Elecraft

K2 Speaker Replacement

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James Kern

K2 Speaker Replacement

Well I did it. By accident at field day I overloaded the K2's speaker
with too strong a signal and with the volume accidentally turned up
and I think I blew it out. It sounds like crap now.. yet plugging in
an external speaker sounds just fine. Should I contact Elecraft for a
replacement or is there some speaker that is a 'must have' to replace
the internal one? Thanks,

James KB2FCV

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wa6fwf

Re: K2 Speaker Replacement

Hi James,
I would order one from Elecraft, it is the one you `must have', it has an
output spl of 95 db which is very good efficiency, if you were to replace it
with anything else you have to match that number or better or the audio out
will be at a lower level for the same volume setting.

73
Kevin WA6FWF

----- Original Message -----
From: <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 9:22 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] K2 Speaker Replacement

> Well I did it. By accident at field day I overloaded the K2's speaker
> with too strong a signal and with the volume accidentally turned up
> and I think I blew it out. It sounds like crap now.. yet plugging in
> an external speaker sounds just fine. Should I contact Elecraft for a
> replacement or is there some speaker that is a 'must have' to replace
> the internal one? Thanks,
>
> James KB2FCV
>
>

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James Kern

RE: K2 Speaker Replacement

Makes sense to me! Ordering one today.. 73,

James Kern
KB2FCV

-----Original Message-----
From: kevin schuchmann [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 12:38 AM
To: [hidden email]; [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 Speaker Replacement

Hi James,
I would order one from Elecraft, it is the one you `must have', it has an

output spl of 95 db which is very good efficiency, if you were to replace it

with anything else you have to match that number or better or the audio out

will be at a lower level for the same volume setting.

73
Kevin WA6FWF

----- Original Message -----
From: <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 9:22 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] K2 Speaker Replacement

Stuart Rohre

Re: K2 Speaker Replacement

In reply to this post by James Kern

James,
Before replacing, it may be that you only knocked it off center of the voice
coil.

Take out the speaker and view it from all angles. Is the Cone off center?

If the thing looks like it is, you might put three fingers and thumb equally
around edge of voice coil at narrow end of cone, and push in gently and
release. This might restore the centering. If not, you have not lost much
time.

There is also the possibility that you had such as strong signal that you
magnetized part of the frame of the speaker. That is more tricky, but you
might use a compass to see if symmetrical positions around the speaker frame
circumference the compass needle deflects the same amount. You do this by
putting speaker in a circle you have drawn on paper by tracing around the
magnet. Now, carefully tie a string onto compass so that you may keep it a
defined distance from the framework as you move it to differing positions.
Keep string taut between frame and compass for each datapoint. You could
record the amplitudes as so many degrees from North, 0 degrees.

If you find a very unsymmetrical magnetic field plot, you might as well
order a replacement speaker from Elecraft. You might be able to degauss the
frame with a VCR tape hand held degausser of the Hockey Puck style that Hi
Fi shops used to sell, but you do not want to degauss the permanent magnet
at the back of the cone.

GL, 73,
Stuart
K5KVH

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Ron D'Eau Claire-2

K2 Speaker Fix (WAS: K2 Speaker Replacement)

A repair for the Elecraft K2 speaker with a rubbing voice coil that worked
for me is as follows:

Remove the K2 lid and lay it on the bench next to the rig with the speaker
connected so you can access the back of the speaker while listening.

Enable the sidetone so you hear it in the speaker. It should sound raspy of
the voice coil is rubbing.

Use a LARGE screwdriver with a wide blade and place it between the edge of
the black magnet and the frame. Turn the screwdriver so it wedges between
the magnet and the frame. It's a good idea to hold the tip with one hand so
you don't poke it into the cone by accident! Apply a little twisting
pressure while listening - just enough to move the magnet slightly but not
enough to make a permanent bend in the frame.

Work your way around the speaker repeating the act with the screwdriver at
each frame. Normally at one point the tone will become clear when the
pressure moves the voice coil so it's not dragging against the magnet any
longer. When you find that point, apply additional pressure on the
screwdriver to make a permanent bend in the frame. Work in small steps so
you don't go too far. (If you overdo it, you have to do it over again!)
You'll know you're FB when the tone stays nice and clear when you remove the
screwdriver.

--------------------

The frames of these speakers seem to be made of a lot softer metal than
other loudspeakers I've worked with. They're packaged by the manufacturer
for shipment so the face of the speaker takes the weight and the magnet is
only supported by the frame. I've come to the conclusion that they've
probably become bent in shipment when the box or a whole container of them
hit the ground hard.

Once they're in the K2 they are safe. Or they should be. I fixed my speaker
over four years ago when I built my K2 and it's still FB. But then I'm not
in the habit of dropping the K2 onto a hard floor <G>.

Ron AC7AC

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