Recommended tool for 242 3 k array torque settings

[pidge22]

Can someone please recommend a reasonably (cheaply) priced torque measurement tool (for allan screws I guess) ...I want check the torque settings on my 242 3k arrays etc...

thanks

[lejonklou]

The one mentioned here is THE tool to get:

http://www.lejonklou.com/forum/viewtopi ... =5276#5276

Available cheap second hand on ebay, although those can be worn and will probably need adjustment of the scale. Luckily we have a forum member with a Sturtevant Richmont calibrator, so perhaps you can ask him nicely?

[pidge22]

The one mentioned here is THE tool to get:

http://www.lejonklou.com/forum/viewtopi ... =5276#5276

Available cheap second hand on ebay, although those can be worn and will probably need adjustment of the scale. Luckily we have a forum member with a Sturtevant Richmont calibrator, so perhaps you can ask him nicely?

Thanks very much for the info much appreciated...do you know if these are available in the UK at reasonable prices all I can seem to find are some advertised on EBAY USA with extortionate shipping costs...

[lejonklou]

I have only seen them from the US. Some charge and arm and a leg for shipping, but occasionally there is one with very reasonable shipping costs. It varies.

[Teemu]

I had to disassemble the speakers carpenter for painting and i need a little help.

How high the torque of the akurate 242's 3k array and lower / upper bass should be tightened. what is the official recommendation of the Linn?

The 3k array was originally so loose that I got it open with just my fingers and tip. I have never tightened the screws of the elements before.

if I use only fingers and a tip for tightening, can I get the screws too tight? (I don't own torque tool yet)

[lejonklou]

If you don't have a torque tool, hold the short end of the Allen key while tightening. Use "medium force", your fingers shouldn't hurt.

When you have a torque tool, you are most welcome to help us settle an old conflict between a few steps above 0.8 Nm and a few steps above 1.6 Nm. Both are good, one is more relaxed and the other is more sharp. There are several people in each camp.

This is actually one of very few torques where we don't all agree which value is the optimal!

[Tendaberry]

And if you like 0,8, you could also try 0,55 Nm. I liked it...

[Teemu]

Thank you very much for these instructions. When I have a quiet time then I go to try different options, now they are so far under finger tension and already sound very good.

[lejonklou]

And if you like 0,8, you could also try 0,55 Nm. I liked it...

Oh no, a third camp!

We should meet, play some nice music, evaluate this and arrive at a mutually agreed conclusion. No weapons or sharp tools allowed at the evaluation party!

[Spannko]

I’m in the 0.8-0.9 Nm camp.

[tokenbrit]

Do these torque figures only apply to the 242 3k array, more generally to Linn arrays, or any more widely to tweeters of other brands?

[Teemu]

Good question. So should the low bass and bass elements also be tightened "loosely" or just a 3k array?

[Tendaberry]

Oh no, a third camp! We should meet, play some nice music, evaluate this and arrive at a mutually agreed conclusion. No weapons or sharp tools allowed at the evaluation party!

I'm up for it :-) But if no sharp tools are allowed, how will we adjust the torque??? I have to add, that the 0,55 Nm was tested on Akubariks, so I'm not 100% sure it's valid for 242's.

[Tendaberry]

Good question. So should the low bass and bass elements also be tightened "loosely" or just a 3k array?

Isn't it 1,0 Nm for the basses on 242? I'm at work and don't have my list here.

[Ben Webster]

Hello everybody,

the official and confirmed factory settings for the Komri are:
- 2.1 Nm for 3K
- 3.0 Nm for Upper Bass (inner screws)
- 3.7 Nm for the two lower basses

Friends of mine use the 2.1 Nm also for the 3K of their 242. First impression is that it sounds a little bit dull but it is very exact. Lower values seems to create more openness but this is only distortion.

The use of these high values are at your own risk. Weak screws can break.

Kind regards
Ben

[lejonklou]

Do these torque figures only apply to the 242 3k array, more generally to Linn arrays, or any more widely to tweeters of other brands?

