Have any of you ever replaced Magnepan 1.7 or 1.6 tweeters?


It's looking like I might have a problem with my Maggies. A buzzing/crackling in the range of 4k to 8k happens when the music gets more intense, most easily to male voices, when multiple voices join in on a chorus.  The problem just started about nine months ago, but now it's getting worse.  I have checked/replaced everything in my system and wiring and have come to the conclusion it must be the Maggies.
I have never looked at the socks or the staples, much less tried to remove them and work on the speakers.  I am pretty handy and own a wide assortment of mechanical and woodworking tools.  
If you have replaced your tweeters yourself please share some insight.  As I understand it, removing the socks and putting them back on is the most difficult part.  Is that so?  Sounds tedious, but not necessarily difficult. 
How are the tweeters attached?  I would be buying replacement tweeters, not trying to repair my current tweeters.  Are they glued on?  Any trick to getting them off & on?  How do you insure they are down tight and will stay tight?  Any special prep work?  Do you just solder the connections together using regular solder?  I read somewhere there is a special solder you should use.

Lots of question.
Thanks 

Toolbox
toolbox149

     That's a good idea, Randy.  The 1.7i are reviewed as being a big improvement from the 1.6 and 1.7.
     Maybe toolbox149 could find a dealer to take his speakers as a trade-in.  Let them repair them if they're willing.
  Tim
IMO, since the speakers aren't really "functional" in the audiophile sense and since sending to MN isn't worth the expense, you really have little risk of trying to make the diagnosis and then repair on your own.  I have re-socked a pair of 1.6s and it's really not at all difficult. 

First, each of the wood trim strips must carefully be removed.  Use a long, but thin screwdriver and start from either end.  Insert the blade of the screwdriver between the panel and (parallel to) the wood strip and very gently pry a little then push the blade further along--keep repeating.  The wood strips are held in with small brads/pins and release pretty easily BUT if you pry too much when the blade is not right at each pin, you could crack or break the trim strip.  

Once each trim strip is removed, you will want to pull all the brads through the wood (NOT try to push them back out the way they were originally inserted).  Just grab with pliers and pull.  Some brads MAY remain in the panels themselves, while others may "go" with the strips.

Next, remove all the staples from the bottom and roll the sock off the speaker.  Now, you'll be able to see if the problem is visually obvious.  From that point, a consultation with Magnepan might be your next best bet in terms of advice on how to repair at home.  Could be a case of delamination that may be easily repairable using (and properly applying) the right kind of adhesive.  Also, would ask about cure time for the adhesive, as well as an advice on surface prep.  FYI, there is also some "tape" around the perimeter of speaker that might have come unstuck due to the adhesive aging so check that as well.

As far as re-assembly, the sock is probably the most difficult part (I had ordered new socks in my case--really refreshed the speakers visually). Once that's back on and stapled, you'll replace the trim strips but using NEW holes.  I used a compressor and pneumatic pin nailer which made reinstallation of the trim strips a breeze, with each pin countersunk into the wood a bit.  A bit of color matched fill wax to cover the new pin heads (and fill any holes from the original pins) was all that was left to make them look perfect.
 Kjweisner,

Thanks!
A couple of questions:
Which Maggies did you work on, the 1.6s or the 1.7s?  I would probably attempt to repair my 1.6s first.  (Practice on the older ones first).
If the problem isn't a tear or a localized stretch of glue coming loose, do you think replacing the tweeters and or midrange is a feasible task?  How are the tweeter and midrange components fastened in place?


If you buy new Magnapans, you could disable (remove?) the tweeters from the old ones and keep the remainder for bass reinforcement. BTW, how far past the warranty period before the failure?