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Thread: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

  1. #21
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    Default Re: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

    Ok, thanks!

    I should remove a woofer tonight and see if i have the same cabinet, then I can make sure I have the proper screws on hand.
    Ed

    * Sierra-2EX's W/V2 crossover upgrade
    * (2) Rythmik F12's
    * Parasound Halo P6
    * Audio by Van Alstine DVA-M225 Monoblock Amps
    * MiniDSP 2x4HD For Sub calibration
    *World's Best Cables Canare 4S11 speaker cables

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
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    8

    Default Re: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

    Quote Originally Posted by bk_856er View Post
    Smooth upgrade here - exactly according to plan.

    My only advice for others is to say a little prayer to the speaker gods beforehand so you don't poke a hole through the woofer with the screwdriver. Partway through the job I switched to a stubby for peace of mind.

    BK
    Upgraded two last night -- not as smoothly as I would have liked, but done nonetheless. Ditto on the screwdriver warnings (or a loose drill bit, which was my worry). I would add to this:

    1) Watch out for a "stuck" woofer -- I had to push mine out from the inside and then proceeded to nearly miss the catch.

    2) The smaller (black) connects to both tweeter and woofer I had to pry open before they would slot in.

    But now I have them and they appear to sound great. (I did one at a time and tried to compare but fat chance.) The only problem here is that the original Sierras sound so damn good.

    Any tips for getting the most out of my upgrade??

  3. #23
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Default Re: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

    Quote Originally Posted by Mag_Neato View Post
    Ok, thanks!

    I should remove a woofer tonight and see if i have the same cabinet, then I can make sure I have the proper screws on hand.
    That's a good plan so that you can do the upgrade when the packages arrive. Hopefully I will be able to perform the upgrade tonight.

    -Dave

  4. #24
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    Default Re: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

    Quote Originally Posted by DPlettner View Post
    I have a few other comments for people with first generation cabinets. The batting material is not Dacron as shown in the video. Instead the batting material is fiberglass inserted into a 3-segment black mesh bag. The 3-segments of the bag are glued to the interior of cabinet. It is not too hard to separate the bad from the cabinet, but doing so does release particles of fiberglass through the mesh, so you may want to wear gloves while working with the bag to avoid touching the fiberglass. Also, there will be fiberglass particles in the cabinet interior after removing the bag, so it helps to have a vacuum cleaner with a narrow hose to remove the fiberglass particles.
    Excellent tips! Yes, the original Sierra-1 used fiberglass batting as damping material. When we switched to a new vendor, we also switched to the heavy Dacron batting in order to fully comply with various OSHA regulations and to meet ROHS standards. The new vendor is fully compliant which is a good thing

    Quote Originally Posted by DPlettner View Post
    Finally, the crossover wire terminals are held to the binding posts using nuts, as shown in the videos. However, a very durable glue has been applied to the nuts and binding posts. While disassembling the first speaker, I did manage to remove the nuts and terminals from the binding posts. However, it certainly seems possible that the binding posts could be damaged by the removal process. For the remaining four speakers, I think I will leave the binding posts alone, and splice the new crossover wires to the old crossover wires by soldering the wires together.
    100% correct, and this is where the upgrade might become more difficult. Cutting the crossover lead wires and then resoldering is a good choice. Another option, which we have done here, is to drip a few drops of "Goo Gone" or a similar solvent onto the posts which breaks up the glue and makes removing the nuts much easier.

    An even simpler option, if you have a soldering iron, is to desolder the two crossover lead wires on the original crossover. Simply apply the hot tip of the soldering iron to the corresponding solder pad on the underside of the crossover network and while the solder has liquefied, pull the wire out from the PCB. You will then reinsert and resolder these same crossover lead wires into the NrT crossover. Using this method, it is not necessary to cut and splice any wires and it makes for a cleaner installation.

    Quote Originally Posted by DPlettner View Post
    If anyone is on the fence about having Ascend do the upgrade or doing it themselves, you may want to remove the woofer and see if you have a first generation cabinet, since the upgrade will be a bit more work and you may want Ascend to do the upgrade.
    We are happy to do the upgrade for anyone and remember, if we do it -- your 7 year warranty resets and begins anew and we will also include the new measurements.
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    Good Sound To You!

    David Fabrikant
    www.ascendacoustics.com

  5. #25
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    Default Re: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

    Quote Originally Posted by yakimiiis View Post
    1) Watch out for a "stuck" woofer -- I had to push mine out from the inside and then proceeded to nearly miss the catch.
    Another option is to lean the speaker forward against your chest and position your left hand in front of the woofer to catch it. With the palm of your right hand, give a good quick whack to the back of the speaker. The woofer should pop free and safely fall into your hand.

