Forums - Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled.

Nirav

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Posts: 4

Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled.
02/28/22 at 15:04:52

I asked the owner, and he said that they weren't used for a few months, and when he did use them it was seldom. Currently, they sound a bit muffled in highs and lows, almost like they aren't truly broken in.

I've been running them for a few days about 3 hours per day. My question is, is it because they need to be broken in, in case they haven't been used often, or something else? Thank you in advance.

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HockessinKid Seasoned Member Posts: 1290	Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled. Reply #1 - 02/28/22 at 15:22:14 Check the speaker cones and make sure the foam or rubber surrounds are still intact and glued to the cones. If separated, this can cause a muffled sound. HK
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Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 26795	Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled. Reply #2 - 02/28/22 at 15:28:39 Check to be sure the resistors are properly connected and that the tweeter is operational. That's how the RL-2 can sound when the tweeters are not operating.
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Nirav

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Posts: 4

Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled.
Reply #3 - 03/01/22 at 16:09:00

@Hockessinkid, The speaker cones and the rubber surrounds are intact.
@Lon, The tweeters are operational, sound does come out but waiting for the clarity to kick in which is why i thought i may need another break-in period. It is on wood floors, added the spikes which helped a bit but not as much on the highs. Do you mean the resistors in the inside of the speakers?

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Lon

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Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled.
Reply #4 - 03/01/22 at 16:14:54

I meant the resistors at the binding posts at the back. If you are getting sound out of the tweeters some are in place. Though they could be high enough a value to attenuate the tweeter too much for the balance you want to achieve. . . .

They may have not broken in originally --IIRC these take a long time to fully break in--and if they sat a few months they could use some time to loosen up again. I think you may be hearing better sound as you put more hours on them.

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Nirav

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Posts: 4

Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled.
Reply #5 - 03/02/22 at 16:45:21

I looked up the resistors that would be on the binding posts, I didn't receive those with the purchase, I'm using the main bottom binding posts for connection.

I do feel a slight difference in sound each day. Read that it sometimes takes about 200 hours to fully break-in, I'm hoping that's it. Thanks for your input. I'll report back in a few weeks.

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Lon

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Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled.
Reply #6 - 03/02/22 at 17:05:34

I do believe you will want to add resistors to bridge the upper and lower binding posts and bring the tweeter fully into operation. I used quite high values as I find treble energy irritating--that's me, most others used 5 watt or 10 watt or so 10 ohm resistors. Highly recommend you try that out as it will bring much more to the sound. Or for no attenuation just a wire connection between posts as Archie recommends.

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Archie Seasoned Member Posts: 2731	Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled. Reply #7 - 03/02/22 at 17:08:30 Quote: I'm using the main bottom binding posts for connection. You are at least using jumpers between the upper and lower binding posts?
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Lon

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Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled.
Reply #8 - 03/02/22 at 19:56:11

Nirav wrote on 03/02/22 at 16:45:21:

I do feel a slight difference in sound each day. Read that it sometimes takes about 200 hours to fully break-in, I'm hoping that's it.

Yes, I owned these for years, and now my best friend in Texas is still using them--he's had them for nine years now. They did take quite a long time to break in, more than 200 hours, more like 500 iirc. But I think the "muffled" sound you are hearing is the ribbon tweeters not having sufficient if any output.

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Nirav Verified Member Posts: 4	Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled. Reply #9 - 03/03/22 at 13:45:28 Yes, Jumpers are connected. I didn't receive the resisters from the previous owner, maybe he lost them? Does anyone know the type of resisters it originally came with so i can purchase them.
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Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 26795	Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled. Reply #10 - 03/03/22 at 14:10:54 They came with cement 10 ohm resistors I believe, originally I received 5 watt if I remember correctly. They are available on amazon.
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Archie Seasoned Member Posts: 2731	Re: Just bought used RL 1.5...sound muffled. Reply #11 - 03/03/22 at 16:31:41 I used 2.7ohm for my HR1s. I think I may have eventually taken them out completely and ran just with jumpers. I think the HR1s run on a similar principle, that's why I mention them here.
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