Buzzing Altec compression driver

[robertbartsch]

I just moved from NY to TN and now my 802D Altec compression driver is making a buzzing sound. About 1 year ago, I replaced the aluminum diaphragms using the guys out west that have the Altec original factory equipment from the early 1980s Altec bankruptcy (name??). Anyway, the diaphragms have alignment pins so installation was not an issue and they worked well before the move. Is it possible the home movers damaged the driver/phram with some ruff handling? The units are in a factory wood cab

[Fort Knox]

I just moved from NY to TN and now my 802D Altec compression driver is making a buzzing sound. About 1 year ago, I replaced the aluminum diaphragms using the guys out west that have the Altec original factory equipment from the early 1980s Altec bankruptcy (name??). Anyway, the diaphragms have alignment pins so installation was not an issue and they worked well before the move. Is it possible the home movers damaged the driver/phram with some ruff handling? The units are in a factory wood cab

Maybe they caught a buzz on some of that tennessee whiskey

[grumpy]

Seems unlikely. GPA (out west being relative) was probably the vendor. Might check to see if its a case of junk in the gap and visually inspect the diaphragm.

[Earl K]

One thousand miles of bouncing about in a tractor/trailer might have loosened something within the speakers ( maybe even the 3 screws holding the diaphragm in place ) .

I'd inspect the speakers and tighten anything that's found to be loose ( including those diaphragm mounting screws ) .

Since the diaphragms ( because of those guide pins ) have next to no give within the gap / I would also consider swapping diaphragms between drivers ( if the buzzing problem persists ) .

[Fort Knox]

Maybe your new house has noise in the ac... or the girl
next doors running a hair dryer ... the woof could be making noise....

[robertbartsch]

these are the cabs where the back is glued and access is only from the front. I took the X-over off the cab and put my hand inside the cab. The woof is not buzzing and all the mounting bolts seem tight. The buzz is coming from the HF compression driver - inside the cast horn..... UHG!

...seems like a diaphragm issue. I'll take it apart soon.

When the diaphragms go bad do they buzz or just stop working?

[NickH]

I had that happen with my 2445's. Crap in the gap. Nothing a bit of masking tape won't fix.

[4343]

...
When the diaphragms go bad do they buzz or just stop working?

Depends on how hard they were dropped. A slight jar can crack aluminum surrounds that have become work hardened, that will be the buzz. Drop it hard enough to cause the voice coil wire to break and it just quits. I had a 2420 slide down the wheel arch in my truck once, just a small bump, no dents in the box or anything, but it was just enough to pop the entire dome and voice coil out of the surround. That one was well used by then though, yours sound like they have not been used much, so hopefully it just picked up some crap in the gap.

[Fort Knox]

Depends on how hard they were dropped. A slight jar can crack aluminum surrounds that have become work hardened, that will be the buzz. Drop it hard enough to cause the voice coil wire to break and it just quits. I had a 2420 slide down the wheel arch in my truck once, just a small bump, no dents in the box or anything, but it was just enough to pop the entire dome and voice coil out of the surround. That one was well used by then though, yours sound like they have not been used much, so hopefully it just picked up some crap in the gap.

I ran a thread title: Broken Dome, 06-13-13 that was an 802 also...all alum..it worked but was buzzing..

[vivaregina]

My plastic orange plug inside came loose and it buzzed.
a lick of glue fixed that.