Soft-dome tweeter damage - NBD or permanently compromised?

It is weird that both were pushed in, with no other noticeable damage. 

Soft done tweeters are in fact soft, the dome is not hard like TI tweeters. If there are no creases in the domes, they should be fine. If they were hard dome, with creases, then yes, replace. 

Since they are new to you, and this would also upset me, ask for either new tweeters, or refund the cost of new tweeters. But honestly doubt you will hear any difference between the old/new ones.

If they are doped soft-domes (the doping essentially makes them a composite), they will typically have dimples or creases after they are pulled back into dome shape. I once encountered this issue with a pair of Dynaudio speakers that I bought as demos from an authorized dealer. Both tweeters arrived with dimples so I knew they had been abused at some point. I contacted Dynaudio directly and they offered to send replacements for no cost. They told me that in theory, the dimples would have a negative effect on performance but, IIRC, they also said it’s likely not audible. 

I worked as a salesman at two different stereo stores: One store from 1987-1991, and the second store from 2000-2008. Both stores carried several “high end” brands. Even though, as others have said, you are justified in expecting to receive your used speakers in the condition they were advertised in (or better!), I have also contacted different manufacturers of speakers using soft dome tweeters about them being pushed in, and subsequently popped back out. (Customers would call to say their guests, and sometimes their children, couldn’t resist pushing in the tweeters). Every time I called, offering to purchase new tweeters, I was told that if they were returned to their original position, they would play as before. This did NOT apply to metal dome tweeters! My only personal experience with this was once I forgot to replace the grills on my Von Scweikert VR4jr, and one of my grandkids pushed in a tweeter. I called VSA, and they told me to just pull it back out gently and enjoy. Just my experience. 

@thecarpathian 

I believe it's a mental disorder that prevents people from keeping their hands off that which doesn't belong to them?  To make it worse, when I had initially left the room,the grill was on the speaker. 😳

Putting aside the fact you are fully justified in being upset over your new (to you) speakers being "violated", I think you're going to be okay.

IF the soft domes snapped back into their original shape (as in PERFECT!) and there is no material added or subtracted to the surface via the tape, you should have healthy, functioning, sonically competent tweeters. The good news is that the deformation was restored rapidly, not allowing the soft dome to "remember" the shape of the blemishes. "Exercising" the tweeters should relieve them of any minor misshapen issues.  Even the one's you can't see.

I can only speak of my experiences with damaged drivers over a long period of time.  The buyer/seller dynamics can get complicated. Best of luck with this.

@roadwhorerecords ,

What in the world possessed your friend's friend to do something like that??!

I would make sure the tweeters were replaced or get a full refund.  One of the reasons that I buy used gear locally whenever I can so I can check it out when buying and bring it home myself instead of dealing with the dangers of delivery.  

Reading the original post carefully, I see that these were used speakers bought from a 'seller', not from the manufacturer.

It would be interesting to know if there is photographic evidence of the state of the soft domes before shipping!  I would have thought some object(s) must have contacted the domes and it is hard to see that happening in well packed transport boxes.  Were they shipped in the original packaging?

Whatever the cause, it would be nice to think that the original manufacturer would be able to supply replacements, or at the very least give details of his supplier if the tweeters were outsourced.

@b_limo I am pretty sure that was a metal dome tweeter and not a soft/silk dome tweeter in the Erin video. 

I'm having a hard time understanding how the domes of BOTH tweeters got distorted without having major damage to the shipping carton/speakers covers/the rest of the speaker.

I'm not questioning your veracity simply wondering how that happens.  Let me know if I'm missing something. 

Was the seller the OEM?  You only refer to them as the "seller".  New speakers? Floor models?

In any case this should be remedied.

Regards,

barts 

I did experience a slightly crushed dome tweeter on transport of a preowned off warray speaker.  The manufacturer’s literature indicates this does not affect SQ.  The dome will vibrate within its frequency range without additional distortion. Theoretically, dispersion may be affected but to a degree not noticeable.  Suffering from OCD, especially with my system, I had the manufacturer send a technician to my home to replace it.  The cost of materials was low, cost of travel time and labor high.  The OCD calming effect worth the spend.  I heard no difference in SQ.  In your case, you indicate a crushed dome tweeter. If there is a hole or damage to other parts such as the suspension, spyder, basket, coil alignment, etc, SQ may be affected, including audible distortion. That is extensive damage.  I assume you are not speaking of extensive damage. Did you insure shipment and do you have before and after photos.  If so, you have a claim for a repair.  

Decades ago, I walk into my music room to see the guest of a friend start to poke the upper mid dome of my AR 9lsi. I screamed STOP! He didn't stop. Upon closer inspection he had already flatted the tweeter. I was livid, first time I thought "...but then what will I do with the body." I called Acoustic Research, told the tech what had happened, and asked if I could buy the mid/tweeter unit to replace it, as I had already owned them for 5-6 years. He was very sympathetic, but told me both speakers should have the units replaced to guarantee they matched sonically. He ended up sending me two NOS units free of charge. That's what I call customer service!

This "hobby" is driven by OCD (or perfectionism, if you prefer). People passionately debate the merits of cable break-in or power cords, Shakti stones and Schumann Resonance Generators. So OF COURSE a damaged tweeter dome should be replaced, and it should be replaced by the company you bought it from if you bought it new. That's what shipping insurance is for, after all. 

Do crushed tweeter domes sound different from uncrushed? It stands to reason they would, or at least could. If you're playing a game where folks spend big bucks on tweaks that have no plausible reason why they should make any sonic difference, one would think a responsible manufacturer would respect at least its own original design parameters.

+1 @b_limo 

   I’d replace them. Were they shipped in the factory boxes ? I’d file a claim and ask for replacement costs. If they were in boxes and were hit hard enough to dent the dust caps , I’d be concerned about cone and voice coil alignment. Wishing you good results to a frustrating situation. Regards , Mike B. 

Would love to know what brand.   That is not an unreasonable request for new tweeters.  

A pushed in dome will not affect the tweeter. 

I'm really surprised that the company didn't immediately offer new tweeters, and that you didn't insist on it! I have had experience with an old set of Dahlquist box speakers using the tape method, and it sounded fine o me, but that's not the point. I would demand new tweeters.

I would press them for new tweeters.  Tweeters are fragile.  My daughter cranked the volume fully tilt and even though the tweeters looked fine, I thought it didn't sound the same 

I removed the diaphragm and it was clear to me that the driver wasn't right.  All-round the edge was puckered.  It distorted so hard it warped the voice coil a d former. 

They are new speakers , I would push back on that one.  

Erin on erins audio corner (a you tube channel) measured a speakerwith his klippel then dented the tweeter in and remembered it...  check out the results.  The dented tweeter, even after being pulled back out has a very wonky dispersion.  Domes and waveguides are smooth or a certain shape for dispersion reasons

I'd go to DIY Audio and see if they can identify the dome's.  Alternatively you could find out by removing the tweeter and see if the original labels are attached.

And while they may perform very well after fixing, they are not "dust covers" when it comes to dome tweeters.  They are for most other drivers.

I wont' say they will NEVER perform as well... it just depends.  Many audiophiles have had success in restoring pushed in domes.  If you hear any irregulatities from Left to Right that's your biggest clue, as they are unlikely to have been damaged the dame way.  If you can't tell the difference in performance from your left to your right speaker you are probably good