If screws are loose how is repairing by tightening fasteners considered a tweak? Wood fibers act differantly then metal you compress them they will not spring back to hold fastener and they will lossen with time,most loudspeakers with threads use inserts tighten into wood. Lug nuts are very large fasteners and if you read my post I mention most fasteners not all you stretch them and they can snap but it could mean death if they fail so its factored into lugs that idiots may over tighten. In small fasteners like loudspeakers use tightening up fasteners that are not loose will make them just loosen in the future or if massively over tighten then they may snap.. |
Good tweak....also...remove speaker grilles for critical listening...lastly...bought some large metal cone/spikes at hardware store...placed on top speakers ala totem...reduces reasonces...bass tighter....just my .02 |
No over torquing will not cause a bolt/fastener to just loosen but it will add addition stress to the bolt which may cause it to fail over time. And really it depends on what we are torquing. As an example the wheels on your car have a specific torque spec.. probably 80 ft lbs or so. I GUARANTEE that unless you torqued them yourself they are not at spec, but over torqued. In fact most all wheels are put on over tight. If we use your theory then there'd be a lot of wheels falling off cars. For the most part a little over torquing isn't a real issue, huge gorilla over tightening will just cause either the bolt/ screw to strip out, or in an extreme case for the fastener to fail. |
That is why i like MAGICO no screws to tighten |
Erikminer,Its common knowledge across any industry using fasteners of most any type that over torquing will cause faster to loosen. If there loose already fine but just to tighten because its what I do shows a misunderstanding of how bolts screws etc work. And that's not about being a audiophile. Its about basic understanding of how things work. |
Yeah, well, Erickminer, you have a good fix on why the ProAcs drove me nuts. "Careful" snugging only meant that the screws would work themselves loose almost immediately, but I was aware that using too much torque would be worse. |
Loctite doesn't work on wood.. jeez.. and most speakers have their drivers mounted to a wood type front baffle. And a "careful" snugging is a good thing.. CAREFUL not gorilla tight. And if you have drivers that screw into metal inserts and you use Red Loctite you are totally F'ed if a driver blows cause you need a blow torch to heat it up to get the bolt/screw loose..might even want to use a torque wrench to get the same torque on all screws.. Ahh but how much torque??? What kind torque wrench?? Snap-on or Craftsman, or Matco.. Digital gauge, beam type, clicker, and what scale?? Ft lbs , Ft Inches, newton meters... Audiophiles .... |
Ed...this isn't always a good thing. For instance..the B&W 800 series drivers are mounted loose with the use of foam plastic gaskets. By tightening the drivers, you squash the gaskets and the speakers are not operating as designed. |
Don't use red loctite or you'll need a blow torch to loosen them again. stick with blue stuff |
I remember this happened all the time with the ProAc speakers I used to have. Never occurred to me to use something like Loctite on the screws :-( |
I never ever had a issue with it. And I've owned 100s of loudspeakers. Built many more. Most can and do play at SPL Polks could never approach. I do know once you've over torqued a fastener your going to have it loosen up and this is what Polk432 is probably experiencing. |
I would suggest using a non-magnetic screwdriver. Some driver magnets are surprisingly strong, and can seem to reach out and grab a screwdriver, leaving a punctured driver in it's wake. |
Only in case if you receive ones with ones that you can unscrew with fingers.
Overtorque may be worse than under. |
Most speakers should be tightened every 6 months or so depending on how loud they are played. |
Keep in mind you can over torqued them and they will just loosen again. I suggest thread locking compound if loosening on you. And the brass screw deal. The magnetic force is very very small and far to far away to have any effect on transducer. But if you feel this maters have at it just don't snap a fastener brass isn't so strong. |
I have been doing this myself for a few years. Really tightens up the imaging and bass response. You may also look at replacing the screws with soft brass replacements. Driver magnets and steel screws are not a good match for spurious wave interaction. Some manufacturers even recommend it. Enjoy! |