Yes, only the 3K array of the 242. Other models have other optimal torques.

Please note that the torques used when speakers are assembled by the manufacturer are often much higher than what is optimal from a musical perspective. This is because the wood will quickly compress and the actual torque will be much lower when the speaker has arrived in the customer's home.

[V.A.MKD]

Oh no, a third camp! We should meet, play some nice music, evaluate this and arrive at a mutually agreed conclusion. No weapons or sharp tools allowed at the evaluation party!

I'm up for it :-) But if no sharp tools are allowed, how will we adjust the torque??? I have to add, that the 0,55 Nm was tested on Akubariks, so I'm not 100% sure it's valid for 242's.

In connection with latest development ... if I attend, I will be with "hockey equipment" ... :-)))

[Ianw]

On my 242 I’m using:
0.8Nm for 3K array
1.0 Nm on bass drivers

Set with the Sturtevant driver.

My biggest improvement was torquing the bass drivers. I’m pretty sure they hadn’t been disturbed since manufacture. When I checked the as installed values varied widely, a couple were nearly loose.

Others experiences my vary.
Interesting to hear about others findings.

[lejonklou]

I torque the 242 bass drivers to 1.1 Nm.

[Ben Webster]

I was told that the factory setting is also the setting for listening at home.

I can confirm that - at least for the Komri - the values are very musical (I tried lower values but went back to the values above).

[ThomasOK]

I am in the 0.8 plus a few notches camp (3 in my case). I did try the 1.6 + setting and didn't feel it was as musical. On the bass drivers I found 1.0 + 6 notches to be most musical which is pretty much 1.1 (but I don't use odd decimals as that is not how the driver is marked). The same results worked with Klimax 350s on the array but the mid bass drivers and bass drivers were best 3 notches lower. It is true that this is one of those rare places where there is disagreement as to the optimum torques. I have not had the opportunity to fine tune Komris, but their array and other drivers are all different and the cabinet is likely to be as well, so I would expect the settings to be different.

[Defender]

enough time to fiddle around in this lockdown times so I started to torque my bass drivers on the Burmester loudspeakers.
I felt I had heard them almost 10 years ago with a more tight and precise bass so it could be only the the bass drivers shaked loose (thats what I thought).

Started with 1.6Nm but that was clearly worse - I than realized that I didn't know the original setting to go back.
Started with 0.8Nm and ended up at 1.1 +1/2notch or 1.0 +5 1/2 notches.
They have non wood screws so they might never have drifted from the original settings.

Do you think there might be a better setting up until 1.6Nm or is this unlikely?

[ThomasOK]

Hi Defender, sorry I didn't answer this before. I read it then checked in on another thread and forgot to come back. You can always try higher if you wish. Try 1.2 and 1.4 and see if either has any improvement over the 1.0 +5.5 notches. However, you shouldn't be surprised if the torque you found is the best. I have done torques on quite a few speakers and most of the bass drivers range between 1.0-2 and 1.4 with Isobaric and Keltic woofers being closer to 1.6. Even a REL B1 subwoofer was only 1.2 +4.5 and some Linn subs were lower than that. It is interesting that in many cases the torque is higher for the tweeter than it is for the woofer. This was the case with my ATCs (1.4+2 vs 1.4-3 for the woofer), a couple of Dynaudios, Katans, Ninkas, and a couple of Sonus fibers. Also many tweeters have screws holding the magnet assembly to the faceplate and the faceplate to the cabinet. It varies as to which of these should be higher. I doubt the ribbon driver in the Burmesters has that but you never know.

[Spannko]

I’ve just checked my Akudoriks and all the bolts were really loose (I haven’t check them for about 18 months). I tightened the bass units to 1Nm and the arrays to 0.9Nm. This sounded a bit too “etched” and hifi’y, which surprised me tbh. I tried 0.55Nm, but this didn’t work too well for me, so went up to 0.8Nm and I’m very pleased with the result. It seems to be a very natural and musical setting.

[Tendaberry]

Maybe it's time for me to make some clips comparing 0,55 to 0,8 Nm?