Dead central speaker

[Martyn]

OK call me slow ( altogther now... "YOU'RE SLOW !!! ) but after a few month's ownership I've just noticed a speaker grille in between the seats - but no sound is coming from it :-( Perhaps I spent too long listening to the engine

I know there's a speakier in each door, but where should I be checking for others? The FAQ ( yes, I *have* read it :0) ) refers to bass units near the doors - how do I check them over?

Is the dead speaker simply that ( i.e. go and but a new speaker! ) or a symptom of something more troublesome ?

( Hey, I did manage to fit the aftermarket CD player with your help, so I'm not *entirely* helpless ! )

Thanks in advance etc etc.



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[Nsxotic]

The center speaker is a tweeter.... the door ones are midranges and the subwoofer is in the passenger footwell...... It is possible that you just can't hear the center speaker. It may still be working; it is very subtle...put your ear right up to it with the volume high..... if not, replace

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Todd Arnold
http://www.geocities.com/nsxcessive/index.html

 

[David]

The center speaker is a perfect example of how overdesigned yet impractical the NSX sound system is. It is supposed to fire at the windscreen and deflect broadly back into the passenger compartment. I wish they had put half as much thought into making it upgradable.

 

[Craig]

The center speaker is a tweeter??? I was told that it was for the OEM phone. Although I've never put my ear to it...I dont believe mine works either. Ok lets say it is a tweeter and mine is out also...what is the suggested aftermarket replacement.

 

[Andrie Hartanto]

The center speaker is definitely not a tweeter!! It is a midrange speaker.
It is used for center channel and also for the integrated phone. Mine work well, before. But since I upgraded the new system, I left it unused.

 

[Michael]

It's for the analog telephone, hands free speaker phone shuts off your music to answer and speak. Mine works great in Atlanta, push button speed dial etc. low tech by today's standards.

 

[Nsxotic]

100% it IS a tweeter.

 

[Andrie Hartanto]

Todd, no offense, but have u actually taken it apart and look?? It is definitely not a tweeter!! it's a midrange speaker. 4" in size. Ther is no tweeter in that size!!!

 

[nsx1]

I just have to throw my two cents in here. Just after I got my 2000 NSX, I wondered what the heck this rear speaker was for. I was about to write and say that it does not make sense that there would be one tweeter because, even though bass speakers are not very directional, tweeters are very directional... and why in the World would Bose drive both right and left sides (essentially loosing information) into a single tweeter. But then I thought, okay... I'm an engineer... why don't I go and do a simple test.

I went out into the garage, turned on my NSX sound system (it's soooo sweet by the way

), turned up the treble all the way, the bass all the way off, and listened closely to the rear speaker. Not too much sound, but I could hear the music (Count Basie... good brass and good bass). Then I switched the equalization... turn up the bass and turned off the treble... the music level seemed the same out of that little rear speaker.

It sounds (basically) like a full range driver without a lot of volume. The service manual schematic shows the ground of the optional phone system tied directly to the shield of the rear speaker. That may not be conclusive of anything, but may explain a relationship with the optional phone. The schematic also shows the drive for that rear speaker originating from the power amplifier for the foot well bass speaker (the subwoofer). That too, may not be indicative or conclusive of anything.

My verdict... hell, I'm not sure. I would guess though, that it is not a tweeter. I am unaware of any technology of driving a small amount of sound out of a rear speaker and what audio quality that enhances... but then again, those Bose people do some unique things. I'm fairly confident that the sound I was hearing was not "leakage" current from the other speakers because their drive is only a small line level voltage going to their respective integrated power amplifiers. With my experience in flash photography... maybe it's for "fill sound" (that's a joke

... but maybe not?)

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nsx1
2000 Yellow/Black/6-sp #172 - stock
http://www.nsx1.com

[This message has been edited by nsx1 (edited 18 December 2000).]

 

[nsxman]

According to the NSX "Black Book" at page 52,
...The premium sound system features four speakers -- a mid-range speaker in each door, a subwoofer in the passenger-side footwell, and a mid-range/tweeter mounted on the rear bulkhead between the seats."

 

[Lud]

First, to clear up what seems to be some confusion, the center speaker isn't exclusively for the stereo OR the phone. It does both. When the phone is in use, the phone unit mutes the sound to the other speakers and runs sound through the center speaker. But during normal stereo use the center speaker plays music.

As for "is it a tweeter," I guess that depends whether you buy Bose's marketing hype or not. By the audiophile defition, it is not a tweeter. In fact every speaker in the car is mid-range/multi-range. That's how Bose always works. They try to get high and lows out of mid-range drivers -- hence the saying "No highs, no lows... must be Bose!". Even the "subwoofer" in the passenger footwell is a mid-range driver that just happens to have low frequencies sent to it. Likewise the center channel seems to be a mid-range driver that has mid and higher range frequencies sent to it at a lower volume. The goal seems to be to use it as a "filler" since the space in the cabin is so tight and it's hard for sound from down by your feet to fill it evenly (especially using the OEM Bose amps/speakers...)

Regarding it being "dead," that is entirely possible. But as noted above, it plays at a much lower volume level than the door speakers so you shold put your ear up against it to make sure there is no sound coming from it.

[This message has been edited by Lud (edited 19 December 2000).]

 

[nutonsx]

This speaker, (regardless of what it is), does not put out much volume. You have to listen very close to here it at all. Goodson Acura of Dallas told me this when I wondered why it did not work. And in fact it wasn't until I fixed it. It was unplugged, which can happen very easliy when either the speaker console or the rear covers on the bulkhead are removed to access any of the electronics. So I would first listen very closely and if does not work, then take out the center storage, 4-5 screws, remove the hold-down screws for the speaker console, and take it out. Check to be sure it is plugged in.

Possibly this will correct the problem

Bill

 

[Martyn]

What can I say ?

Thank you for all your help, and, guys, I hope none of you came to blows over the issue!

Best wishes from the safety of Western Europe ;-)