Replace Dynaudio woofers?

@xidnpnlss any updates?  I’m really hoping you can resurrect your speakers.  

Blown drivers can be repaired if you want to go to the trouble of replacing the voice coil.

@xidnpnlss I searched the internet for a Dynaudio 15w38, but as of now, I have not found any helpful info. To replace this with a different driver, you need this info at a minimum.

Very closely matching sensitivity of the driver

Very closing matching impedance at the crossover point (not necessarily stated impedance(

FS & QTS that will produce reasonable bass response in the same box....

I have only found 2 drivers that my best guess will work as a drop in, but without knowing the measurements of the Dyn, there is no way to tell for sure.

If you completely switch drivers, rather than look for a drop in, you can easily modify the crossover and get satisfying results.

I know that you are on a budget, I would start with replacing the burnt resistors,. On a hard budget, I would get the Dayton 1% precision 10 watt resistors (green) from parts express. Most likely, they are the only components burnt in the crossover. Confirm that and let me know. Start there.

OK

1. you have seen/shown us, the crossover has a blown/burnt part. It must be replaced. You can get the crossover board out, that’s how it got in, then get new part from parts express, then ____ who removes/replaces the part. Do you know anyone who can solder? You could easily mail the crossover board to _____?

2. woofer glued: I was wrong: looks like the woofer was previously removed, the sound seal (round foam or rubber ring) was not replaced, so they glued it back in. You should solve that problem when you put the woofer back in: a continuous seal to prevent any air/sound in/out, then screw, not glue the woofer back in.

3. to prove the removed woofer is ok, you can turn the volume all the way down, touch speaker wires to the two tabs on the loose woofer, turn volume up very slightly, see/hear it move, means voice coil is still working/ok. Or, remove other speaker’s woofer, make some wire jumpers long enough for trial.

IF woofer cone does not move, that means the woofer's voice coil got melted. If so, you could ship the woofer to Miller Sound, or replace them both with something parts express recommends.

@eidnpniss I re did  my Dynaudio S25 with Neotech OCC 14 awg on the midwoofer and 21 awg on the tweeter. 

It looks like Dynaudio is using standard 12ga copper wire. There’s nothing wrong with that choice, it does the job, especially considering you are talking about runs less then a foot. I’d cut the ends, strip back some fresh wire and reuse it after you have gotten the crossovers repaired. See if there are any speaker repair shops near you, they can fix the crossovers. Or give GR Research a call (1-940-592-3400) they could probably make replacement crossovers as well. The cost to repair can vary greatly depending upon the level of parts used so stick to a budget and don’t let them talk you into high end stuff. I’d keep the budget under $200 for the pair that way you have some budget leftover to replace the drivers. Assuming the cabinets are in good shape I’d peg their value at around $600-700 w/ fresh crossovers, and $900-1000 with fresh crossovers and new oem drivers.

@tecknik Yes, I know that blown drivers can't be repaired. I already have the part number from Dynaudio and some good aftermarket recommendations from the thread. My situation now is figuring out if it's actually the driver that's blown or the crossover. 

What would you recommend to replace the wiring? 

@oldrooney Thank you for the support and commendation! And thanks for the bit of knowledge on the components. If I already knew how to solder I'd be all over this..

But I dont and I'm actually not at a place right now to learn or invest in a good soldering set-up. Someday, for sure. I'll be calling around techs after the holiday break. 

I'll be sure to update this thread with whatever transpires! Fingers crossed thrice it works out. 

@xidnpnlss Your first challenge will be de-soldering! If you’re not up to investing $200 or so for some decent soldering kit, you might consider taking the crossover to a local tech shop or friend who can undo and redo the joints for you. Of course, you could get by with a 25 Watt iron and a ‘Solderput’ sucker (nothing less, no substitutes).

The component that blew up on the one board was one of those ‘$2.00 resistors’ referred to above, often termed ‘sand resistors’ —they are not expensive. The other commonly replaced items include any electrolytic (‘can’) capacitors, as they dry/wear out after years of service, even if they’re not used. Again, not a terribly expensive part unless you’re going for super high quality. Parts Express can hook you up. Would be a shame to have them fail soon after you get the speakers all reassembled. Original performance will also be restored.

