RSIIIb crossover rebuild or not

Hello all, I have read and heard very mixed opinions on crossover rebuilds. I am the original owner of a set of 1985 RSIIIbs, superb condition, new woofer surrounds 18 months ago. What is the definitive word of the experts on the wisdom of a crossover rebuild? The mid and high freq. pots are noise free and work well. I can detect no audible or visual problems with any of the individual woofers, polydomes, or emits. The only thing I seem to detect is a possible subjective loss of natural "you are there" listening, fluidity, and a crowded, slightly pinched sense of the mids. They are driven by a Carver C-1 and M-1.5t, currently out for total rebuild, with all available upgrade/improvement mods (@ HiTech/Carver Audio), and will not be back with me until September The combating views are:

- Definitely need it, wrong frequencies to wrong individual speakers will damage the unit, esp. at high power level
- No need to do it, was very well designed with good components to begin with
- Will get real improvement, but safe to do without
- May or may not hear any difference
- Do it, but expect 100-200 hour break-in to hear the benefits

So, what to do while the amps are out? Wait and see how the RSIIIb's sound when they are returned? Or make use of the downtime and have the crossovers done?

Thanks to all for any help on this!

Is it something that interests you or would someone else be doing the work...?


The components inside your xover are old, could be fine, could not...

I believe that better components make better speakers and also enjoy the process of refurbishing/modifying...

will you hear a difference...?

depends how off the original stuff was and also how good your ears/ input is...

as far as speaker breaking in, its debatable, not 1 or 200 hrs...only takes a cart 40 to break in...if anything the woofer surround need time, but you have already done that...

Owning vintage speaker is a lot like owning a vintage car. You have to at least be able/willing to open the hood and do some MINOR work.

The RSIII's have a very basic crossover. It only has four capacitors in the entire crossover which is amazing. Those capacitors are 30 years old and need to be replaced. No question you will hear the difference. Replace just the capacitors nothing else.

http://www.infinity-classics.de/technik/manuals/RS_IIIA_technical_sheet.pdf

If done yourself its a inexpensive project. Many have recapped that model in this furom. Do some searches and get some ideas. If you are on a tight budget those Audyn caps from Partsexpress are the real deal. I recapped a pair of DQ10's with them which have many more caps for $80.00. Like waking a sleeping giant, great freakin speakers. My vote is to recap those Infinitys and they will last you another 30's years.
Jim

I will not be doing this myself. There is a problem with access - the woofers will apparently not come out, I have tried, and the shop that did the job had to replace the surrounds in place.

I will need an expert shop to do the XO, someone who can remove the woofers, or at least the upper one, without destroying it. I live an hour NW of NYC - anyone know of someone or someplace skilled, trustworthy and willing to do this work? I'm willing to drive 2 or 3 hours if needed!

Unless someone glued/siliconed them in after the repair job 18 months ago, they should come out w/ little effort. Originally there was just a thin ribbon of sealer on the seating rim.

I would caution you, to instruct who ever does your work to replace the components "tit for tat". as Infinity made running changes to the crossovers when they changed batches of drivers. The published lists of these may not be representitive of what's in your cabs.

I thought my rsIIIa's sounded great, until I recapped. The difference was quite noticible.

my two cents.

yeah...the woofers should come out after removing the screws...

Remove the screws.
Get an Allen wrench or something with a right angle.
Insert in the screw hole and pull hard.
They will come out.

Or get something that you can leverage off of like a piece of wood and use a thin screw drive to pop the woofers out.

Of course doing all this assumes you are able to do the minimal effort to replace the Caps.

Nope. I tried the allen wrench deal, and another tool also with a longer handle (yes, the screws were taken out) - they do not budge. I am not strength impaired. That's why I had to take the towers in rather than just ship the individual woofers out. The woofers were refoamed in place BECAUSE they would not come out.

With the tally so far unanimous to recap, I would like to go ahead. Just need a repair venue recommendation within a reasonable distance. Any suggestions?

Instead of pulling try to use a lever. I got my woofers out by using a sharp, wide chisel like a lever. You want to get the chisel between the metal ring and the enclosure, not deep, just a bit, 1 mm or so. And then gently twist the chisel. And then repeat going around the woofer as needed.

The sealing glue Infinity used is quite sticky stuff but should get loose. Unless someone had gone in earlier and used some superglue when putting the woofers back in...

Thanks, I'll give it a try. I can attest that the woofers have never been taken out. Maybe 30 years of glue crosslinking/cure have really set-up into epoxy hardness.

If still a no go, try using a putty knife (or 2) and work it carefully all the way around and cut/ pry the glue apart.

I've never run into an Infinity driver that was glued into its cabinet.

it wouldn't surprise me...people are crazy...

if you can't get the woofers out, you can't recap to xover...

Heat gun.

dangerous...you will melt the woofers...

Maybe take out the mid and push on the magnet from behind...

slimpikkins said:

Maybe take out the mid and push on the magnet from behind...

Click to expand...

There's an idea. I'm afraid I'll booger up the baffle by trying to pry it out - they really are in tight. Too busy today, will give it a go tomorrow or over the weekend.

i wouldn't want boogers on my baffle...