Cerwin Vega Cabinet Rattle How to Fix

Very common issue with Cerwin Vega's. These speakers are very easy to play LOUD! and for that reason they tend to over time breaking apart the speaker box. In this video I show you one of many ways to fix this issue.

[@sabrowenie]

When I was cleaning the cat crap out of my RE-30’s I noticed the bracing was a strip of MDF hot glued to the cabinet. As long as I was inside, didn’t spend time to see if there was cabinet rattle. Cut some wood strips found some screws that wouldn’t stick out. Glued and screwed them to the cab. Put in new acoustic blanket, it’s the same stuff thats common for automotive sub boxes, job done.

[@SavingVegas]

Pretty much every CV speaker could use more damping material then what they came with so definitely an upgrade in just doing that. It's pretty common in the Re series and VS series for those internal cross braces to come loose. Over time the glue they used lets go and it will be very noticeable when it happens. I've seen lots of CVs that start separating a the front baffle, usually at the sides. It's never a bad idea to add bracing to stiffen up the cabinets.

[@Ryl33hz]

I got some AT-60's and absolutely love them, great vid.

[@85ZERO17]

THE HUM IN YOUR VIDEOS AUDIO IS GNARLY

[@SavingVegas]

Yeah I've since then got a new microphone. Sound was from the USB C to MIC input adapter I was using.

[@85ZERO17]

AH - MAKES SENSE

[@funkytechnician1]

Ah ha!! Thank-you so much for the last 10 seconds of slow mow video, it confirmed something I detected and since corrected on my AT12's. The at12 uses a semi restricted port design, which increases cabinet pressure slightly over a conventional bass reflex design. The midrange on the AT actually vent I to the enclosure through felt openings, which causes the mid to end up " breathing" with the woofer, I could hear this at high volume. I corrected it by sealing the back of the mid with modeling clay, and removing the dust cap and installing a wooden phase plug, allowing the driver to vent out the pole piece instead of through the felt openings in the rear. Totally increases clarity by a ridiculous amount

[@SavingVegas]

Very interesting! I may have to try this. They used that style of midrange in many other models as well. For example the D-9, dual midrange one with open style basket with it's own plastic dampend enclosure and the other just like the AT-12 closed style basket with felt vent open to the entire enclosure. Kinda makes me want to take a slow motion video of them running as well.

[@funkytechnician1]

@@SavingVegas yea, it's different for them to go with a restricted port design in the at12, I had a pair of 3se paradigm monitors that used a restricted port design, the idea is below port tuning, instead of then the port acousticly appearing as a hole in the box, it reverts back to a sort of sealed response, I'm butchering this audio explanation but you get the idea lol this design leads to higher box pressure then a large vent that just unloads below tuning, which ends up feeding pressure into the mid through the felt holes

[@usquebaugh1]

Thanks for posting this video. I have some AT-10s where this is happening on one side (and in fact I current have a pipe clamp on it with protective wood slats at the side) the dampen the vibration. I've had them since the early 90s and there are definitely areas where the glue has separated; especially noticeable with any music that has significant low bass. I have taken note of the other commenter with AT-10s with regards to the issue of removing the crossover. I was also planning on just using carpenter's glue and so this video serves to reaffirm this choice. This is within my ability and a project I will now carefully undertake.

[@SavingVegas]

The wood glue works well, also PL Premium construction adhesive is about the best thing you can use. Either will work just make sure everything is clamped tight when applying.

[@ItsMeLos]

This guy is the man 👊🏼

[@scottlowell493]

When I rebuilt mine, The inside seemed like an almost empty box. I isolated the (new) wiring, added damping and fiberglass fill. Stay-mat or self-adhesive floor tiles kill resonance. When i was done, I was listening to music, not the cabinets.

[@timp9848]

Great video! On repairing CVs, thankyou great channel you have. I was very interesting seeing you remove the crossover so easily, as I thought it should be easy. I have a pair of AT-10 and I can't remove the crossovers, very tight in the cabinet, even removed the woofer and tried pushing them out from the rear, they don't budge. Would you have any tips please on how to remove them. Cheers.

[@SavingVegas]

The screws should be the only thing holding it in. Check for signs of glue from the inside though I highly doubt they were glued in. Possibly some glue from when they were constructed leaked over to the crossover. Chances are it may just be they tight of a fit.

[@timp9848]

You were correct the at-10 crossovers were glued in, and they had black surround, very difficult to remove but got them out carefully. The reason I am removing the crossovers is because I am getting no midrange sound out of the driver and the higher frequency sound is coming out of the woofer with low frequency sound. Tweeters are ok, I am suspecting issue with crossovers? Thanks again, great channel. One request I have if you could possibly do a video on replacing crossover caps on AT series speakers, and selecting the correct caps. Cheers

[@pirate850805]

@@timp9848 Do you fix the problem? The woofers in my AT-12 sounds pretty high. I was thinking that it was manufactory tuning of the crossover....but looking at specs which says crossover frequencies is 400 and 3000Hz is strange, that woofer goes so high. approx up to 2500Hz but not to400Hz (tested on tone generator. Then I hear mid driver starts here 2000-2300Hz and goes higher. Are you sure that your mid drivers does not sound?

