Epifani 2x12 cab strange annoying buzz

[Ruck]

Hello I was hoping if anyone could shed some light on this:

I have recently bought an Epifani 2x12 UL cab off ebay, went to pick it up, met the guy and tried out the amp at loud volume (12 o'clock with my Markbass LMII) and was perfectly happy.

Now when I play it at home at 9 o'clock (1/4 of the volume) there is a buzz, which I have isolated to one of the 12" drivers. More specifically I think it may be the dustcap of the driver. Initially though I thought it may have been because there was a small area of the glue which holds the dustcap to the driver so I got that fixed at my local guitar shop but the buzz is still there.

Under 1/4 volume the buzz is not present, over 1/2 volume the sound of the buzz is drowned out so in other words the buzz doesnt increase in loudness along with the overall volume. When i gently apply pressure to the dustcap in question the buzz stops for about 20 seconds before gradually returning.

I am stumped! taking it back the the repair shop tomorrow but I was just wondering if anyone here had any suggestions to what it might be.

If its serious I'm gonna have to dispute it with the original seller and ebay which is a massive pity as the tone is immense!

Cheers.

[Dood]

Maybe the dust cover is working loose gain - or worse, the cone itself is coming away from voice coil?

[Ruck]

Thanks for replying, just got back from the Bass Merchants. Whatever it is Ive been told it looks like I'm soon to be replacing the driver for £130! oooooooooouch! massive shame... its only 3 years old as well used with heads that are impossible to overload it. Expected more from a USA made Epifani cab but I guess theres always one isn't there! Well i Guess I should be annoyed at Eminence speakers and the original seller! Ive been reassured that my Little Mark II would definitely not have caused this! Well I can still play at low volume and high volume without being annoyed. Just not in between without a buzzing

So useless for recording

Its upto the original seller's generosity now as there ain't much Ebay are gonna do! Bugger!

[Gareth Hughes]

I had an Epifani UL112 speaker die after a year of use, and never being overused. Happened to be in New York a month later, and seeing as the speakers weigh so little, I brought the speaker back to Epifani, where it was still covered under their 3-year parts warranty. Nick Epifani took the speaker apart, saw the voice coil was burnt out - suggesting it was overloaded, but then was puzzled as to why the cone area didn't have any relative damage/stress from overloading that would cause a coil to burn out. He then kindly split the cost of a replacement with me as it wasn't clear who or what was at fault.

So, point being that it could just be gremlins afoot, tho it did give me cause to be a little skeptical of neo-speakers.

[Phil Starr]

If it is any help I've found that when a dust cap comes loose the only way to fix it is to take it right off and re glue it all round. Just tackiing back the loose bit never seems to work. However pressing on the dust cap doesn't just move the dust cap so it may be a coil scratching which does mean a new speaker. You may be able to get it re-coned though which may only cost £40-50 if you can find someone to do it.

I use copydex to re stick loudspeaker parts.

[dave_bass5]

I once had a UL112 that would buzz if i played a certain way. It seemed to do it more on notes that had a low freq to them (mainly 5th fret and lower on the E string) and was really only noticeable if i held the note. It didnt matter how loud i played, it was a freq thing.
I took it back the day i got it and exchanged it for a UL115 and that worked perfectly fine.

I also had a UL212 a few years ago and that developed a similar fault. And mine was brand new.
What a nightmare that was. Ive written about it before so wont go in to it here, other than to say i ended up having to change both drivers over (dont ask, one was fine) but after taking the cab apart i doubt i would by another Epifani cab again if the build quality was anything to go by.

I sold it on here a couple of years ago. I wonder if its the same cab lol.



And funny enough, my 1212L, the cab that replaced the UL212, also developed a fault, within a few weeks (maybe its me) but was very quickly sorted out.
There was a very small area of the dust cap that had come loose from the cone. You really couldn't see it unless you pushed down on the cone. It took me a whiel to trakc it down. This would get louder the harder i played throughout so i knew it was a faulty driver. At least i learnt a lot by fixing the UL121.
Although i got the driver replaced i still have the original one and, like Phil, i also fixed it with some copydex. Ive not used it though, its just a spare.

[Ruck]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='839738' date='May 17 2010, 01:20 PM']...but after taking the cab apart i doubt i would by another Epifani cab again if the build quality was anything to go by.[/quote]

I know what you mean! the build quality is somewhat lacking considering Epifani's background and supposed cabinet building ethics! The drivers are a loose fit (quite a gap!) and one of the screw pockets for the drivers are almost hanging out of the wood (not from clumsy removal of the driver but thats how it was initially inserted into the plywood!) I know mine was bought second hand but wow what a bad example... my warwick combo is getting on for about 10 years now ive owned it for 7 and Ive never had one single fault or failure (now for sale by the way lol!).

