Damaged Diamond Dome

[Angioguy]

Just took delivery on a new pair of rosenut 802D's today but was disappointed to find that the one of the tweeters was broken. The opaque, white material just beneath the tweeter grill looks like broken egg shell, and I can almost see inside the tweeter: Is this a diaphragm or the diamond dome itself?

The dealer (whom I like and respect) tell me that this part is very fragile and was likely damaged during shipping; that when it breaks, the material immediately disintegrates-- which makes sense, because I didn't see tiny "eggshell" fragments anywhere. From what I've read, these domes can cost ~ US $1200! They called B&W, and a new one is on the way. They said that replacing this part is a five minute operation, and I don't need a new speaker.

I'm also told that each diamond dome is specifically matched to the other drivers in that particular speaker, so in this case having the serial number-- which they requested-- of the affected speaker makes a difference?

I don't want to spoil my first in-home listening experience, so will hold off on hooking them up until the new part arrives.

Is this a common occurrence? Just curious to hear your thoughts about it.

Thanks

[Aldo]

Do not accept a replacement for the tweeter! Ask your dealer to send you a new brand and packed pair! It is so expensive to let these happend!

[azvantage]

I would also recommend getting a brand new speaker. Have the dealer take the repaired one back.

[Aldo]

I return my first ever 800s pair just because they have a little finish detail in the wood venner, that night I could not sleep just thinking what the dealer will say.... the next morning I order him to come to my house and take both speakers and I wait another month for the replacement, keeping that speaker is like keeping a crashed new Ferrari with the promise of the dealer of fixing it!
If your dealer doesnt agree send an email to B&W they will understand!

[Angioguy]

Would you have them take only damaged one back or the pair? Is there any good reason for having a pair with consecutive serial numbers?

[Aldo]

I don't think so.. but meny people do, that match... what do they have to match, and remember that they also sell singles for the 6th channel or for the center front speaker when you have an audio clear screen.. so if they replace you just one I would agree! Lets pray they want to change you one!

[fauzigarib]

Would you have them take only damaged one back or the pair? Is there any good reason for having a pair with consecutive serial numbers?

Yes, there is a good reason to have consecutive serial numbers... resale value is better.

I concur.. call the dealer and have him ship out another pair... no matter how long it takes.

But if the conversation does go sour, follow up with B&W personally... not just email. And on a daily basis. Make it your personal mission in life to not only ensure that you get a brand new pair of speakers, but also make your dealer regret he ever said no to you.

Good luck,

Fauzi

[misterdoggy]

Matched pair, consequent serials. Do you think they prepare pairs ? Hmmmmmmm

I blew a tweeter and had a replacement come and the operation takes about 3 minutes and I could guide anyone thru it.

Matching domes for certain speakers. I'm afraid I don't think so. These are just mass produced parts on an assembly line.

Try to imagine that there is several people who sit and try out different domes and speakers to see what matches. This would not be time effective.

I know that you are all pushing for a new pair, but the diamond dome is nothing to fix. You just unscrew the back it releases the tweeter asembly, take off the 2 wires and voila its done. Its not just the dome, its the Tweeter Assembly that gets replaced.

My advice is don't get involved in replacement, replace the tweeter and all will be OK. Its nothing to do.

That is if nothing else has been damaged.

[fauzigarib]

That is if nothing else has been damaged.

Misterdoggy,

You're ver right, that it's an easy job.. I don't argue.. And keeping in mind how long it takes for a replacement to come in, it might be best to not get involved.

However, your qualification above is one of the main reasons that he should fight for a new pair. Also, at this price range, I feel that EVERYTHING, including the physical delivery should be pulled off without a hitch at the company's responsibility. Yes, that would be true in an ideal world, and practically may not be possible. However, there's no harm in trying... and he'll forever escape the potential of.. "Did I hear a harshness in the sound? Could it be that something else was damaged with the tweeter?"

I still think he should try. He has nothing to lose and everythign to gain... Plus, he's spent a ton of money.

Good luck,

Fauzi

[yourtoys7]

Wow, sorry to hear this, but I would be after NEW speakers with out a quastion! Nothing else would do or take speakers away and give me my refund.
The price he paid is for NEW not demaged, it might not be big thing, but it is demaged period.
fauzigarib...
I see what you say and that is why I wouldn't accept anything but NEW.

If dealer won't do this, call B&W and talk to them, I would return my 804S, never mind the 802D.

[Charles]

It's not the end of the world if you have to replace the tweeter, but you purchased a new and perfect matched pair and probably didn't pick the shipping company, I would think it is their problem and would expect them to give you exactly what you paid for.