Good job on getting the first woofer out. I approve of your method, for what it’s worth. Good luck with your project, I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the result.

Dynaudio drivers cannot be repaired, email Dynaudio and they will put you in touch with the nearest authorized dealer so you can order a new one. You only need to replace the one that damaged and why your add it replace that terrible internal wiring.

Replacing the driver and wiring is easy if you have even a little bit of diy experience . 
Good luck. 

Ok got one out. Ours are different because mine did not have that thin black strip. Glued all the way. I lifted a bit while my partner made tiny slices in the glue. After three or four, it all started breaking down. 

(Sorry still don't know how to post images)

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vwffhe9kuirduvaf182k9/2023-09-03-14.53.28.jpg?rlkey=rplbcqc5x75l64njgta0r428w&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/anlsai9gacrypo7vklo53/2023-09-03-14.59.32.jpg?rlkey=dew0nh8dw4emleyl5t6ds4luk&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/3qwwaa5y6a6o7qcz7ccd6/2023-09-03-14.59.57.jpg?rlkey=wo619vys28p6rs072yg45vmfi&dl=0

Now the part I had dreaded all along: I don't have any soldering skills. Do I need them to test the driver/crossover? 

I was under the impression that ferrofluid can dry over time and cause damage/distortion in the tweeter. 

@xidnpnlss Phish has an app called Livephish that I accessed through Apple TV, they recently posted two shows from SPAC for their flood relief charity. I have an account but I think these videos are free to access through the app, and downloading the app is also free.

Yep, all original drivers and parts, no service has been performed. I’m not sure the drivers themselves are even serviceable aside from maybe re-foaming a woofer. The way I see it the ferrofluid is there to protect the tweeter, so I’m assuming it hasn’t dried up because the tweeters haven’t blown up and mine have seen some heavy use. There is a big backplate on the tweeter, I never bothered removing it, it looks pretty secure.

The crossover will be able to be removed once the woofer is out.

Here you go- 

@perkadin Yes! That would be super helpful. I'll go to the hardware store to find a proper putty knife in a bit. I'll keep updating this thread.

God. Phish. That brings me back. I followed them in 2000; seen a total of 21 shows. These speakers have definitely played their fair number live tapes. Which show? My taste has changed a bit since then lol. And I take it you haven't changed the ferrofluid? Maybe I needn't worry about it then. I'd like not to have to pry off another driver.

If the crossover doesn't come out from the woofer hole, and I can't repair it on the inside, then I think it's over: I do not want to have to cut into these cabinets...

Or maybe idk. This whole process has really demystified the internals of a speaker. And I was looking through parts and they're so inexpensive. Maybe I'll get into the DIY game?  

Thanks for your support. Until the next step! - Michael

I’d try a hair dryer and a small putty knife. Slowly work the putty knife along the edges while applying heat to loosen the glue.  The lip isn’t wide so you won’t need to go deep with the knife to see results.  It’s strange, my 1.1’s had no glue and both drivers came off freely with the screws removed.  The 1.8’s are definitely stuck on with something besides screws. I bought them separately, years apart.  
The 1.8s have been used daily for over 20 years (H/T setup) and still sound the same to me.  I had a recent Phish concert on last night and really pushed them, mid 90db peaks at my listening position.  The old Danes took it like a champ.  Btw- I added Lytmi led strip on the back of my TV and it really adds to the realism of concert video. 

@xidnpnlss  I’m vicariously following the repair with you and looking forward to future updates. Would it help if I took a pic of the area with the woofer removed so you see the underside?  Good luck!  

Whelp no sign of burnt component in the other speaker. 🙄 "Back" to checking drivers: if anyone has suggestions on how remove glued drivers, I’d love to hear it.