[@richardramirez8884]

Have technique tower speakers a 70s have rattled speaker cabinet removed face getting ready to glue in place. Can I use liquid nails reading information and liquid nails remains flexible will that be a problem? Also, can I use weights on top of face to ensure proper bondage?

[@abefavela6806]

Awesome thanks

[@scion-dj4he]

One of my R38's speakers cone and cabinet rattle.

[@ajvboston1]

4:08 DOPE!!!

[@ge4695]

I have AT 80's love the sound of them. One stopped working. Changed the fues and still no sound. Any tips on correcting this problem?

[@SavingVegas]

Only thing I can suggest is to pull out the tweeter, midrange and woofer and hook up directly to your amplifier and test them at low volume. Have you tried testing the speaker that doesn't work on the channel of your amp that you have the working speaker hooked up to? Just to eliminate the possibility of the amp being the issue. If all components are working when hooked up directly the next thing to check is the crossover and the connection from crossover to speaker terminal in the rear. There should be a purple wire and black wire going from speaker terminal to the crossover.

[@ge4695]

@@SavingVegas thank you for your reply. I will use your suggestion and hopefully correct my problem. Just out of curiosity; could I send you my speeker for work?

[@SavingVegas]

I don't usually work on other peoples equipment. My wife and I both work full time jobs and have kids which keep us quite busy. I even struggle a bit trying to make time to get in the shop to film these videos. Plus depending on your location shipping these big heavy speakers is usually not the cheapest.

[@pirate850805]

Hello! I've bought a pair of of AT-12 and I've noticed strange thing to my mind, that woofers plays the most of mid frequency range. Seems and sounds like the woofer does not ever hit the crossover. The mid drivers also playing but compare to the woofers they sounds pretty quietly on the midrange. Is that right? Does your AT-12 works the same way, I mean woofers?

[@SavingVegas]

I would have to take a look at the crossovers as I don't remember off hand if the woofers are filtered or not. I do know that compared to other models I found that I had to turn the high and mid adjustments all the way up on the ATs for them to sound proper. There is a chance that maybe the potentiometer for the midrange is bad, this is quite common and could possibly be fixed by using Deoxit to clean them or worst case they might have to be replaced.

[@pirate850805]

@@SavingVegas Thanks! I was surprised when I first time wired them and listened them - for me it was like... hmm, Vega engineers decided to bring the low midrange to woofers? Like them said AT - stands for advanced technology. Also, it is strange, that two speakers works the same way. Now I also detect cabinet rattle in both speakers)

[@SavingVegas]

Very common with the AT series. I have fixed more rattles in AT cabinets than any other.

[@pirate850805]

​Down in the comments, Tim P said that mid drivers in his AT-10 does not sounds at all. My first reaction was the same. But I start the tone generator and realised that woofer goes so high. approximately up to 2500Hz. Then I hear mid driver starts near 2000-2300Hz and goes higher.

[@smclennon4249]

👏

[@mikesolomon740]

agree

[@ronkali5365]

Had my mines rebuilt out of solid wood. that compressed wood no good for the pounding it get from a power amp

[@mightycirus]

Hear I thought speaker were blown I realized that that my peavey are not manufactured well and the wood was making noise

[@SavingVegas]

Yup I see it happen lots. The AT series from Cerwin Vega is by far one of the most common speakers to have this happen. I have fixed more ATs than any other speaker. Lots of bass bins as well when it comes to pro audio speakers. If you think about it PA systems in most cases get moved around a lot which doesn't help. A person always assumes the worst I think. I thought I cooked on of my 18 inch bass bins but nope one of the internal braces came loose. Anyways I'm glad my video helped you out, that was the whole purpose I made it.

[@incredifunk]

Notice there's no baffling along the one side of the interior. As were the ds you repaired prior.. I believe that's done that way intentionally from the factory.

[@SavingVegas]

Possibly yes, but when I opened up my D-1s for the first time one had the baffling still in a roll just set inside of the cabinet and the other had none.

[@79Daver]

Best damn speakers in the world. Killed a pair of 15 inches on my weddingparty though but that was my fault

[@incredifunk]

The surround on those ATs look horrible!

[@SavingVegas]

Shoild have seen them before I refoamed. Someone used rubber surrounds for JL Audio subwoofers and the wrong glue and made a mess. Did the best I could removing glue and cleaning up the cones.

[@stanmyers5994]

Vega now sucks made in China, good job Gibson

[@SavingVegas]

Yeah I have never owned any newer made in China Vega's. I will probably end up with some eventually just to hear them for myself.

[@martybeaudry5747]

different type of woofer in the background at 14;29

[@SavingVegas]

Different woofer?

[@martybeaudry5747]

@@SavingVegas dog

[@SavingVegas]

Ah I get it lol. I was confused for a second there.