony str-av570, and took your advice with the loose ground screw! It has worked flawlessly ever since!

[@12voltvids]

Yes i know. The altec Lansing's I own were far more involved as the foams had to go under the cone.

[@zulumax1]

@@12voltvids The Pioneer DSS-9D that I did had to go under the cone, different technique there for sure.

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

28:20 These speakers can get very loud, and I personally think they actually sound better the louder they get. You don’t want fiberglass dust shooting out the back of the speaker into your room when the bass hits!

[@12voltvids]

One of the best sounding speakers I have listened to ars Technics sb7000. With those massive woofers and the offset midrange and tweeters. They just kick ass at all listening levels but especially at low to moderate volume. So clear.

[@urbangroove2013]

Is it worth switching out the fibre glass with something else that won't shed dust?

[@12voltvids]

@@urbangroove2013 never had that happen.

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

@@urbangroove2013 Yes, It may me worth it! Starting on the V3 series, Paradigm switched to polyurethane fill, similar to what you’d find in a pillow. Other than that, the Atom and Titan models were unchanged from the v2. I actually got away with having a mix of v2 and v3 speakers in my surround sound system. Also, the paradigm v2 series center speakers and subwoofers seem to have poly fill, so I wonder why the bookshelf/stand mount speakers didn’t? I guess they have been around for longer. In other words, It is definitely worth it. They seem interchangeable, according to what Paradigm did!

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

@@12voltvids those Technics look cool! Wish I had space for them! That mid and tweeter behind the woofer was technics’ attempt to correct the phase: the magnets all line up with each other. I had the cheap version at one time! Mine were MCS 683-8310, apparently made by Technics in Japan. I think they were only sold in the US, but could be wrong. They sounded horrible, with muddy bass and way too much treble. Due to this, I have always looked away from those type of speaker, but good to know the larger Technics models are really great speakers!

[@allrock1238]

Some speakers have a flexible support (That some call a spider) that holds the cone and voice coil in alignment in the gap space of the magnet assembly and some do not, I do not remove the dust cap on those that do as the spider already holds the alignment gap in alignment in this case ,, those that do not , are very tricky to avoid voice coil rubbing without shimming the voice coil .the type glue you use is very important as the compounds in many common glues react with foam and dissolve it.

[@figus333]

Thank you very much for the knowledge, i wish to make a living doing some electronic very soon. From Thailand.

[@Jammerk40]

Did I ever tell you that I have a pair of bose floorstanding speakers that are twenty years old and I took the bottom of the speaker off to see the woofer and examine the foam surround and to my surprise they are still very pliable not any dry rot and still flexible they must use better foam back then!

[@12voltvids]

I have a pair of technics sb7000 and they are 46 years old. Original suspension. Sound fantastic.

[@jimbanville]

My .02 cents...I've re-coned several speakers. I did not shim the voice coil nor did I play a tone. The spider should keep the cone centered. I much prefer the glue in the squeeze tube. Run a clean ring of glue around the outer edge of the cone. Don't use a brush. Set the new surround down onto the cone. Gently press/squeeze the surround and cone together with your thumb and opposing finger on both hands at the same time at opposing spots on the cone/surround. Release the "squeeze", spin the speaker slightly and squeeze again. Keeping spinning and squeezing until you've covered the entire surround/cone. Let that dry. Stick the tip of the tube of glue between the surround and the speaker basket...press the tube of glue with one hand while spinning the speaker with the other hand, leaving a bead of glue. Press/squeeze the surround edge down onto the basket using your thumbs on the left and right opposing sides at the same time then release. Spin the spin slightly and press both sides/edges down with your thumbs and then release. Spin/press/release/repeat until you've made it all the way around the speaker. Allow to fully dry for 24 hrs before using.

[@12voltvids]

Depends on the glue. This stuff sets up really fast. Last ones I did about 20 years ago I used a different glue that took 24 hours to cure. The tone test to keep centered I was taught at a speaker repair seminar put on by PSB speakers so that was the way they wanted their speakers done. Yes the spider holds the voice coil but it is possible to have unequal tension on the foam. Having the speaker operating self centers the foam as the glue is setting up so that it is dead center. Lots of people don't do it this was. Speaker manufactures do it this way. That's how they demonstrated it to all at the lab.

[@jimbanville]

@@12voltvids It is possible to get unequal tension on the surround. The method I use, which is what the company I buy my surround kits from suggests, avoids that problem. Shimming is usually only necessary when replacing or re-gluing the spider.

[@12voltvids]

@@jimbanville yes to reglue the spider you need to shim. The foams no. The tone is put on just to equalise the tension as glue sets up.

[@HappyHighwayman]

How do you open it and take out the speaker parts? You jump right to the refoam

[@12voltvids]

You didn't watch the entire video or you would have seen how to mount it. It's around the 27 minute mark. They come out from the back.

[@HappyHighwayman]

@@12voltvids thank you !

[@bones007able]

Last time I replaced the surrounds the company sent me special glue ... it was elmer's ... your lucky to have a store to buy them locally...

