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    Join Date
    Jul 2004
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    Smile Sierra-2 Upgrade instructions with video!

    Sierra-2 Upgrade Instructions

    Recommended Tools:

    Phillips head screwdriver
    1/2" Hex Nut Driver (1/2” socket)
    Nail or small, thin-shaft screwdriver
    Stubby handled Phillips head screwdriver (short handle)

    Included Parts:

    Sierra-2 Ribbon Tweeter, Tweeter Gasket and Tweeter Spacer
    Sierra-2 Woofer and Gasket
    Sierra-2 Crossover


    1 Remove the Tweeter Video Link

    a) Gently lay the speaker back so the front of the speaker is facing upward.
    b) Using the Phillips head screwdriver, carefully remove the (4) screws from around the perimeter of the tweeter and set them aside.
    c) Lean the speaker forward and carefully remove the tweeter and gasket from the cabinet.
    d) Gently remove each female wire connector from the tweeter’s male terminals. You will need to gently wiggle the connector to remove it from the terminal. Do not apply too much force or you will risk damaging the tweeter and/or the connector itself.

    2 Remove the Woofer Video Link

    a) Using the Phillips head screwdriver, carefully remove the (4) screws from around the perimeter of the woofer and set them aside.
    b) Lean the speaker forward and carefully remove the woofer from the cabinet.
    c) Gently remove each female connector from the woofer’s male terminals. You will need to gently wiggle the connector to remove it from the terminal. Do not apply too much force or you will risk damaging the woofer and/or the connector itself.

    3 Remove damping material and disconnect the crossover lead wires Video Link

    a) Reach inside the cabinet, fold the white Dacron batting material in half and then pull it from the cabinet.
    b) Using the 1/2" Hex nut driver, carefully remove the securing nut from each of the two binding posts on the inside of the cabinet and set these aside.
    c) Using your fingers, remove the lock washer that is underneath the nut you just removed and set these aside. The crossover lead wires should now be free.
    d) Remove the red and black crossover lead wires from the binding post terminals.

    4 Remove the old crossover Video Link

    a) Examine the crossover board which is secured on the bottom of the speaker cabinet. Locate the (4) securing screws at each corner of the crossover board.
    b) Using the stubby handled Phillips head screwdriver, carefully remove each of the (4) screws and set these aside. Please be careful to avoid damaging any of the crossover components.
    c) After all (4) screws have been removed, remove the crossover from the speaker cabinet.

    5 Install crossover screws Video Link

    Using the same screws that you removed from the Sierra-1 crossover, insert these into the (4) screw holes in the Sierra-2 crossover.

    6 Install Sierra-2 crossover into speaker cabinet Video Link

    a) Look inside the speaker cabinet and find the (4) screw hole inserts on the bottom baffle.
    b) Place the Sierra-2 crossover inside the cabinet such that each mounting screw is lined up with each corresponding screw insert. Align the crossover such that the two crossover lead wires are in the back of the cabinet and the woofer and tweeter wires are towards the front of the cabinet.
    c) Using the stubby handled Phillips head screwdriver, gently tighten down each mounting screw, making sure that each screw is tightening down in the screw insert. The crossover board must not bend so take your time.

    7 Attach crossover lead wires to binding posts Video Link

    a) Place the crossover lead wires back onto the binding post terminals. Please make sure to keep red to red and black to black.
    b) Install the lock washers that were removed in step 3, part c.
    c) Install the nuts that were removed in step 3, part c.
    d) On the back of the cabinet, locate the binding posts. Unscrew the plastic knob on both the positive and negative terminals.
    e) Insert your nail or thin-shaft screwdriver into the hole in the red positive brass terminal and grasp it there for counterforce while you perform the next step.
    f) Using the 1/2” Hex nut driver, tighten down from within the cabinet the securing nut of the red positive terminal. This should be tightened so that the binding posts on the back of the speaker are secure and will not twist or turn, and so that the nail or screwdriver lever remains as close to vertical as possible. Video Link
    g) Repeat steps e) & f) for the black negative terminal of the binding post.
    h) Inspect the holes in the brass terminals of the binding posts to ensure they are vertical. Once satisfied, rescrew the plastic covers of the binding posts.

    8 Reinstall the damping material Video Link

    a) Grab the woofer and tweeter crossover wires and position them so that they hang outside the speaker cabinet.
    b) Fold the damping material in half and place it back into the cabinet.
    c) Unfold the damping material such that it now covers the internal walls of the cabinet.

    9 Install the new tweeter Video Link

    IT IS IMPERATIVE TO LEAVE THE PAPER GUARD IN PLACE OVER THE RIBBON DURING THE ENTIRE INSTALLATION PROCESS!!!

    a) Grab the red and black crossover wires and insert them through the opening in the shelf brace and then out through the tweeter opening.
    b) Gently push the plastic lead covers down the length of the wire exposing the female terminals.
    c) Place the tweeter gasket into the tweeter cutout and position it such that all (4) screw holes are aligned.
    d) Place the tweeter spacer over the tweeter gasket.
    e) As you hold the tweeter with the male terminals facing you and oriented to the bottom of the assembly, you will observe two of the larger male terminals on the tweeter -- you must use the one on the right (This is demonstrated in the video).
    f) Using the red and black crossover wires, gently push the female terminals back onto the corresponding male terminals on the new tweeter.
    Note: it may be helpful to place a daub of solder on each connection. You may also gently crimp the terminals with pliers. Regardless, you must ensure that the connection is solid before closing up the speaker.
    g) Slide the plastic lead covers back over the female terminals.
    h) Place the new tweeter back into the speaker cabinet.

    10 Install the new woofer Video Link

    a) Grab the brown and black crossover wires and pull them outside the speaker cabinet through the woofer opening.
    b) Gently push the plastic lead covers down the length of the wire exposing the female terminals.
    c) Place the included gasket in the cutout with the holes in the gasket aligned with the screw holes.
    d) Using the brown and black wires, gently push the female terminals back onto the corresponding male terminals on the woofer. Note: it may be helpful to place a daub of solder on each connection. 0You may also gently crimp the terminals with pliers. Regardless, you must ensure that the connection is solid before closing up the speaker.
    e) Slide the plastic lead covers back over the female terminals.
    f) Place the woofer into the speaker cabinet ensuring the screw holes are aligned.

    11 Insert the woofer and tweeter securing screws Video Link

    a) Using your hands, manipulate the positioning of the woofer and tweeter such that the screw holes in each component align with the screw holes in the loudspeaker cabinet.
    b) Insert the (4) woofer mounting screws and (4) tweeter mounting screws. Note, these use the same screws. Hand tighten each screw.

    12 Tighten all screws Video Link

    a) Using a Phillips head screwdriver, securely tighten down all (8) screws. Do not over tighten!
    b) It is now time to remove the paper guard from the ribbon tweeter.

    IT IS IMPERATIVE TO GENTLY AND SLOWLY SLIDE THE PAPER GUARD IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ARROW, NOT PULL IT OFF!!!

    Failure to follow this instruction can damage the extremely sensitive and thin ribbon.

    Congratulations, you are finished!
    Last edited by jamesg; 12-16-2013 at 04:25 PM.
    Good Sound to You!

    James Greenberg
    www.ascendacoustics.com

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