@perkadin Yeah, they’re just so lovely, aesthetically and sonically. My usual upgrade path is to sell units I’m replacing - these aren’t going anywhere ever. I was looking at the manual, and this was the last bit of text:

We listen to glue. “I know exactly what goes into this,” says Daniel Emonts. He’s the man behind Contour’s drivers. “I know all the materials and everything. But there’s magic behind it too, when you hear the result.” Daniel should know. In Dynaudio Labs, our R&D department, they listen to everything. Everything. Even glue. “We decided to change the glue between the voice-coil and the cone. We thought it would take two or three months, but we ended up taking a year measuring, recording and listening,” he says. “I think 80 percent of us could tell the difference between the glues. And now that’s going to be part of our R&D procedure. Listening to glue.” 

Maybe that something "special" you refer to is glue? :) I hope Dynaudio can tell me what glue they used; tips on removing the drivers.

@timlub Thank you so very much. I’ll email you directly.

@xidnpnlss .   Email me directly.... I'll help you out,use my same name here, then add at live dot com

Wow it looks like a short occurred on the crossover, is the other one like that as well? Best case scenario would be the crossovers sacrificed themselves and protected the drivers. Definitely get both crossovers out and give them a good inspection. You might be able to buy replacement crossovers from Dynaudio or even rebuild them better then new using modern parts with the same specs assuming you know how to solder. If that’s the case and it turns out the drivers are still good, this could be a rather inexpensive repair/potential upgrade.  PS. Mine are also Cherry. Love them, there’s something about the older Contour series.  Solid bass, and strong midrange.  They lack the detail of the modern Dyn models, but are almost agnostic to bad recordings.  

@timlub Are these the ones you're referring to? https://www.parts-express.com/HiVi-D6.8B-6-Poly-Bass-Midrange-Shielded-297-444?quantity=1

They look the part. My concern (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that Dynaudio designed the woofers to work specifically with the tweeter. Wouldn't one run the chance of throwing off the speaker's sound with a driver that is not OEM?

But that may not be a concern after all...

So after trying and failing to remove the woofer with a plaster knife, I approached it from the rear, thinking I could push the woofer out from behind. The wire connector came off more easily, but it had definitely been glued. As I was removing the foam, this appeared:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ezr21z0dvga8k6814sbi0/2023-09-02-11.33.22.jpg?rlkey=4flggloj4xpbb00hz9gdkp2ml&dl=0

(I'm not sure the picture is showing up, so I'll described it as a corner of the foam covering the crossover as burnt)

Lo and behold the component looks fried

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/oxd0kdj9hqopde1jq56br/2023-09-02-11.44.51.jpg?rlkey=nxh9irj6nb17p2m4d9re3uuqv&dl=0

So maybe I can assume the problem is actually the crossover? It doesn't look good, either way. Do I replace only the component or the entire crossover?

I still need to figure out how to remove the drivers to be sure; plus I obviously need to get the crossover out through the woofer hole. And I want to change the Ferrofluid while I'm at it. I tried pushing it out from behind but it still won't budge: considering the speaker connector was glued, I can only assume it's glued (maybe they didn't glue it on the mkII...I'll contact Dynaudio). Any advice on removing a glued driver? I am honestly stuck ;)

Thank you all again for your help in this journey. For reasons I won't get into, it's been a therapeutic process giving these some TLC after all this time. 

@xidnpnlss. I have seen the Dynavox drivers, they look fine. I have used the 6 1/2 inch original version of the HiVi. Totem used this driver in the original Forest, needed a bit of work, but turned out very well. I have seen a comparison of underhung woofers years ago, it compared a Morel, the HiVi and the Dyn. All 3 were 6 inch with 3 inch coils. The HiVi was the most preferred. If I can find it, I'll  post. The Dynavox look very good for such a low price, I know parts express has them, not sure about anywhere else. I hope this info helps you out, Tim

There is no chance you can build anything for $100  . I am speaking quality 

I have been dojng this for over 20 years , my standards are much higher 

having been into Audio for 40+ years, for example these white $2 resistors I use $30 each X4. Path audio ,much better detail ,clearer more open , if on a budget put in 12 watt mills resistors $12 each ,the inductors are Jantzen and good 

the white Mundorf are their lower mid grade Evo capacitors, Mundorfs Best quality are Black their Supreme line . Foil capacitors are better then sprayed conductors.

