Stuck with Monsoon PlanarMedia speakers (volume control shorted)

[[email protected]]

Hi,

In the fall of 03 I bought the Monsoon PlanarMedia 9 speaker system.
They were really cheap on sale at the local electronics store! 18
months later I go to arrange warranty service at monsoonaudio.com and
realize the business is no more. Great bargain!


Anyway, the technical problem with my set is that the wired volume
controller has a short in it (I guess) so that either:


1. the volume control doesn't work at all, but otherwise everything is
normal and I can use the volume control on the input device to control
the level;
or
2. the volume control works, but the signal is either way too weak
(with the iPod) or way too strong (with the laptop).


It seems a shame to trash the ribbon speakers and bass box, just
because the little controller has a short in it. Any suggestions on
resurrecting a Monsoon?


thanks,

[Arny Krueger]

wrote:
> Hi,
>
> In the fall of 03 I bought the Monsoon PlanarMedia 9
speaker system.
> They were really cheap on sale at the local electronics
store! 18
> months later I go to arrange warranty service at
monsoonaudio.com and
> realize the business is no more. Great bargain!
>
>
> Anyway, the technical problem with my set is that the
wired volume
> controller has a short in it (I guess) so that either:
>
>
> 1. the volume control doesn't work at all, but otherwise
everything is
> normal and I can use the volume control on the input
device to control
> the level;

> or
> 2. the volume control works, but the signal is either way
too weak
> (with the iPod) or way too strong (with the laptop).

> It seems a shame to trash the ribbon speakers and bass
box, just
> because the little controller has a short in it. Any
suggestions on
> resurrecting a Monsoon?

The controller on my older Monsoon speakers is composed of
just a variable resistor. It sounds like the one in your
controller got broken and is either shorted or open,
depending on how you adjust it.

Take the controller apart and see if you can find out what
value the variable resistor is, and then replace it. If you
can't figure out what resistance it is, just try a 10K pot,
and see what happens. If 10K doesn't work well enough, try a
larger or smaller value.