Infinity Kappa 9 S EMIT not functioning or Hearing Loss?


First post after lurking for a couple years, so please be gentle.

I recently acquired a set of Kappa 9s. I know, I know, "amp killers," "poor design," etc. I'm having fun with them for now, so I'm willfully overlooking that part. Currently bi-amped with Audio Research Dual 75 running the top end. A more "budget" 2 channel solid state amp I pillaged from my home theater setup is temporarily running the bottom end with the bass extension of the 9s switched to off.

Question. Is it possible the frequency range of the S EMIT up top is out of my hearing range? I play test tones and the top of my range is somewhere between the 14kHz and 15kHz, but I don't think it's coming from them, rather the EMIT below. This is the case with the S EMIT on BOTH speakers. 

I used my 8 year old as a test subject and he said he can definitely hear sound emanating from the top S EMIT, starting around 19kHz. Being the skeptic I am, can I trust that he's hearing from the S EMIT and not the EMIT below?

I thought the S EMITs were crossed over around 10kHz, so I should hear something from them. I'm really far from a technical wizard or electrical expert. Physically digging into and testing crossovers and whatnot is a bit over my head.

There's another forum that has seems to have a more Infinity focused following, but I can't seem to create an account or search the site for whatever reason, so I'm turning to the experts here.

Richard

P.S. I've learned SO MUCH from you all, reading most of the top discussions delivered to my inbox every night for the last 2+ years.  

 

 

richardt9000

When EMITs fail, they usually buzz but they are subject to total failure at times. Put a towel over the lower one and see if you can hear the upper tweeter.

Failure of the EMIM and EMIT drivers is not uncommon. Paul McGowen had to rebuild a lot of the drivers in the pair of IRS-V's he bought.

Do they sound dull in the treble region to you? I have had ribbon supertweeters, and you can't hear them when you put your ear to them.