myself use the much more expensive Jantzen AlumenZ  capacitors ,

and Duelund tinned Copperfoil Bypass caps for the tweeters to complement the Jantzen ,I spent without the Upgraded Cardas wire $1300 just in parts .

that being said you can build a external Xover and use the Best Duelund capacitors 

depending on sizes 3x the monies, why don’t $50k speakers use top quality parts 

is all about saving $$ . I am just pointing out these from a 20 year+ point of expertise .  Just go to Humble homemade hifi capacitor test, the white Evo caps are respectable , and used by a lot of companies but rated roughly a 9

pThe best Duelund a 15,   Just get rid of the 4 -$2 resistors and put in all Path Audio resistors , and a .01 uf Duelund tinned Copper foil cap for the tweeter capacitor you will hear a solid increase in resolution and refinement for under $300.

I am just suggesting it’s your speaker I have been there done many combinations and still do for others ,all depending on budgets.

Wow. I want to thank everyone so very much for all the amazing contributions. I was feeling pretty deflated, but now the mission is back on.

@perkadin  and @audioman58   Part of the reason I tried to remove the woofer so quickly was because there was an inkling (hope) it might be the crossover. I'll give the woofers another go (thank you @elliottbnewcombjr for the putty knife recommendation) and connect it to another speaker. 

Confession time: but it's probably the woofers: they blew during a party. I was young and stupid and let my friends keep turning up the volume (/cry). 

@timlub @jetter Thank you for the parts and service recommendations. I'll probably start looking into these immediately. And these "knock offs" are as good as OEM? Usually knock-offs of things aren't up to snuff, but I can imagine the it's different in the passionate world of hi-fi. 

Again, thank you everyone for your knowledge. I bought the Contours from Audiogon back in the day, and I'm happy to find it's still a great community after a 15 years absence. 

That's not true, you can build a really good crossover for less then $100 in parts, the same way you can build quality speaker cables using 12 ga oxygen free copper for well under $100. Dynaudio has upped its game recently when it comes to name brand components in the crossovers, but even the older stuff was still high quality despite lacking some name pedigree.  The sound quality is in the design and execution of the crossover.  As long as the parts do what they are specced to do, it will sound good. 

To be totally honest the Xovers in over 90% of speakers under $15k are not thst good of quality. I know for not only have I owned a Audiostore for a decade 

but learn8ng over 20 years ago on parts quality in Loudspeakers as well as electronics ,only 25% or Less goes into the complete speaker including all packaging this is a fact the rest R&D overhead and markup. 
I just rebuilt a pretty respectable Xover itwas $1500  but the end result sounded better then a speaker at 2x thecost  , if they sent me the Xover then it’s less monies 

and I just upgrade the resistors and capacitors , BTW Dynaudio use parts from their area such as The Very good Jantzen inductors , the resistors , capacitors not that good . If you email me  in c o d e I can show you picture examples .

go to humble homemade hifi capacitor test ,the exceptional Tony Gee has this capacitor guide as a loose reference ,  different drivers sound better with different capacitors and resistors , I totally recommend WBT connectors .Dynaudio drivers have not changed that much. The build quality excellent. In my 3.4 contours I rebuilt including Cardas best -0 Crystal 6-9s copper  Litz wire  sounds better then their new 30 model it replaced by a good amount I spent $1600 just in parts .

I may be selling these later in the fall in rose wood cabinets each driver has its own dedicated chamber these weigh over 90 lbs each with boxes . 

@audioman58 makes a good point, if there isn't any sound coming from the woofers it could be a crossover issue which would be far less expensive to repair then a driver replacement.  The OEM drivers are pricey, they are built to last so it wouldnt surprise me at all if it was the crossover.  Mine looked new, even the rubber surrounds show very little signs of age. 

Millersound will repair your woofers to brand new condition at a very reasonable cost.  Simply outstanding all the way around.

See Millersound Speaker Refoaming, Speaker Reconing and Repair Services

See Audiogon Discussion Forum

Dynaxox and HiVi have both knocked off this style of Dynaudio woofer. Both spec similarly to the Dyn’s

If only worth $500-$900 used, I would make it easy without spending too much money. I can replace surrounds, cones, even coils, have you done any of that before?

