Peavey black widow coil rub

[Axtman]

I have two 12 inch Peavey black widow speakers that sound distorted (one worse than the other) and have coil rub. I have taken the magnet off the baskets and cleaned the gap in the magnet. I have checke for any burned or damage but nothing appears wrong. The coils are very clean.

Do you have any idea what could be causing this and how I can correct it? Thanks.

[The Dude]

Often, if a coil gets hot enough, it deforms the coil form. Look for bubbles or deformation on the inside form of the coil. Use your finger and see if you feel anything projecting. Clean the gaps in the magnet with a business card and folded over masking tape. Blow the gap out with canned air or a compressor in case anything is lodged in the gap. I also use a lighted magnifier to inspect the gap for debris. Another cause could be that the coil is no longer round and maybe slightly oval shaped. Sometimes the Peavey speakers with removable baskets have enough centering movement to be able to move the magnet on the basket and find a "sweet spot" where there is no rubbing. Install the screws, but don't tighten them all the way. While playing a test tone or music through the speaker rotate and move the magnet on the basket and see if there is a spot where the coil doesn't rub. When/If you find that spot, tighten the screws. Also, make sure the spider hasn't come unglued.

[J M Fahey]

For centering I connect a cheap AM radio earphone out straight to speaker and set it for some music.

Pushing magnet around itīs easier to find where it rubs, then where it rubs pushed the other way and finding a halfway spot which is the reasonable compromise.

[TomCarlos]

Just curious.... At some point in time, I guess the Black Widow replacement baskets will be no more. I do not know if there is a small group somewhere still making these. Has anyone "reconed" a Black Widow speaker, just the paper cone alone? I wonder if there is a speaker cone replacement kit for the BWs.

[The Dude]

I haven't reconed one. Currently, it makes no sense, since labor and kit cost is more than a replacement basket. However, you can get recone kits for BW speakers. It might make sense if you're doing your own and want to save money, but otherwise not. Just as an example, here's a kit for one.

https://reconingspeakers.com/product...et-recone-kit/

There are also companies that sell recone parts. If you wanted to take the time to measure coil, cone, spider, etc. You could buy the parts and assemble your own "kit".

[Axtman]

Okay so this is the second of three 12 inch Peavey Black Widow Speakers that I have opened up that have this issue. The black foam disintegrates and get between the voice coil and the magnetic gap. The foam then melts and causes voice coil rub. I am going to start calling this "Black Widow Disease"!

[The Dude]

You should be able to clean all of the "goo" out of there and make it work.