[@12voltvids]

Yup that's what i used before too, but this time the proper glue was used. This stuff stays flexible

[@xAnAngelOfDeathx]

simply speakers sends the proper glue and has great service and prices.

[@12voltvids]

@@xAnAngelOfDeathx Lee's electronics has the proper glue and the exact foams for many speakers. Simply speakers would have cost me much more than add 37.50 for broker fees. Did all 4 speakers for 30.00 Canadian and have enough glue to do about 100 more.

[@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez]

I dont shim the coil either unless someone destroyed the dustcaps by poking them and Im going to replace them anyways. However, 10" and up I would consider it if they were high end. The problem with Paradigms and refoaming them is they way they mount internally and if the foam is not centered it causes compression and distortion at higher volumes. Congrats on a great set of big sound space savers.

[@12voltvids]

And that is the reason for getting the speakers moving to center them. If dust caps have been pushed in a vacuum usually pull them back out.

[@ambientblue-eyedmonkey8849]

Incase anyone wonders, like I did, track played was by a band called Frequency Generator and the track name is 50Hz.

[@12voltvids]

Now watch someone make a copyright claim on it. I mean it has happened to me. I recorded some original material of me, at 13 years old playing guitar with my late guitar teacher. (He co-wrote the music with me and recorded me in his home studio.) The first time it had been heard by anyone outside of family was when i put it on a KZbin video and some scumbag claimed it was their music. They even produced sheet music of it to prove their point. In my defence I have a cassette copy that i "sent it off in a letter to myself" which provided the postal date stamp when it went through the system. That's the easiest way to copyright anything. So effective that steeley Dan made a song about it. (Ricky don't loose that number).

[@ambientblue-eyedmonkey8849]

@@12voltvids I actually wouldn't surprise that someone already did try to copyright all frequency bands. That's how grifters make money nowadays.

[@Paulscole3]

I'm replacing the tweeter diaphragm in the exact Paradigm Atom and I've seen two obscure sites that say the 19.4mm diaphragm won't work, but a 19.02 mm will work. I can't find a 19.02, and I can't imagine this popular of a speaker not having a diaphragm replacement! Does anyone know (for sure) that the 19.4mm will not work, or will work?

[@KrazyKajun602]

Is there a place you can send them to get repaired? I have one paradigm reference ADP speaker having a issue. May change both of them since speakers are around 20 yrs old.

[@12voltvids]

I'm sure there are places that repair speakers just be prepared to pay for it. When I first had my altec Lansing repaired the first time I sent them out to a place because it was something I didn't know how to do at the time and I ended up paying about $400 to have four speakers reformed. Now those phones are worth about $3 a piece. So I paid $400 for $12 worth of materials and a few minutes of shop time to glue them on I figured that out the next time they went and did it myself.

[@richardross3815]

Question. WHERE do you get $2 foam surrounds for paradigm 2 speakers ?… in Fraser Valley. Rick in Mission. I got a few to rebuild. Lol. Nice video!

[@12voltvids]

I got them at Lee's electronics in Vancouver

[@richardross3815]

Figures. I must drive into the heart of darkness😅 Gives me excuse to take Accordian fir repairs on north shore. I have a few sets of these speakers that I bought blown? Promised couple older friends I would repair them and give them set. I played mine and they were astonished.

[@12voltvids]

@@richardross3815 you can order online and they will ship.

[@richardross3815]

Thieves they are. Price shot up to $3.50…. Lol

[@madpom2]

Do you have a name of company for the surrounds please

[@12voltvids]

Lee's electronics.

[@madpom2]

Thankyou so much

[@kyoudaiken]

I had a device, don't remember which one it was. But it had a 9V battery. And it asked me on the lid when you change the battery to wear safety goggles, specific blast and acid resistant gloves and do the replacement behind a blast shield. I was like: What the heck? I had a good laugh, took my flat head screw driver and hoisted the battery out of there scratching it in the process, then squished it hard with my bare hands to remove it from the connector. And here I am still alive. What were they thinking?!

[@ManojKumar-sx6vg]

You have a real retro measuring ruler! Anything new might be incompatible with the things you deal with!!

[@12voltvids]

A real yard stick.

[@petenamlook18]

Where did you buy the surrounds?

[@12voltvids]

Lee's electronics Vancouver BC.

[@garryself]

@@12voltvids I'm pleased Lee's had the right surrounds in stock. I look forward to seeing the Titans get refoamed

[@12voltvids]

@@garryself it's up for patreon viewers right now. Will be up on public channel soon.

[@Jammerk40]

Do you know how to tell if a speaker is out of phase? Because on the first speaker you did. You said was the the red wire was on the right or left terminal! But you would know right away when you ran stereo and one had less bass then the other! Just asking!

[@12voltvids]

Duh. Just face the speakers at each other and run a mono program and there will be no bass. And i did phase them correct. First was the wire memory plus the + mark on the terminal where the red wire went. I have put these speakers back in service. Took out my shitty Polk junk Chinese speakers. These are so much better sounding. No comparison.

