Mark's Kappa 9 Quest

[Daddyjt 9,612]

 

 

 

 

Ok, you guys have done two things: you've scared the 5hi7 out of me on that TT, AND you've made me realize what a killer deal I got from Gene on the ProJect... I'm going to stay on my safe little piece of heaven for now...

 

Thanks for the input:-)

LOL! phuk Mark, you want to spend $1,100 dollars? Go out and get the RPM 5.1 V2

 

Lol - for $1,400 there's a set of kappa 9s in Bend OR, which is 3.5 hours from where I'll be training in Yakima in a week... Must resist temptation....

 

[Nahash5150 10,685]

Sorry guys, after the move the thread got corrupted, so while trying to fix it, the posts had to be deleted.

[fill35U 1,846]

Sorry guys, after the move the thread got corrupted, so while trying to fix it, the posts had to be deleted.

 

Oh bummer! Well, hopefully Mark can repost the pics of the "twin coffins" in the truck bed. That was pretty cool! 

[Daddyjt 9,612]

So the trip turned out to be 4 hours each way, but the speakers were in such GREAT condition, I didn't care. I got back to my hotel at 1:30 am, and had to be to work at 6am. I moved the kappas to a luggage rack to get them into the room for safe keeping for the rest of the week. (Wonder what the maid thought...:->)

 

[Gene C 1,748]

Have you named them yet? And do they get their own bed in your room?

[fill35U 1,846]

 

 

Have you named them yet? And do they get their own bed in your room?

 

Heck, I bet they get their own *room*! They make Mark sleep in the truck!  

[Zoom 373]

 

 

 

Have you named them yet? And do they get their own bed in your room?

 

Heck, I bet they get their own *room*! They make Mark sleep in the truck!  

 

Classic!!

[Gene C 1,748]

Too bad you didn't get 7 of 9 as the Kappa girl.

 

[CT-Seven 764]

congrats mark on the pick up

[Daddyjt 9,612]

 

 

Have you named them yet? And do they get their own bed in your room?

 

The right one is James Westphall, and the left is Dr Kenneth Noisewater...;-)

[fill35U 1,846]

 

 

 

Have you named them yet? And do they get their own bed in your room?

 

The right one is James Westphall, and the left is Dr Kenneth Noisewater...;-)

 

Whoa, no need to get testy- you should be having a ball with those speakers! I hope that at least 60% of the time, they work every time.  

[Zoom 373]

 

 

 

Have you named them yet? And do they get their own bed in your room?

 

The right one is James Westphall, and the left is Dr Kenneth Noisewater...;-)

 

Ah...got it. 

Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde   

[Gene C 1,748]

You home yet Mark? Can't wait to hear your impressions.

[Daddyjt 9,612]

 

 

You home yet Mark? Can't wait to hear your impressions.

 

I am - got home late last night. I will probably get to them later this afternoon/evening. Taking the kids to the circus today (haven't really seen them in the past 3 weeks!)

 

Should I fix the dome before playing them, or can that wait a while?

[Gene C 1,748]

Fixing the dome will take 5 minutes tops. It will be easier to remove the entire polydome from the cabinet first while the cabinet is laying flat on its back. Once the polydome is out of the cabinet remove the screws holding the faceplate to the magnet and gently remove the faceplate from the magnet the dome will come out with the faceplate. You'll have access to the backside of the dome to gently push the indentations out. Please call me later if you have any questions.

 

If the hairdryer does need to get used make sure the polydome is assembled and back in the cabinet before you do and please call me before you use the hairdryer.

[Daddyjt 9,612]

Fixing the dome will take 5 minutes tops. It will be easier to remove the entire polydome from the cabinet first while the cabinet is laying flat on its back. Once the polydome is out of the cabinet remove the screws holding the faceplate to the magnet and gently remove the faceplate from the magnet the dome will come out with the faceplate. You'll have access to the backside of the dome to gently push the indentations out. Please call me later if you have any questions.

If the hairdryer does need to get used make sure the polydome is assembled and back in the cabinet before you do and please call me before you use the hairdryer.

Will do, brutha!