    Quote Originally Posted by yakimiiis View Post
    2) The smaller (black) connects to both tweeter and woofer I had to pry open before they would slot in.
    That should not be necessary. When inserting the female connectors, be sure to insert them onto the male terminals on an angle such that only one edge of the male terminal goes into the female terminal first and then move left and right to fully slide the connector onto the terminal. It is a tight fit but this is necessary. It takes a bit of practice
    .
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    Good Sound To You!

    David Fabrikant
    www.ascendacoustics.com

  6. #26
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    Default Re: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

    Quote Originally Posted by curtis View Post
    Why would you want to do that? The purposes/properties of are different.
    Not really -- when we switched from the fiberglass to the heavy Dacron, I fully tested both and they were indistinguishable from one another when used in the Sierra-1 cabinet.
    .
    .
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    Good Sound To You!

    David Fabrikant
    www.ascendacoustics.com

  7. #27
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    Default Re: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

    Well, I took one of the woofers out when I got home. I see the black-net covered fiberglass. Guess I'll need to pick up some #4 x 1/2" long drywall screws. I have a big bottle of Goo Gone already, so I will try that on the binding post nuts. Just need the kits to show up tomorrow!

    P.S. One thing I noticed when I pulled the woofer out: The video of the upgrade shows what looks like the internal brace of the cabinet to be made of bamboo like the cabinet. In my cabinet the brace looks like it's made from particle board. Am I seeing things that are not there in the vid?
    Last edited by Mag_Neato; 12-07-2010 at 04:15 PM.
    Ed

    * Sierra-2EX's W/V2 crossover upgrade
    * (2) Rythmik F12's
    * Parasound Halo P6
    * Audio by Van Alstine DVA-M225 Monoblock Amps
    * MiniDSP 2x4HD For Sub calibration
    *World's Best Cables Canare 4S11 speaker cables

  8. #28
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    Mar 2004
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    Default Re: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

    Ok, I went to Home Depot to find some 1/2" long drywall screws. No luck. Shortest is 1". There were some #6, 1/2" and 5/8" Spax construction screws. Would those be ok?
    Last edited by Mag_Neato; 12-07-2010 at 05:51 PM.
    Ed

    * Sierra-2EX's W/V2 crossover upgrade
    * (2) Rythmik F12's
    * Parasound Halo P6
    * Audio by Van Alstine DVA-M225 Monoblock Amps
    * MiniDSP 2x4HD For Sub calibration
    *World's Best Cables Canare 4S11 speaker cables

  9. #29
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    30

    Default Re: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

    Quote Originally Posted by Mag_Neato View Post
    Ok, I went to Home Depot to find some 1/2" long drywall screws. No luck. Shortest is 1". There were some #6, 1/2" and 5/8" Spax construction screws. Would those be ok?
    I finished one upgrade. I don't think that soldering is a great option because the crossover wires on the old crossover are only about half the depth of the cabinet, so I would need to be soldering inside the cabinet. I am off to Home Depot to get some Goo Gone for the last four upgrades.

    I used #4 5/8" flathead Phillips screws with a washer. The new crossover (including the attachment pads) is pretty thick, so the 5/8" screw did not seem to be much of a problem, and the washer keep part of the tapered screw head above the washer surface.

    One warning. The bamboo is very hard, and I was unable to start the #4 screws using only a screw driver. It is certainly not like starting a screw into plywood. Therefore, I snugged down the new crossover using the front left mounting screw, and then took a Dremel tool with a drill bit and drilled small pilot holes for the other three holes. There is not a lot of room to work inside the cabinet, and my Dremel tool barely fit. A screw hole starter might work, but the ones I have seen are too big. I think a #6 screw will probably be OK with a pilot hole, but the #4 screw I used seemed to work well.

    Finally, the internal brace in my speaker is particle board, and I agree, it looks like bamboo in the video.

    Before I wrote this, I used the upgraded NrT with an un-upgraded Sierra-1 to listen to some 2-channel music. They both sounded great. The first song I listened to sounded pretty similar from each speaker, but the second song had an acoustic guitar, and the slight squeaky sound of the guitarist positioning his fingers over the strings sounded so much more realistic with the NrT.

    Anyway, I have four more to go.

    -Dave

  10. #30
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    Default Re: NrT Upgrade instructions with video!

    Quote Originally Posted by davef View Post
    Not really -- when we switched from the fiberglass to the heavy Dacron, I fully tested both and they were indistinguishable from one another when used in the Sierra-1 cabinet.
    Ahh...got it. Thanks Dave.
    -curtis
    main/living room (5.1):
    - LG OLED 77" C3
    - Anthem AVM70, VTV AMPLIFIER 5 Channel 3+2 Purifi + Hypex
    - Sierra LX for LCR, HTM-200SE for surrounds, Rythmik F15HP
    - Eversolo DMP-A6, Oppo 205, AppleTV
    bedroom (2.1):
    - Vizio 65" P9
    - WiiM Ultra, Fosi V3 Mono x 2
    - Sierra Luna v2, RSL-10e sub
    - AppleTV
    I use Roon to manage the music streaming.

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