[@Jammerk40]

@@12voltvids I figured you know what you were doing you only been doing this probably a very long time! Sorry didn't try to say you didn't know what your doing at all! Peace my friend!

[@kyoudaiken]

How do you prevent cross-threading into wood this quickly without going backwards first? I want to learn that skill.

[@12voltvids]

Used same holes the screws came out of.

[@kyoudaiken]

@@12voltvids I was taught that you still can cross-thread it. Do you put the screws at a special angle to prevent it from happening? I usually turn it the other way around until the screw falls gently into the thread.

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

I have disassembled and reassembled my paradigm speakers quite a few times, and one had an issue where there were basically no threads left. This made it so the screws were not on super tight, and the back panel rattled when you turned up the bass. My fix was to fill the screw holes in white glue, and leave it overnight. The glue did not dry fully in that time, but it was tacky enough that I was able to thread into it and secure the back panel far better. The only downside is I have to do this every time I want to disassemble the speaker from now on. I don’t have the wall mount bracket, but I still would not take the chance of hanging mine on a wall, until I put something more like wood glue in the holes. That should hold up better.

[@timrichardsatsea]

@@djijspeakerguy4628glue in a toothpick or two, or even just drive them in dry, and break them off, the screw then tightens things down.

[@FordForTheWin]

Not liking the driver being on while working on it. Surely that in it self could cause some of the coil to rub. On a good note those drivers do look good quality.

[@zx8401ztv]

Excellent, well worth a few dollars for perfect speakers again :-D No mug of coffee to slurp while you do the job, lubricates the brain you know. I think the spider heard someone say there is a spider in every speaker :)

[@zulumax1]

Maybe the spider thought it found a mate!

[@zx8401ztv]

@@zulumax1 lol :-D

[@kyoudaiken]

Does KZbin check your videos for copyright infringement before processing HD? It does now in Europe. I think it's the implementation of the Upload Filters...

[@12voltvids]

The checks are done on SD videos so you will get notified before the HD version even goes live. I set most videos private first to make sure I haven't gone long on clips if i play a copyright clip.

[@kyoudaiken]

@@12voltvids Interesting. So it does not only do that in Europe. There was some legislation going on here about upload filters that deny copyrighted material before publishing. And of course it went through after protests.

[@angelodagnolo984]

That is a ported speaker design why have foam, doesn't make sense unless they were not tuned properly in the first place. In sealed box design yes, never seen that before. Asking a question?

[@12voltvids]

The foam is there as opposed to just the paper cone going to the edge because they are long throw woofers. Regardless if acoustic suspension or ported design you still have to isolate the air pressure behind the cone.

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

There is also such thing as fabric and rubber surrounds. I have not noticed them as being less or more common in ported speakers. It is just what the manufacturer decides.

[@12voltvids]

@@djijspeakerguy4628 yes there is but you are stuck with the design. Rubber and fabric never fail.

[@guineapigstime511]

Thanks Dave, have a like from my partner's account as well lol (dan in the UK)

[@guineapigstime511]

Ha, that's a brilliant way to do it, drive the speaker at 50Hz... Easy, we have a 50Hz sine wave generator in the walls over here lol, sure I have an amp with bad filters I could use lol (my function generator is a chinesium pos that works when it wants...)

[@guineapigstime511]

Acetone? Lol used to use that all day when I worked at senior aerospace years ago, to clean tubes prior to welding... also worked nicely on cuts haha. Vapour from that is nothing compared to the hot Trichloroethene decreasing tank, whew!

[@jeffadams5510]

I was really cringing when I saw you using "rubber cemement", but you made it work! I don't like it for two reasons. 1 it sets up too fast and 2 it messes with the foam in a couple bad ways-soaks in too much, and warps/morphs foam. Again, you made it work and that's all that counts! I noticed in comments below someone said they got elmers-with a foam kit? Just cuz it's white doesn't mean it's elmers. ELMERS dries hard. Speaker glue dries flexable. If I have no speaker glue on hand, Aleene's tacky glue is the next best thing because it also dries flexable-just like speaker glue. I agree the shim method is not necessary, unless the spiders are warped badly in which case one would need to shim the vc, get the spider wet, and let it dry......

[@12voltvids]

This is not rubber cement. It is speaker repair adhesive. Designed specifically for this work. This is what the manufactures use. I didn't "make it work" i used the correct product for the application. It is not rubber cement. Smells nothing like rubber cement and does not set up instantly like rubber cement. This has charactistics or rubber cement in the way it stays flexible. Great for repairing cracks and rips in cones.

[@rwl-pj4kh]

Wish u had done this a couple years ago lol. I xhucked about 10 of these in the trash for this same problem. Hi sight is 2020, but storage space is limited hahahah. Excellent job tho. Love the content. I have learned so much from you that I've repaired a few amps and even purchased a $6 tape player from ebay that only needed a belt, now im on the constant hunt for stuff. Hate from my misses, but much love from me. Ve6rfl