[Angioguy]

Having read some of your comments last night about forgoing repair of the damaged tweeter and accepting nothing less than a complete replacement of the pair of 802D's, I didn't sleep a wink.... I dread conflict, but realized this is the right path to take.

I awoke this morning and went immediately to my dealer to discuss my concerns, one of which is, "what other damage might there be that is not visually obvious, like a damaged dome?" The critical, compulsive side of me believes the speaker is forever "damaged," even if I were to have them replace the tweeter, and I'd never look at it the same again.

The dealer had the new tweeter (shipped overnight) but was sympathetic to my plight and suggested I discuss the matter with somebody in the upper eschelon at B&W, because he believed they wouldn't immediately replace the pair. I told him I would welcome a dialogue with this person and left the store with the idea that things might be looking up.

Just heard from the guys at the dealer, and I'm happy to say, that they are going to replace the pair for me! :T Now I really have something to look forward to.

I am counting the days til I have my new-- and hopefully intact babies-- and will let you know how things turn out.

Thanks again for your thoughts!

[ShadowZA]

Glad that things are working out fine, Angioguy :T

[dknightd]

Glad things worked out. I think I might have just replaced the tweeter, but if you felt uncomfortable then you did the right thing by having the whole speaker pair replaced. You don't want to spend that much money and have lingering concerns. It must be hard though to have those speakers in your house and not power them up. I'm not sure I could be that patient.

[WI Rotel]

Just replace the tweeter it will work just fine. As has been said above, its a mass production part not a artisan hand made piece. Changing a driver is something anyone can do very easily, unless its a glued rather than screwed part, even if glued, I'm certain its made for pretty simple exchange.

[jim777]

I don't know about B&W but some companies do make phase measurements to match pairs of drivers together. Sorry I don't remember which company. Many amplifier companies match output transistors or tubes, it's not such a big deal.

But if the serial number was requested, they could have picked a tweeter to match the one that was on file.

Anyway, you got yourself a new pair, that's great! I understand your fealings about always having the impression that they are broken or repared. I got problems with my CD player and repairs kept me nervous so I finally got a new replacement. I feel so much better now

[SRT-10 Viper]

I had a bad woofer on an 800D when it arrived... The way I looked at it, the finish of the speaker was great so why risk getting one with finish not as good. The dealer fixed the woofer in 10 minutes.

[yourtoys7]

little to late to add this as New ones comming! could have asked for additional discount !
Could of been good deal.... but better to have piece of mind :>

[misterdoggy]

little to late to add this as New ones comming! could have asked for additional discount !
Could of been good deal.... but better to have piece of mind :>

This is the path I would have taken. Get cash off the ones you got. You deserve another 10% for your inconvenience and believe you me they would be happier not spending the money sending you a pair.

Also: This idea about matching tweeters, I have had 3 tweeters in the box, and there is a part number on the box and that is it. They don't have notations like, this one is more like this or that, only a part number. I seriously doubt and will check with my sources at B&W that they pick and match tweeters.

I mean think about it. Speakers are built on an assembly line. Like Cars. They move from place to place. The tolerances each speaker must have to meet certain standards.

I can't imagine them popping in and out woofers, midrange (which is a pain to get to) and tweeters with someone with golden ears saying "AHHH thats the B&W sound" lets call this a pair. I think this is naive.

Maybe 2 made in sequential serial numbers would have similar everything built at the same time ie: not one from 6 months earlier etc.

Time = Money and the cost has to be kept reasonable or we will be paying even more for 800D's etc.

Bottom line: Is the tweeter is very fragile and can break quite easily and its no biggey to change.

[RebelMan]

I concurr with misterdoggy and Viper, if everything about the speakers looks fine and they work, with the exeption of the damaged driver of course, then a driver replacement would have been the logic path to take. There are risks involved with each replacement. When I purchased my 803S I had them replaced TWICE and I almost had to replace them a third time. The left speaker of my third pair ended up having a slight imbalance with the tweeter (or perhaps it was the crossover). It would be completely unnoticed to the untrained ear. Still it bothered me that it wasn't a "perfect" pair just because I bought it new. I could have had the pair replaced yet again but decided that it was a minor enough issue that I could live with.

[Jesse111]

B&W knows how nutty us audiophiles can be. So they cater to us, thus a new pair is on the way. We keep them in business. They make so much money on these speakers what's a little extra shipping to them once in a blue moon? Not much.

