Mackie CR4 - Conversion to passive speakers

[@erlwinter7000]

Thanks for this video. I'd tried putting a adequate power supply circuit into my CR4s but still faced more major problems and you've helped me cut my losses and have a usable pair of speakers. With my low soldering-skill level I need through-board soldering so I put my wires through from the component side. To make space for repositioning the COIL WIRE I removed both the socket for the 3 pin transformer plug (video at 2:00) which is marked {CN4B} on the circuit board, as well as the transformer. Then I wrote up a list of what needed to be done: 1. Desolder/remove/prepare all wires that need to moved on the board. 2. Drill hole (A) for COIL WIRE right next to its standard position in the very next circuit track towards the heatsink. 3.Drill hole (B) in circuit track nearest to edge of board closer to heatsink than capacitor {C70} for +INPUT. 4.Sand tracks around these holes back to copper. 5. Solder COIL WIRE through new hole (A). 5. Solder -INPUT through old coil hole {T4}. 6. Solder +MAINout through hole {L-}, which is just behind the big caps. (Though looking back the middle pin hole of {CN4B} would be easier.) 7.Solder -MAINout and -TWEETout through hole {L+}, which is near coil and on the edge of board. 8. Solder +INPUT to new hole (B) (+TWEETout and other coil wire stay where they are.) Speakers are working now. Check my working before using it.

[@hall-g1x]

A bit late to the party, but thank you so much for this, saved me from throwing out great speakers! Just a detail for potential others looking at this: apparently some versions have a black negative instead of black-white negative here 3:23 . Worked the same either way

[@72Jansen]

Thanks for the info dude! Glad this vid helped save yet another pair of Mackies. Cheers.

[@miguelelmalo]

Man, thank you. Just did this to give new life to these speakers.

[@mercankinsey3411]

Although im not into elecrical things it workedlike charm.(i watched video maybe 40 times)thank you so much man❤

[@bobmanfredonia8412]

I just gutted the power supply, cut all wires ( on the powered speaker only) and soldered a speaker wire directly to the small woofer and tweeter wires that are already connected...drilled a hole and fed the new speaker wire thru the hole... Just bypassed the crossover completely. The unpowered speaker can be connected as normal. They sound just as good as they did when they were powered(and working properly)....Hooked them to a JVC car/cd/Bluetooth radio head unit powered by a 120 to 12v converter. Makes a nice compact shelf unit with great sound.

[@72Jansen]

Bypassing the crossover? They'll still work but the crossover is there for a reason. Referencing attached article: 'A speaker crossover splits frequencies to be broadcasted on specialized drivers for better sound quality'. www.makeuseof.com/what-is-speaker-crossover-how-does-it-work/#the-3-main-speaker-driver-types

[@atis7]

Thank you, but do you think it would be possible to do this without gutting it just to power an antoher passive speaker from the same channel as the powered one?

[@erlwinter7000]

Atis, what is your goal?

[@ThePunitiveDamages]

Pelican!! Kudos!

[@72Jansen]

Best band of the millennium.......

[@EarJuice]

Mine stopped working accept on headphones so I tried the cutting the 3rd pin trick and they work fine again. There is a video showing which pin to cut. Search CR3 repair.

[@72Jansen]

Yeah I tried that mod and got a constant loud hum. Does work in some cases tho. Glad it worked for you!

[@dommitchell4319]

Hi, im a bit lost on where i need to relocate the coil wire to.

[@72Jansen]

It is a bit confusing :). If you go to 4:45 in the video you can see a closeup of said wire location. You need to de-solder it from its original position and extend the wire (solder on an extension). Then drill a hole through the board to link it to the correct point, which I believe is the same point the red wire is attached to @ 4:45. Hope this helps and let me know if it works out for you. Cheers.

[@dommitchell4319]

@@72Jansen Yep, that did the trick. Instead of drilling though I just got a longer bit of plastic coated wire to go around the back. Works a charm.

[@72Jansen]

Glad it worked & good idea re. the extension without drilling. I just like to make life hard for myself.... 😄@@dommitchell4319

[@mattmcelroy]

Brilliant! Thank you

[@sebsoud]

Hi, I'm also looking into this... On the circuit board, you didn't cut any track?

[@72Jansen]

I don't remember deliberately cutting any track but looking at the video again, there is a scratch on the board near the soldering of the positive speaker wire... If you've wired it up as I've suggested and it doesn't work, you could always try cutting it at that point. Let us know if that makes any difference as it would be helpful for anyone else doing this job.

[@sebsoud]

@@72Jansen yep I saw that scratch, that's why I was wondering 😂 will tell when I have time for doing the mod.

[@mattmcelroy]

I didn’t cut any of the tracks and this worked great. Took about 15 mins. Really appreciate you publishing this

[@72Jansen]

@@mattmcelroy Thanks for your comment Matt! Should give people faith in this mod. They're decent sounding speakers so worth the fix I reckon. Cheers.

[@janesba8552]

Hi, that is what I'm currently willing to do. But sorry I'm bit lost in your video. Was trying to reproduce it, but no success :) Can you maybe create a photo from front and back? Thanks a lot :)

[@72Jansen]

Hi Janes, Sorry I actually gave the speakers to a friend so no longer have them. If you look at the 'Recap' section @ 5.40, that basically explains the configuration. When I say the red wire coming 'in', that wire is coming from the back of the speaker. The other red wire will then be going to the main speaker. I hope that helps!

[@janesba8552]

@@72Jansen thanks I've it. I missed the part with the coil :)