Speaker question(s)

[pauldo]

I have a Hartke 2 x 10, it's been making noise.
Found the problem - cone has seperated from the driver, there is seperation about 50% (see picture)

 
Is there a safe at home fix for this or should it be done by a professional?
 
It is an 8 ohm cabinet.  
Can I still use the 1 x 10 for practice?  
 
There are an extra set of contacts on the remaining 1 x 10.  
Should I connect the disconnected leads to these?

[sonicus]

That is just the dust cap protecting the voice coil . I think you can repair it your self  with the correct glue and procedure, I will ask a good friend of mine who is in the speaker reconing business and post his answer after I contact him .   The important thing to remember is that you do not want to get any kind of particulate  or glue in the magnet voice coil gap.

[sonicus]

I just spoke with my speaker  reconing friend , He has special rubberized cement for that purpose. He told me that in your case you can use superglue. However he stressed it is   VERY IMPORTANT  
that you do not get any in the voice coil gap and that it should be done with the cone facing down. Perhaps a gel type super glue would be a good choice. You do not need very much ; just a little smear around the lose part.    Be careful,  with all the usual  disclaimers .

[pauldo]

Wolf -
Thanks for the tips - I think I will try inverting the speaker and a very light bead of super glue.
 
In the mean time I have rehearsal tonight and am wondering if it is ok to use the cabinet as a 1 x 10. . . . any ideas? Does having only one speaker change the ohms?
 
thanks again!

[briant]

Yes you could use the cab as a 1x10.  No guarantees on how it is going to sound though.
 
Yes it will change the Ohm load the head sees - either higher or lower depending on the way they are wired.  Since it is an 8 Ohm cab math and physics tell us that the speaker is either 4 or 16 Ohms.  So as long as your amp can handle a minimum 4 Ohm load you're going to be fine.
 
(Message edited by briant on September 15, 2010)
 
(Message edited by briant on September 15, 2010)

[sonicus]

Pauldo, The removal of one speaker WILL change the load. At how many OHMS are these individual speakers rated?  Speakers are usually wired in a parallel circuit in dual configuration : if this is the case here then load will be 16 ohms if the speakers are 16 individually  and etc...  I have also seen speakers wired in series and series  parallel in multi driver enclosures, Another part of the equation is what is the enclosure type? Infinite baffle. ported ? or  ?.  The 10 inch void  with out the other driver in the baffle board of your enclosure is drastically going to alter the acoustic properties of the enclosure , there is a  complex mathematical formula  for this  .  I personally would NOT use this enclosure with a single remaining speaker.  This repair will not take long  . I  
think that it would be wise to repair it before using it rather then using it with one speaker .   There are many reasons why I would not,  including power output change variables  from your amplifier resulting from a drastic load change and output stage complications and load compatibility.

[briant]

Wolf - from Pauldo's original post:
 
I have a Hartke 2 x 10, it's been making noise.
and
It is an 8 ohm cabinet.
 
Each speaker is either 4 Ohm or 16 Ohm.  There is no other option to get an 8 Ohm load with two speakers.
 
Series wiring: 4 Ohm + 4 Ohm == 8 Ohm total
Parallel wiring: 16 Ohm speakers / 2 speakers == 8 Ohm total
 
Granted I over simplified the parallel math but that's perfectly acceptable when the speakers are all the same impedance.  So there is nothing scary about using the cab with only one speaker when it comes to the load on the head.  It's going to be a known value - either 4 or 16 Ohms.  If the head can handle 4 Ohms you're safe.  Done.
 
The enclosure type and how a missing speaker from the enclosure itself will affect the sound is another story altogether.  It could sound anything from alright to completely awful.  If you push the single remaining speaker too hard you also run the risk of damaging it.
 
And just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should.   Personally I would repair the speaker right now and use both of them in the cab during rehearsal tonight.  Super glue takes minutes to setup and dry on that sort of material.  If you fixed it an hour prior to rehearsal you will be fine.

[sonicus]

Pauldo ask if he can use it with just one speaker . We DO NOT have information about his amplifier . There is not enough information in general .  In my professional opinion  the results are nearly guaranteed to be mediocre . Mediocrity is not acceptable when I give advice      . I like  to say_ SONIC REGARDS !!!!!______LOL !
 
     Briant , in your post# 456 you seem to concur with my statements.
 
        Thank you .

[terryc]

Well without getting too heated my opinion is don't use it until it is fixed.
That way:-
It won't sound s**t
It won't damage your amp
You will not get complaints from the band that you sound crap

[mario_farufyno]

If you use just one Speaker of a 2x10 the power rate will be down a half either. Be carefull to not blown the working speaker by overfeeding it.
 
A 2x10 500W RMS means that you are only able to handle 250W on each speaker. I must agree with Terric...
 
(Message edited by Mario Farufyno on September 15, 2010)

[pauldo]

OK - I should have provided more info . . . GK 800RB head. But doesn't matter too much as tonight I leave here (work) and grab my gear and go, no time to glue it. So I think I will have to lug the big old boxy Mesa 1x15. The alternative is a very old Peavey practice amp with an 8 speaker,,,, and it sounds like an 8 speaker.  
 
This is a concert band that I play with and we go around town playing at senior/ assisted living centers - the 2 x 10 is almost overkill for that.
 
I have been following the Mark Bass posting with some interest. And also mentioned to my wife that I should consider getting a new 'downsized' rig for this band,,,,, she gave me a funny look like I was crazy or somethin'!  
 
Thank everyone for the input!
 
(Message edited by pauldo on September 15, 2010)

[pauldo]

Follow up:
Left work early last night, ran a small bead of 'super glue' around the dust cap, put it all back together and ran off to rehearsal. Sounded good for the hour and a half that we played!
:-D

[sonicus]

pauldo , I am pleased that the repair  seems successful .

[mario_farufyno]

sorry, double post...
 
(Message edited by Mario Farufyno on September 17, 2010)

[mario_farufyno]

Glad that everything worked out fine. Cheers!