Matched tweeters? Hard to imagine. B&W will get that pair back, pop in a new tweeter straight off the assembly line and sell them. I think this is a case of peice of mind. Even sophisticated instruments I don't believe would have shown any audible difference any more than two tweeters coming off the line one right after the other. These things are massed produced to exacting specs. They're all the same. It just felt better getting a new pair. Hopefully this pair won't come with a fork lift whole ripped through the side of the cabinet. Personally I would have enjoyed changing the tweeter so I could have had a good excuse to look inside.

[Birdy]

B&W will get that pair back, pop in a new tweeter straight off the assembly line and sell them. .

I completely agree; they change the tweeter, put everything back into a new box and send them away to a "happy" new owner... :B :B :B .

Had the same with my engine's car, broke down; they replaced it with a "new" one 8O the dealer told me that my broken engine would be repaired, reconditionned and back in the line to replace a future other broken engine!

For BW it's not a bad deal, they had to replace the tweeter anyway so they just have the shipping costs to send a new set of speakers on top of it; for them the extra cost is minimum and they make some serious good publicity (apart that the tweeter broke down) they're taking excellent care of their customers!

This the way things are going those days.

Birdy

[misterdoggy]

Here's the box with the part number and a quick diagram how it comes apart. Basically you unscreww the rear tube that sticks out which frees the whole assembly.

But Its snug in place and needs a little push from the rear. then it exposes the 2 wires which you unhook. Then it comes out voila.

The Tweeter motor is held in place by a plastic collar which unscrews and slides off and the assembly breaks in to 3 parts. Takes about 2 minutes.

[chinets]

Get B&W to send you a NEW speaker. You deserve that after all it is your money they are taking. You NEED and DESERVE top service for expensive equipment, so DEMAND IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And you will get it!!!!

[Jesse111]

Hypothetical converstation;

The first B&W engineer says to the second one, "This customer wants a new pair of 802's because the tweeter is broke. Now you know and I know that there's no difference between our tweeters right?" The second engineer says, " Sure, I know and you know but there's a whole lot of crazy audiophiles reading about this situation on HTGuiede.com so we better sure as heck send out another pair." :rofl:

Hey Angioguy, it's all good, just having a bit of fun. It's your money. If you want a new pair, that's your choice. You're gonna love your new 802D's. Let us know what you think when you finally get them tuned in. Congratulations.

[Angioguy]

The dealer showed me the replacement tweeter assembly-- nice rendition misterdoggy-- which is the threaded portion receiving the wires on the left.

Knowing what a simple operation it is to replace, makes me know that if it breaks sometime down the road, I can have it fixed with relative ease; but on a brand new factory sealed pair of speakers? Who knows what actually happened in-transit for the tweeter to have broken? Who is to say the speaker has not sustained any other internal damage?

These guys were talking about coming in and testing the driver with sweep tones and other equipment after installing it... I started to get a bad taste in my mouth. My gut feeling is you ought to get what you pay for; the dealer is going to replace the pair, as many of you believe he should.

The next question is, what is the life expectancy of the tweeter assuming it survives the trip from the factory-- or should I consider stocking my own shelves with extra tweeters?

Thanks again

[misterdoggy]

It shouldn't break and its under guarantee in any case for years to come. Mine only broke because of a short in my Lexicon that sent a blast of a signal.

I wouldn't worry about it. Enjoy the new pair. They stock parts for many years to come.

[george_k]

I'm surprised they didn't open the boxes at the store to ensure there were no problems with them before bringing them to your house. A 5-minute inspection could have saved you both a lot of grief.

[Gump]

Get B&W to send you a NEW speaker. You deserve that after all it is your money they are taking. You NEED and DESERVE top service for expensive equipment, so DEMAND IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And you will get it!!!!

And make sure you use lot's of EXCLAMATION points when you do, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

[Gump]

And make sure you use lot's of EXCLAMATION points when you do, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

(Just joking Chinets!! I enjoy your passion, man!!!!!) :rofl:

[misterdoggy]

I'm surprised they didn't open the boxes at the store to ensure there were no problems with them before bringing them to your house. A 5-minute inspection could have saved you both a lot of grief.

The are boxed like a fotress and straps hold them tight. To open them up at the store would negate the boxing. they wouldn't be able to re-box after.

[RebelMan]

Hopefully this pair won't come with a fork lift whole ripped through the side of the cabinet.

This is EXACTLY what happened to my second pair of 803S!!! :M

[RebelMan]

Hopefully this pair won't come with a fork lift whole ripped through the side of the cabinet.

This is EXACTLY what happened to my second pair of 803S!!!

[chinets]

Thanks Gump!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a nice day!
Cheers