phase plug question

[sean19]

I have heard of the plastic tangerine phase plug coming unglued on the 802 g is this true? Is the 808a's metal phase plug pressed in? Can it be removed? I have a old pair of 808a and was wondering if i can update them by changing phase plugs?

[yggdrasil]

Changing phase plugs is not an easy endeavour.

Try sending these guys a quote: http://www.greatplainsaudio.com/

[Gary L]

802-8Gs and 808-8Bs have the tangerines. They can and do come unglued and can be re glued at either GPA or you can DIY with 2 part epoxy useing a very minimal ammount so it does not oozz into the slits or over the edges.

I doublt you can upgrade your 808-8As to tangerines but I really don't hear that much difference between tangential and circumferential phase plugs. IMO it is more hype then fact but surely others will disagree.
Making plastic phase plugs and glueing them on had to be much cheaper than machining metal ones!

Gary

[Steve Schell]

The drivers with the glued in Tangerine phasing plugs have a differently shaped center pole than the older drivers with the circumferential phasing plugs. Anything is possible, but it would require quite a bit of machining or changing center poles to convert one style to the other. It would be easier to just find drivers with the preferred phasing plug.

Many listeners find little if any difference in sound between the two types, and those with a preference seem evenly split.

The Tangerine plugs are glued in place, and the cyanoacrylate glue joint often fails. This may be due to different expansion/contraction between the materials with temperature changes. I have repaired a few of these, with more CA glue, roughened surfaces and a silent prayer. The original Lansing drivers with radial slit phasing plugs do not fail this way, as the machined brass phasing plug is held in place with a rolled lip on the center pole.