They are NOT glued, get thee a narrow putty knife, say 1" wide, carefully tap around the edges, (protecting wood at edges, perhaps put tape around the driver before getting them out).

they will eventually come out. Hook up any cheap speaker to the wires to the woofer, shows if signal is coming out of the crossover.

Either Madisound or Parts Express have knowledgeable recommendations for replacement woofers/drivers.

Specs, range of frequency performance, crossover points, speaker sensitivity, ____ ohms (nominal) .... whatever facts you can gather helps find a replacement.

i.e. My old JSE Infinite Slopes have Dual Coil Woofers, special to their performance. My friend simply cannot find dual coil replacements, John Sollecito (the JS in JSE) cannot find a replacement woofer) my friend went with Parts Express recommendation. Then found another pair, great price, original dual coil woofers. His pair with replacement single coil both sound and measure like the dual coil. I’m sure Modafferi had his reasons relative to his patent,

Richard Modafferi, inventor and independent consultant to AudioClassics, has established himself as one of the world’s foremost authorities on tuner & loudspeaker design and development. He holds Masters degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the NJ Institute of Technology. A Senior Engineer at McIntosh Laboratories from 1968-74, he designed the MR77 and MR78 tuners and the famous "Rimo" filter. The MR78 tuner has received world wide acclaim for its State of the Art performance. From 1974 to the present, Richard has been a self employed inventor at Modafferi Acoustical Systems, Inc. He has been granted a United States patent for Phase Shift Bass Loading and for the Infinite Slope Crossover. Richard also serves as a writer, reviewer and test lab for Audio, Audio Critic, The Sensible Sound.

but ....

That being said the Xover is old and capacitors drying out for sure .

I just rebuilt a nice pair of contour 3.4  they sound much better then even their new30 model .

Btw- if it’s looking like a project there is someone on USAudiomart selling a pair of Special 40’s for $1600.  If I didn’t already have 3 pairs of Dynaudios I’d hop on them in a second.  That’s a big upgrade from the 1.1’s and an insane value. 

Ok popped off a woofer and it was as easy as the tweeter so at some point they probably glued as well as screwed them in place, but mine were definitely not glued. The model number on the woofer was 84310 or 15W38 not sure which is the model.

These are great tips; thank you. But my issue is that it’s the woofers that are blown (maybe that wasn’t clear in my OP). I would imagine they’d have some dampening glue on it. But I’ll take a look with your tweeter tips soon; too deflated now to have another go lol You’re certainly right about having nothing to lose, but Inwoukdnt want to scratch the wood. Thank you!!

Out of curiosity I tried to pop off the tweeters on my 1.8mk2's and they are stuck on.  I'd try to pry at the edges of the metal ring with a thin flat head to create some seperation, and/or apply some pressure to the back of the tweeter through the bass port using the handle end of a long screwdriver or something.  The tweeters are already damaged so you dont really have anything to lose at this point. Good luck 

I just popped mine off and it is indeed a D-260 tweeter and looks exactly like that picture. There was no glue holding it in place so perhaps yours is stuck from age or heat (which may explain why it seems damaged). The wires have a bit of solder on them, but this still seems like an easy DIY. Try the other tweeter and see if its also stuck. 

I think the Contour series uses a different tweeter, but it should look similar to this D-260 with two metal tabs to connect the wires and then mounting the tweeter into the enclosure with the existing screws. Pretty much plug and play.  Give Dynaudio a call for specifics. 

I just unscrewed the bolts to see and there must be some glue on it or something because they are not budging :( Considering the plus the scarcity of the part, looking less and less hopeful. 

Thank you.

I didn’t find any tutorials on Dynaudio specific woofers, but plenty in general woofer replacement. Seems pretty simple. Would it be the same for a pair of Dynaudios? 

I've got the same speakers, and depending upon condition they are probably worth between $500-900 in the used market fully functioning.  It's worth calling Dynaudio or looking for aftermarket replacements depending upon cost since its an easy DIY.