Mark Levinson Subwoofer Replacement And/or Repair

[jhm555]

Bob,

thanks so much! This worked like a charm. I got a glue gun from Michaels arts & crafts and went to work. I played music with

bass so I could see the tear. I could not see it by a visual inspection at first. I have pictures and a quicktime movie of the process if anyone wants me to email them. Now my sub is fixed and sounds great!

The repair took me about 20 minutes and works.

Randy:

I am going to try the fix for my 2001 LS even though I don't even get a rumble from my subwoofer. Could you e-mail me the photos of the process?

Regards

Mac

[dkrinsk]

This is for all of those people seaching for a replacement subwoofer that was damaged because either you or one of the kids turned the bass up to loud or played some of that more modern music on your Mark levinson Stereo system and the subwoofer speaker now makes a rattling noise in the back .

This will work for any make or model subwoofer lexus offers.

Go find/borrow/buy an electric glue gun or heavy duty bathroom tub/tile 100% silcone clear caulk (home depot or lowes).

I prefer the glue gun. Pull off or pry with screw driver or puddy knife the subwoofer top grill where you suspect the noice is coming from. Inspect the cone around the speaker. lightly push down on the speaker's outside cone edge. you will find using a flash light and a good pair of reading glasses will help. Observer that in almost all cases the speaker will be torn around the outside edge. This is the weakest part of the factory subwoofer. Mine was torn for about 2 inches along the edge and was very hard to see tear. Take your glue gun, insert glue stick and let it warm up. Now go all the way around the entire outside edge of the speaker cone with glue meeting outside edge with the foam part of the speaker, cover the paper part of the speaker from the form part of the cone to the outside wall of the speaker. Fix any other tears with the glue gun.

Push the speaker cover back on and it will be as good if not better then new.

This is a simple repair for an expensive speaker that will last for a long time. No other replacement speaker will sound as good as the factory speaker without potentially damaging your Mark levinson amplifier. Believe me I know because I have tried others.

schuppin@worldnet.att.net let me know how it went!!!!!!!!!!

Tools :

Screw driver

Sears electric glue gun and glue.

cost:

Nothing but 10 minutes of your time.

$5.00 bath room caulk but go the glue gun route instead

- - - -

Wow, it works! Not sure if I'm maximizing the low-end of the bass range, but certainly put off spending ~$150 on a new Kicker-CVR from crutchfield.com and installation. Best Buy said I blew the voice coil. Now I can spend the buck-fifty on an MP3 modulator install!

My wife had a $1.99 glue gun from Joanne Fabrics and a bag o' glue sticks, so I didn't even spend gas money running out for the repair kit.

I simply glued the outermost ring and let it cure over night. The reggae sounds nice...

Thanks!

[dQt1987]

I'm having trouble removing the top grill of the sub woofer for my 02 es300. For some reason, I cannot pry off the grill because it's stuck on each of the 4 corners. If anyone can post a guide on how to get to the sub woofer, greatly appreciated. Thanks

[willyeh]

This is for all of those people seaching for a replacement subwoofer that was damaged because either you or one of the kids turned the bass up to loud or played some of that more modern music on your Mark levinson Stereo system and the subwoofer speaker now makes a rattling noise in the back .

This will work for any make or model subwoofer lexus offers.

Go find/borrow/buy an electric glue gun or heavy duty bathroom tub/tile 100% silcone clear caulk (home depot or lowes).

I prefer the glue gun. Pull off or pry with screw driver or puddy knife the subwoofer top grill where you suspect the noice is coming from. Inspect the cone around the speaker. lightly push down on the speaker's outside cone edge. you will find using a flash light and a good pair of reading glasses will help. Observer that in almost all cases the speaker will be torn around the outside edge. This is the weakest part of the factory subwoofer. Mine was torn for about 2 inches along the edge and was very hard to see tear. Take your glue gun, insert glue stick and let it warm up. Now go all the way around the entire outside edge of the speaker cone with glue meeting outside edge with the foam part of the speaker, cover the paper part of the speaker from the form part of the cone to the outside wall of the speaker. Fix any other tears with the glue gun.

