New Vifa NE Line

[JonMarsh]

As much as they do this, you'd think so. My guess is that someone's bottom in logistics or shipping is going to get spanked, because I'd imagine that this is not an isolated case, anymore than the mis filing of the AL and TI tweeters appears to be.

In Madisound's defense, I can't recall when I've gotten a product with this kind of shipping damage. This is not the first time for me with PE, unfortunately.

Madisound wraps bulk tweeters individually fully in a cardboard loop at the least; though most of the recent ones have been received in styrofoam trays. Of course, the expensive stuff like SS is individually packaged.

The five inch and 6-1/2" Vifa woofers received yesterday and today were packaged as Madisound does for items like Seas Prestige; with a cardboard trapezoidal wrap around, taped at the ends. No problems with those.

[matt12v]

Testing the 5" NE also? Very interesting. I am seriously considering pulling the trigger on a pair of the 8" NE woofers for the bottom end of a 3 way system. I look forward to your results Jon, thanks!

Sorry to hear about the tweeter issue you guys are having. I just went through the same problem with "Musicians Friend" what a PITA.

[Kevin Haskins]

As much as they do this, you'd think so. My guess is that someone's bottom in logistics or shipping is going to get spanked, because I'd imagine that this is not an isolated case, anymore than the mis filing of the AL and TI tweeters appears to be.

In Madisound's defense, I can't recall when I've gotten a product with this kind of shipping damage. This is not the first time for me with PE, unfortunately.

Madisound wraps bulk tweeters individually fully in a cardboard loop at the least; though most of the recent ones have been received in styrofoam trays. Of course, the expensive stuff like SS is individually packaged.

The five inch and 6-1/2" Vifa woofers received yesterday and today were packaged as Madisound does for items like Seas Prestige; with a cardboard trapezoidal wrap around, taped at the ends. No problems with those.

I've never had a Madisound problem either but some of the packaging is suspect. It doesn't cost that much to have them packaged right. On the Anarchy it was an extra $0.50/driver for the individual boxing. I had to buy some x2 driver box sets that add another $0.75 to the cost in duals. I've had no shipping damage to date so it must have worked. The cost for an individual box for these tweeters would have been less than $0.25 each. It would easily have paid for itself in the first shipment.

[Bear]

As much as they do this, you'd think so. My guess is that someone's bottom in logistics or shipping is going to get spanked, because I'd imagine that this is not an isolated case, anymore than the mis filing of the AL and TI tweeters appears to be.

You can't really blame the manufacturer on those. I'm sure PE makes a better margin than many distributors of mass market commodities, but the cost of repairing the ones that come back and blowing them back out as "specials" will no doubt eat up a large chunk of their profit margin on the products. Let's hope they get it under control soon.

[JonMarsh]

Well, I have a response from PE today, seeking to clarify how much was damaged, though I thought I was pretty descriptive and specific the first time in my email.

BTW, the 3/4" part is much smaller than I realized, considerably so than the 1" part. All of them, and the woofers, have built in light gray foam mounting gaskets, fairly nice.

[TacoD]

Thanks for the measurements, now to find a reason to try these .

[Jed]

Well, I have a response from PE today, seeking to clarify how much was damaged, though I thought I was pretty descriptive and specific the first time in my email.

BTW, the 3/4" part is much smaller than I realized, considerably so than the 1" part. All of them, and the woofers, have built in light gray foam mounting gaskets, fairly nice.

If it makes you feel better, I received about 10 broken Xt25s over the course of 3-4 orders, because they didn't protect the nose of the tweeter (all were replaced with free return shipping). PE assured me they would pack them differently/better in the future. I hope they do the same for this new line of tweeters. It's best to call them if you want things done really quickly.

Jed

[JonMarsh]

Thanks for the measurements, now to find a reason to try these .

The measurements on this thread were the old Peerless Exclusive- see the Modula Project measurement thread in Drivers Wanted for the NE180W "private investigations". I have the NE149W, too, but probably won't get to them for a few weeks- it's for a future project.