[Gene C 1,748]

The dome was a little more fucked than we thought so the 5 minutes was not a reasonable time frame.  However, Mark has that polydome calling him daddy right now.

[Daddyjt 9,612]

So I thought I should post a little "step by step" of my polydome repair saga. First though, I need to give a HUGE thanks to Carversite's resident Kappa expert, Gene - I would be lost in this, without his guidance.

 

Here is the dome in question - one smallish dent on the front, and a fairly large one spanning from 12 o'clock all the way to 2:30...

 

 

 

The 4 outer screws remove the polydome driver from the cabinet.

 

 

 

Then the 4 inner screws remove the magnet motor assembly from the bezel. At this point, you will have the bezel, with the dome attached, and the wires attached to the voice coil. Set the motor assembly aside.

 

 

This gives you access to the back side of the dome. If you are lucky, you can pop the dent out with gentle pressure. I was not lucky. My little dent wouldn't pop out, and my big one popped out somewhat, but it turned into 2 smaller dents. There is a "chalky" substance on the back of the dome - this is normal. In the photo, you can see where I was massaging the back of the dome, trying to pop the dents out. I also started the "hair dryer method" at this point too. Gentle heat with a hair dryer, while trying to massage the dents out.

 

 

Now I progresses to heading the whole dome. As you do this, the dome will become clear. DO NOT overheat the dome. It will clear quickly, once the heat is right. The dome material will be extremely pliable, and succeptable to damage while it is in the heated state - BE CAREFUL!!

 

 

 

 

Success! My damaged dome is almost perfect now!!

 

 

Now I need to go get some silicon in the morning - not an aerosol, but the liquid like what comes in the headlight refinishing kits. This needs to be gently wiped on the inside of the dome, as the heating process dries out the poly.

 

An important point -- DO NOT use a heat gun - they are WAY too hot. Use a hair dryer, and start with medium heat and low air volume. Increase heat if necessary (I had to).

 

 

[RussellHammond 97]

Gene you are a wealth of knowledge!

Mark, step by step along with photos ... Wow you guys make learning fun and you blaze the trail for those of us that do not have a clue:-)

Thank you both , oh and Mark appears the road trip was well worth it! Hope the travels were not too boring, long and lonely for you.

[Daddyjt 9,612]

 

 

Gene you are a wealth of knowledge!

Mark, step by step along with photos ... Wow you guys make learning fun and you blaze the trail for those of us that do not have a clue:-)

Thank you both , oh and Mark appears the road trip was well worth it! Hope the travels were not too boring, long and lonely for you.

Thanks Russ - road trip was definitely worth it:-) it was a little longer than I anticipated - about 9 hours round trip, with packing and loading, and a quick stop at Karl's Jr:-)

 

Oh, and thanks for the tip from Dom - I took foam sheets and made cut outs around the domes (poly & polygraph) before wrapping the cabinets. Arrived 100% intact after the 700 mile trip home!!

 

[zumbini 6,147]

Glad you managed to reshape the polydomes Mark. Time to hear them sing!

 

BTW:  If you ever need to reshape a poly dome in the future fill it with water before you heat it.

The water acts as a heat sink so you don't melt the poly and it helps to distribute the heat evenly.

[Gene C 1,748]

Mark is going to have a good time with those puppies on Sunday.

[dazed_and_confused 194]

I don't know anything about Kappa 9's, but there's a pair popped up for sale here on the Asylum, FYI.

 

Go get, you scurrilous fiends and blaggards ... 

[Daddyjt 9,612]

Got them downstairs and hooked up! Did just a bit of listening (MUCH more to come!). A couple quick observations : my 1.0t mkII pair DOES have yellow and red headroom lights:-) (I was never able to light them up with the RF7s...)

 

The mid range is TO DIE FOR... A little James Taylor and Allison Krause, and WOW. never knew what I was missing on vocals:-))

 

Much more listening to come - gotta go to a BBQ/picnic (although I'm thinking seriously about calling in sick...)

 

[Gene C 1,748]

Nice Mark! If you have the crossover pots set at normal on those right now, wait till you turn the pots up all the way on the Semit's and Emit's.  Your going to hear some spooky shit.