Blog, Speaker Repair Results

ADS Sticky Dome Tweeter Repair

Posted on by Cathy
ads sticky tweeter repair DSCN0165 4 1
25
Dec

The ADS sticky dome tweeters can be repaired. We can mount a new tweeter in the original faceplate and you can enjoy your high frequency sounds again.

Featured here is an ADS L810, but the same tweeter was used in almost all ADS models so this can work for you too. We can also use this technicque for many other obsolete brands and models, so please, tell your friends about our service.

Cathy

Cathy grew up in NY, moved to Florida in 1975 and graduated from the University of South Florida, with a degree in broadcasting. She and her husband Glenn started The Speaker Exchange in 1977. (Glenn later moved into Audio/Video sales and installations). In 1979, Cathy went to California for JBL speaker repair training and later received advanced training from Frank Spain, the then head of the Electro-Voice service department. She has continued to advance her audio education through many CES, NAMM, and CEDIA trade show classes.

24 thoughts on “ADS Sticky Dome Tweeter Repair”

  1. unclebif says:

    I have a blown and dismantled event electronics Tweeter #1825 (#1825). I’ve purchased your last one to replace it. I’ve noticed you had run out of stock before, and feel fortunate to find you had one left. I would like to have an extra as these are becoming difficult to find. Do you replace the voice coil, or replace the entire tweeter component into the faceplate? If only the faceplate is needed, I can send it alone. If the blown and dismantled tweeter components are needed I can also sent them. It disassembled easily.

  3. Rick says:

    I need to repair a blown tweeter in an L810 speaker. Would I pull the tweeter and sent it to you? Also, is there a way to clean the dust off the mid-range and tweeter in these speakers?
    Thanks,
    Rick

    • Cathy Satin says:

      Yes you would need to send the original tweeter to us. We will reuse the original faceplate and mount a different brand 1″ dome tweeter to it. Estimate $75.00 each. This will enable you to mount it back into your cabinet without any modifications to the cabinet or crossover. You might want to send both tweeters to us so you will have a matched pair.
      A sticky doping was used on the original midrange and tweeters and it does attract and hold dirt and dust. I do not know of any way to clean them. I would suggest leaving them alone. Any cleaning products you use will weaken the soft dome and it would be very easy to damage the voice coils. I would consider it is similar to a patina on a vintage product.

  5. Bob Carson says:

    Hi Cathy — I have ADS 710 speakers, one of them with no sound from the tweeter. Based on the earlier exchange, are you suggesting that I remove both tweeters and send them to you for retooling? Thanks.

    • Cathy Satin says:

      We upgrade the tweeter to a 1″ dome with a neo magnet instead of the .75″ original dome with a ceramic magnet. In addition, the original domes get dry and crack and the ferrofluid dries up so you probably are not hearing the full tweeter for the last few years. You will find this to be big improvement.

  8. mark martinez says:

    I have a pair of L1290 towers one of my 8.3″ Woofers is not working…I found that when I removed the magnet there is a thin cylinder with extremely thin wire coiled around it….and the two wire leads that connected it to the cone were broken….and and it was ni longer attached to the cone… model 206 0359 speaker.
    Can you give me a cost estimate to repair this or is there a speaker replacement you would recommend?

    • Cathy Satin says:

      I really wish you hadn’t removed the magnet. This would have been a very easy fix if you left the magnet in place. The thin cylinder you describe is called the voice coil. https://reconingspeakers.com/faq/how-to-identify-speaker-parts/
      It sounds like the pigtail or tinsel lead was broken and we could have easily releaded the wire. We do this by removing the original lead and then we go all the way back to the voice coil lead and attach a new tinsel lead. BUT, removing the magnet makes this moot. Now the speaker needs to have the magnet reattached and recentered and the woofer reconed. There is no way to center that voice coil while reattaching the magnet. The repair has to be done in two steps. Reattach and recenter the magnet and then recone which replaces all the moving parts including the voice coil. We will need to have the speaker in house to see how closely we can match the parts with the available options. In addition, I don’t know how you removed the magnet. Did it come off cleanly or did it crack or break? Send the speaker to us and we will give you a quote once we have it in house.

  9. Andre Richison says:

    Can you repair a L1290 midrange? It is caved in a bit . I installed a replacement from ebay but it stinks for sound, is ads but not made for the 1290. This model has a very large magnet and size to it as you know. Ads made better drivers for the L1290 s and L1590s I think

  10. PS says:

    Dear Cathy,

    I have ADS L1230 speakers (the one with angled midrange and tweeters), where the mid-ranges appear to output no sound. Nothing, as i can hear with a rolled-up paper test. The tweeters and woofers are sounding OK. Can a ‘dead’ midrange be rebuilt?

    Can you email a price for both midrange drivers? if you have any in stock I can buy them!
    Thanks,

    -PS

  12. Curtis Wong says:

    Hi Cathy Satin,

    I also have a ADSL 810 speakers and now realize you can replace my tweeters . Great! One side had developed a slight hiss on the high notes. I understand I would need to send both tweeters for a match set. Is it just a matter of unscrewing the tweeter plate? There must be some wires attached once the plate is removed. Please advise. The speakers have been in storage for years are the dome mid range subject to drying out and would you recommend replacing them at the same time?
    This same question would also apply to my ADS L 1530. It been years since the speakers have been hooked up .
    A long shot question regarding my L 1530. One speaker cabinet near the bottom had water damage and wondering if you have a source to make this kind of cabinet repair. I had to remove the lower section because the particle board had deteriorated.

    Best Regards

    Curtis

    A follow up question regarding my ADS L 810 tweeter replacement. I read elsewhere on line that the screws that secure the tweeter are very tight and difficult to remove. Please advise.
    Any information would be appreciated.

  13. Cathy Satin says:

    The drivers mount each with the 4 outside screws. Sometimes they need to be pried out. You can cut the wires about 1 inch from the speaker terminal. We can send it back with new crimp connectors.
    Where are you located? I can try to help with a cabinet repair company.

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