[Kevin Haskins]

If it makes you feel better, I received about 10 broken Xt25s over the course of 3-4 orders, because they didn't protect the nose of the tweeter (all were replaced with free return shipping). PE assured me they would pack them differently/better in the future. I hope they do the same for this new line of tweeters. It's best to call them if you want things done really quickly.

Jed

Well.... they are trying to set a record with this batch. I received the Ti today and guess what....... yep. They dented these ones too.

They threw two tweeters in light weight plastic bags into a padded envelope and shipped them. How any thinking person would think that they would make it unharmed is beyond me. :roll:

Well... they are paying for it. At this point they have yet to get me the right pair of tweeters and they have paid for six tweeters and shipping four times. They won't make much money at this rate. At some point I assume I'll get something that I can actually measure.

[JonMarsh]

I'm still waiting for my RMA forms. :W

[cjd]

Has someone escalated the issue to be sure it's not just the CS person on the other end of the phone, and they know it's an overwhelming issue?

[Kevin Haskins]

Has someone escalated the issue to be sure it's not just the CS person on the other end of the phone, and they know it's an overwhelming issue?

Hell no... they are my competitors so I hope they screw up every order except for mine.

[cjd]

ahhh, you're carrying these tweeters? :P nice!

[jkrutke]

Did any of you guys with mashed tweeters get to keep any of those? If yes, it would be cool if you could cut one open and tell us about the internal construction. Vent opening size, pole piece geometry, presence and positioning of any copper, former ventilation, etc. Also I'd like to know if the leads are connected to the former 180 degrees apart or both closer to one side.

[JonMarsh]

Well, doesn't look like I'll get to do that- Monday they said they would be sending an Email with forms to print out for returning via FedEX. Hmmm, it is Thursday, and no forms. Also no notice of shipment of replacement tweeters. The irony here, is that if Madisound had the Ti versions in stock, I would have just ordered from them.

Well, we'll see how this goes, and I'll keep the board appraised of any progress, should it occur!

[Kevin Haskins]

ahhh, you're carrying these tweeters? :P nice!

No.... I'm not carrying them. I'm just being a goofball.

They are nice looking little guys if I could just get the right part without the dimple. Maybe they should have designed a screen over them. That is something I like about the Seas DXT, you don't have to worry about the kids pushing the button.

John: I don't have a pair to cut open. PE sent me a return label and I doubt of they would like getting them back in pieces.

[TacoD]

Did any of you guys with mashed tweeters get to keep any of those? If yes, it would be cool if you could cut one open and tell us about the internal construction. Vent opening size, pole piece geometry, presence and positioning of any copper, former ventilation, etc. Also I'd like to know if the leads are connected to the former 180 degrees apart or both closer to one side.

Oh is that how you design your drivers .

[cjd]

No.... I'm not carrying them. I'm just being a goofball.

I know. I was too.

How 'bout a nice XBL^2 tweeter? 3/4" dome capable of a 1k crossover?

[jkrutke]

Oh is that how you design your drivers .

Heheh. I'd have to say that's how Usher designs their drivers. Cut open a Scan Speak and clone away. Nothing against that, they are nice drivers anyway and someone has got to keep Scan's ridiculous prices in check.

It's more of just look and learn. The chances of me bringing a tweeter to market are almost zero. I don't think I could do better than some of the good stuff that's out there for cheap.

[Kevin Haskins]

I know. I was too.

How 'bout a nice XBL^2 tweeter? 3/4" dome capable of a 1k crossover?

That would be a stretch. There is a 1" dome XBL^2 dome that I've seen some pretty impressive distortion numbers on but I'd probably still keep the crossover @ 1.5K or above. I don't really need a lower crossover point than that anyway.

I'm not doing a tweeter for the same reason that John isn't. There really are already too many choices for raw tweeters on the market. I'm focusing my time on doing some high-end finished speaker designs that cost an arm and a leg so that I don't go bankrupt selling raw drivers.

[cjd]

That would be a stretch. There is a 1" dome XBL^2 dome that I've seen some pretty impressive distortion numbers on but I'd probably still keep the crossover @ 1.5K or above. I don't really need a lower crossover point than that anyway.