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='839738' date='May 17 2010, 01:20 PM']I sold it on here a couple of years ago. I wonder if its the same cab lol.[/quote]

Well PM me the buyers name if your not fussed and we might find out lol

Cheers

[Ruck]

[quote name='Phil Starr' post='839468' date='May 17 2010, 08:17 AM']If it is any help I've found that when a dust cap comes loose the only way to fix it is to take it right off and re glue it all round. Just tackiing back the loose bit never seems to work. However pressing on the dust cap doesn't just move the dust cap so it may be a coil scratching which does mean a new speaker. You may be able to get it re-coned though which may only cost £40-50 if you can find someone to do it.

I use copydex to re stick loudspeaker parts.[/quote]

Thanks for the suggestion, Im currently getting a second opinion from another techy but if he says the same about needing a replacement driver I might try fully removing the dustcap. Whats the best method for this please?

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Ruck' post='840158' date='May 17 2010, 08:37 PM']I know what you mean! the build quality is somewhat lacking considering Epifani's background and supposed cabinet building ethics! The drivers are a loose fit (quite a gap!) and one of the screw pockets for the drivers are almost hanging out of the wood (not from clumsy removal of the driver but thats how it was initially inserted into the plywood!) I know mine was bought second hand but wow what a bad example... my warwick combo is getting on for about 10 years now ive owned it for 7 and Ive never had one single fault or failure (now for sale by the way lol!).



Well PM me the buyers name if your not fussed and we might find out lol

Cheers[/quote]

I was at a gig when my UL212 started making a funny noise. when i tried to take the handles off i found most of the screws would just pull out. I think there were only about three per side that were actually tight in the hole.

Ill go through my PMs and see if i can find the buyer. Im pretty sure he sold it on though.

[Phil Starr]

[quote name='Ruck' post='840163' date='May 17 2010, 08:38 PM']Thanks for the suggestion, Im currently getting a second opinion from another techy but if he says the same about needing a replacement driver I might try fully removing the dustcap. Whats the best method for this please?[/quote]
There's no magic method just work it loose a little at a time work round gently from the loose bit.

[obbm]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='840169' date='May 17 2010, 08:44 PM']Ill go through my PMs and see if i can find the buyer. Im pretty sure he sold it on though.[/quote]

Do you know the serial number of yours?

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='obbm' post='841484' date='May 18 2010, 10:27 PM']Do you know the serial number of yours?[/quote]

Yes, ive already given it to the OP.

The thing is my cab had two new drivers when i sold it so i doubt its the same one. And it was a couple of years ago now.

[obbm]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='841521' date='May 18 2010, 10:54 PM']Yes, ive already given it to the OP.

The thing is my cab had two new drivers when i sold it so i doubt its the same one. And it was a couple of years ago now.[/quote]

Reason I ask is that I have a UL212 that I acquired from a BCer last year. I'm wondering if it's your old one.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='obbm' post='841525' date='May 18 2010, 10:57 PM']Reason I ask is that I have a UL212 that I acquired from a BCer last year. I'm wondering if it's your old one.[/quote]

Ill PM you the details.

[obbm]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='841528' date='May 18 2010, 10:59 PM']Ill PM you the details.[/quote]

Thanks.

[Ruck]

Right, having to replace the driver...

Would anyone here know the details I need to focus on when choosing a replacement? I cant be bothered to spend all the money on ordering the custom designed Eminence speaker from Epifani and ship it over from USA, because its probably made in China anyway just like Epifani's cabs are!

So far I guess I need a driver that is rated 400w-500w at 8 ohms. Is there anything else I should pay attention to?

So far Ive got my eye on a Eminence Delta 12LF. Anyone got any opinions on this

Edited June 30, 2010 by Ruck

[dave_bass5]

Whats actually wrong with the driver?

[Ruck]

I dont know whats wrong exactly. Nor does the Bass Merchants or the amplifier techicians I took it too. They both just said instead of messing around reconing it its best just to buy a new driver. The buzzing has got worse since the last time I tested it.

[dave_bass5]

Thats a shame. I assume they have checked all the way around the dome for a loose section.
With my 1212L driver i had to push down all the way around until i found the problem but with my UL212 i never did find the problem, although it sounds exactly the same as your getting.

Good luck with it.

Edited June 30, 2010 by dave_bass5

[stevie]

One of the places where buzzing can occur is at the point where the leadout wires come out of the cone. It happened to me once and it was impossible to tell where the noise was coming from. There will be some kind of glue there already. Just put a generous blob of silicon on the spot and let it dry. Worth a punt, I think, if you have some silicon sealant handy.

[Ruck]

You'll never believe this and neither do i....

I have just put the original Epifani drivers in to see if I could solve the buzz again. Got frustrated and cut the dust cap right off as I thought I had nothing to loose as I had penned the driver for dead anyway. Well.... It was the dustcap..... No more buzz! incredible non of the people I took it too could solve it.

Now I just need a new dustcap...

[dave_bass5]

I thought we had gone over that last option year. Glad it finally worked out.
I still have my faulty Neo driver with the dodgy dust cap. Im keeping it as a spare but cant actually see me needing it.