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Bad day at the factory ?

I

istari_knight

pfm Member
Spot the error:

t0jakj.jpg


Was just messing around with the positioning & noticed :rolleyes: (picture was taken after correcting the cables.) So what do you think ? Friday afternoon, Monday morning or possibly just a new boy...

This means the previous owner had one wired out of phase for 20 years!
 
They could even be connected correctly the other side of the plate - You can normally tell out of phase speakers anyway - sound is hollow and difficult to place or off centre image etc. May be best to just open up the terminal plate, see inside and do the correction - should only take a few minites. :)

Don't think much of Castle's quality control though! :rolleyes:
 
I wonder how many more the same person did this with?
Am I right in assuming it suggests each box is not inspected too
 
All checked & can confirm the crossovers are PCB mounted directly to the plastic connection plate so the assembler must have screwed the binding posts into the wrong holes. Build quality is otherwise first rate but doesn't say much for the final inspection chap... Not that it matters now as they're all made in China :(
 
whatsnext said:
I wonder how many more the same person did this with?
Am I right in assuming it suggests each box is not inspected too
Click to expand...

Indeed, one can only wonder! Though only one of my pair is like it... Maybe someone else has a similar set :D They sound surprisingly passable with one out of phase but it really is the difference between good & great (as you might expect.)
 
Put a AA 1.5V battery across the terminals. Positive is normally taken to mean the woofer moves outwards
 
Are you sure the previous owner didn't dismantle them for some reason and then reconnect the wrong way ?
Although I guess mistakes can be made I find it difficult to believe they'd get out of the factory like that.
 
Truly Shocking if that was done at the factory.

When I worked at Kef, there were 4 different QA stages on the Reference Series that would have noticed a cock up like that.
 
Okay, let me answer you in order...

AudioAl said:
A one off hopefully :confused:
Click to expand...

We can hope so, as said previously the build quality is 1st class so just something that slipped the net I guess.

davidsrsb said:
Put a AA 1.5V battery across the terminals. Positive is normally taken to mean the woofer moves outwards
Click to expand...

Done - With the battery's + terminal connected to the red binding posts & the battery's - terminal connected to the black binding posts the bass driver moves inwards, when I swapped the connections over on the binding posts to match the label (and the other speaker in the pair) the bass driver moves outwards.

chrisletts said:
Are you sure the previous owner didn't dismantle them for some reason and then reconnect the wrong way ?
Although I guess mistakes can be made I find it difficult to believe they'd get out of the factory like that.
Click to expand...

Absolutely certain Chris, on the internal side of the connection plate there is a PCB containing the crossover components & the binding posts are screwed into position (through the PCB) before being soldered to the tracks. Whoever built them has installed the crossover PCB upside down on the connection panel.

Tarzan said:
Maybe the amplifier inverts phase?
Click to expand...

On one channel only ? The issue here isn't the amplifier but the fact one speakers binding posts have been installed incorrectly so someone connecting speaker cables by colour will have one working out of phase.

Durmbo said:
How is the arrangement on the other speaker?
Click to expand...

On the other speaker in the pair the binding posts match the label and phase is correct when tested with a battery.

2vss3eo.jpg


joleyami said:
Truly Shocking if that was done at the factory.

When I worked at Kef, there were 4 different QA stages on the Reference Series that would have noticed a cock up like that.
Click to expand...

Well quite, I would have expected at least one final quality control officer.... Maybe he was off sick that day & someone inexperienced in the role had to stand in ? It doesn't really matter now I've discovered it I can swap them over. I feel more for the chap I bought them off, didn't look like they'd been moved in 20 years & his cables definitely went red>red / black>black... I doubt the poor chap ever heard them as they should sound.
 
Actually I reckon there's quite a few people out there whose channels are out of phase either due to speaker connection or cables especially if they've made their own. I admit I have done it myself by mistake, but noticed straight away of course.
 
On a similar note I own a pair of speakers (in fact a whole system) made by a certain UK manufacturer who can 'hear if metal screws are used in the acrylic amp box' and that a metal casing makes the whole thing un-listenable, and on unpacking and hearing the speakers could tell instantly that one speaker had the tweeter unit out of phase with the Bass/Mid unit. I sent them back and the manufacturer, after listening at his own home, insisted there was nothing wrong until I persisted and he acknowledged that there was, in fact, an issue. I still have the e mail admitting to it.
 
chrisletts said:
Actually I reckon there's quite a few people out there whose channels are out of phase either due to speaker connection or cables especially if they've made their own. I admit I have done it myself by mistake, but noticed straight away of course.
Click to expand...

Of course :p

Its a new one on me (to my knowledge!) Its satisfying to know one's ears aren't completely shot, I thought they needed repositioning, little did I know...
 
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