I'm not doing a tweeter for the same reason that John isn't. There really are already too many choices for raw tweeters on the market. I'm focusing my time on doing some high-end finished speaker designs that cost an arm and a leg so that I don't go bankrupt selling raw drivers.

You make too much sense. :P Maybe not enough cents

I have another project where I might want to use the Anarchy already, though I would jump at an 8" if it were available... wheeeee...

sidetrack at all? us? noooooooo, never.

[augerpro]

Sent some NE tweeters to Zaph.

1" Al, anodized Al, Ti, and fabric
3/4" Al and fabric

[Silversmoky]

Great! Thanks. Anxious to see how these test

[dwk]

Sent some NE tweeters to Zaph.

1" Al, anodized Al, Ti, and fabric
3/4" Al and fabric

Does that mean you've done enough of your own testing to have made a decision on the potential use of the NE tweets in the BBv2? I have a similar-but-different application of the FR88 in mind, so I've been interested in the direction you're going.

[Kevin Haskins]

Wow.... received my third set of tweeters yesterday. Guess what..... one of the two is dimpled! At least I have one to measure now.

Hard to believe that they cannot figure out this shipping thing. Three different shipments, 3 of 4 tweeters damaged and one shipment with the wrong product.

[augerpro]

Does that mean you've done enough of your own testing to have made a decision on the potential use of the NE tweets in the BBv2? I have a similar-but-different application of the FR88 in mind, so I've been interested in the direction you're going.

I haven't had the time or the space in the garage to measure them, so I'm sending them to John and having him do the "grunt work"

[cjd]

Wow.... received my third set of tweeters yesterday. Guess what..... one of the two is dimpled! At least I have one to measure now.

Hard to believe that they cannot figure out this shipping thing. Three different shipments, 3 of 4 tweeters damaged and one shipment with the wrong product.

They feel so tiny and insignificant that close to the Maelstrom 21 that they just shrivel up in self-pity.

[augerpro]

Little fellows aren't they?!

[bmaupin]

Sent some NE tweeters to Zaph.

1" Al, anodized Al, Ti, and fabric
3/4" Al and fabric

Thank you very much for doing this. One of my favorite/cheap tweeters lately is the Vifa DX19 and I have been wondering how these will compare. The small faceplate (2") is very nice and makes a 3/4" tweeter mtm a better implementation vs the 3.7" DX19/XT19/OW1. I am also very interested to know how low the 1" variants can cross as well.

[Kevin Haskins]

Thank you very much for doing this. One of my favorite/cheap tweeters lately is the Vifa DX19 and I have been wondering how these will compare. The small faceplate (2") is very nice and makes a 3/4" tweeter mtm a better implementation vs the 3.7" DX19/XT19/OW1. I am also very interested to know how low the 1" variants can cross as well.

They should perform very well indeed considering their motor and suspension details. I wouldn't be monkeying around with them and PE if I didn't know something about their design.

Rest assured... the distortion measurements should be good. I'll be surprised and scratching my head if that isn't the case. The small format is useful too....

[Kevin Haskins]

They feel so tiny and insignificant that close to the Maelstrom 21 that they just shrivel up in self-pity.

They certainly work in smaller cabinets than a 21" subwoofer.

[JonMarsh]

Well, FINALLY, YESTERDAY, PE sent the special emails with the FedEX RMA paperwork so I could send these back- they'd sent the email survey about how happy I was with the resolution of the problems two days earlier! This is not the sort of performance I expect, and I suppose the survey feedback should reflect it.

Hopefully we'll get this all sorted out and have some results in a couple of weeks or so.

[LING GOWA]

Well, FINALLY, YESTERDAY, PE sent the special emails with the FedEX RMA paperwork so I could send these back- they'd sent the email survey about how happy I was with the resolution of the problems two days earlier! This is not the sort of performance I expect, and I suppose the survey feedback should reflect it.

Hopefully we'll get this all sorted out and have some results in a couple of weeks or so.

Discusting service if you ask me.
I've never had any problems with Solen, Mad or Meniscus.

[jkrutke]

Discusting service if you ask me.
I've never had any problems with Solen, Mad or Meniscus.

They've improved their shipping of these tweeters. I just got 4 of them in direct from PE thanks to Brandon, and each tweeter had it's own plastic box, which was inside another box, which was inside the shipping box.

Are you ready for this? Two were still damaged. One aluminum dome has a minor scrape/dent where the two plastic guards were pushed in and another one had one of the plastic guards broken on one end. The plastic rails are so flimsy that they may as well not even be there. This is all cosmetic however and I will still be able to test them. I don't think the aluminum one is creased enough to affect the response, and I just superglued the grill on the other one and it looks like new.

The only way these should be shipped is secured in a way so that the grill area of the dome does not touch anything. Sort of like what they do at Mad, with those styrofoam formed slotted holders.

[JonMarsh]

The only way these should be shipped is secured in a way so that the grill area of the dome does not touch anything. Sort of like what they do at Mad, with those styrofoam formed slotted holders.

I'm in violent agreement with you about this one... would have ordered from Madisound if they'd had them in stock.

[dsrviola]

Got my 3/4" titaniums and they came in perfect shape.

Lucky me?

[JonMarsh]

VERY lucky, I'd say!

[Kevin Haskins]

VERY lucky, I'd say!

This is hard to believe.... they sent me a single replacement and it made it intact. They used my recommended packing solution but guess what?

THEY SENT THE WRONG TWEETER AGAIN!!!! Arg.... this is beyond crazy. I've had FOUR shipments with either the wrong or damaged product and I STILL DON'T have a functioning set of tweeters!!!!

[JonMarsh]

Maybe you'd be better off handling it in a more relaxed fashion, and let other people drive them up the learning curve. I've been gone on business travel, and just got mine shipped off today. I expect I'll get shipped back the wrong 1" tweeters, too.

Somehow, they have their priorities mixed up- I got the survey forms for how well they did fixing my problems long before the RMA form- several days, in fact.

Well, we'll see what happens. Maybe they'll figure out which ones go in which box some time this month.

[jkrutke]

This is hard to believe.... they sent me a single replacement and it made it intact. They used my recommended packing solution but guess what? THEY SENT THE WRONG TWEETER AGAIN!!!!

They sent me the wrong one too, supposed to get aluminum but got titanium. (dented too) But, they have the correct one on the way. Supposedly, we'll see. Place your bets now if I get the correct tweeter, AND not dented. :B

[LING GOWA]

Is this the new season of LOST?

[Kevin Haskins]

I've been very calm. I don't yell and scream over silly things like tweeters. I'm just amazed at the ability to screw up multiple orders this badly. I'm embarrassed for them every time I call to get it fixed.

In defense of PE.... they have been very good in the past. I've been ordering things from them for years and I've never seen this level of incompetence. When there has been a problem they have always been very quick to fix it and that is all you can ask of a person.

[cjd]

I was a little surprised at the packing quality on a recent order - I think they have been having to try and cut costs and not necessarily always wisely. Could be they hired some new folks in the warehouse - I see new COLOR declarations all the heck over my packing slips, probably what aisle stuff is in.

My RS28F tweeters arrived in good condition though...

(NO idea what I'm doing with them... honestly, what is WRONG with me... heh)

[MuaDibb]

I see where everyone is ordering tweets, and I'm anxiously awaiting some tests results to pop up but...... I haven't seen anybody thats ordering the little silk dome. Any reasons? I think it might pair nicely with the TB704D's I picked up at the last PE tent sale.

[bmaupin]

I see where everyone is ordering tweets, and I'm anxiously awaiting some tests results to pop up but...... I haven't seen anybody thats ordering the little silk dome. Any reasons? I think it might pair nicely with the TB704D's I picked up at the last PE tent sale.

Sent some NE tweeters to Zaph.

1" Al, anodized Al, Ti, and fabric
3/4" Al and fabric

I think you just haven't heard about any damage to fabric domes.