Push the speaker cover back on and it will be as good if not better then new.

This is a simple repair for an expensive speaker that will last for a long time. No other replacement speaker will sound as good as the factory speaker without potentially damaging your Mark levinson amplifier. Believe me I know because I have tried others.

schuppin@worldnet.att.net let me know how it went!!!!!!!!!!

Tools :

Screw driver

Sears electric glue gun and glue.

cost:

Nothing but 10 minutes of your time.

$5.00 bath room caulk but go the glue gun route instead

Bob,

thanks for the tip! worked like a charm, and saved me $400!

[douweit]

Thanks Bob,

I have a 2003 LS430. The subwoofer was buzzing and cracking regardless of the volume. It turns out the entire outer circumference of foam was separated from the metal rim / frame. I used the hot glue gun and 15 minutes later my problem was solved. The stereo sounds as good as before. It was easy to repair and what a savings!!!

[dafacta]

Bob,

thanks so much! This worked like a charm. I got a glue gun from Michaels arts & crafts and went to work. I played music with

bass so I could see the tear. I could not see it by a visual inspection at first. I have pictures and a quicktime movie of the process if anyone wants me to email them. Now my sub is fixed and sounds great!

The repair took me about 20 minutes and works.

I know this was a long time ago. Do you still have the pictures and quicktime movie of this?

[liouty]

Bob, I bought a glue gun from Home Depot and fixed my 01 subwoofer according to the instruction. Thanks million!

[rx300le]

Bob,

thanks so much! This worked like a charm. I got a glue gun from Michaels arts & crafts and went to work. I played music with

bass so I could see the tear. I could not see it by a visual inspection at first. I have pictures and a quicktime movie of the process if anyone wants me to email them. Now my sub is fixed and sounds great!

The repair took me about 20 minutes and works.

Hi Randy,

Love to have your pics and movie of this project.Can I have them send to :

tle104@hotmail.com

Mine is a 430-2002 Ultra package

Thanks

[schow]

thank you so much, you just save me $500. I don't even bother to find the crack, just put the glue around the speaker and it fix the problem.

for people who want to see how to remove the cover for LS430, go here:

http://www.carstereoremoval.com/htm/stereo...LS43001_03P.htm

scroll down to see the pictures

[MGL1719]

This is for all of those people seaching for a replacement subwoofer that was damaged because either you or one of the kids turned the bass up to loud or played some of that more modern music on your Mark levinson Stereo system and the subwoofer speaker now makes a rattling noise in the back .

This will work for any make or model subwoofer lexus offers.

Go find/borrow/buy an electric glue gun or heavy duty bathroom tub/tile 100% silcone clear caulk (home depot or lowes).

I prefer the glue gun. Pull off or pry with screw driver or puddy knife the subwoofer top grill where you suspect the noice is coming from. Inspect the cone around the speaker. lightly push down on the speaker's outside cone edge. you will find using a flash light and a good pair of reading glasses will help. Observer that in almost all cases the speaker will be torn around the outside edge. This is the weakest part of the factory subwoofer. Mine was torn for about 2 inches along the edge and was very hard to see tear. Take your glue gun, insert glue stick and let it warm up. Now go all the way around the entire outside edge of the speaker cone with glue meeting outside edge with the foam part of the speaker, cover the paper part of the speaker from the form part of the cone to the outside wall of the speaker. Fix any other tears with the glue gun.

Push the speaker cover back on and it will be as good if not better then new.

This is a simple repair for an expensive speaker that will last for a long time. No other replacement speaker will sound as good as the factory speaker without potentially damaging your Mark levinson amplifier. Believe me I know because I have tried others.

schuppin@worldnet.att.net let me know how it went!!!!!!!!!!

Tools :

Screw driver

Sears electric glue gun and glue.

cost:

Nothing but 10 minutes of your time.

$5.00 bath room caulk but go the glue gun route instead

Thanks to boblexus!!! I have a 2001 430 and the subwoofer has been out for months....... because my dealer was going to charge me $1057 for a new one!!!!! So I decided to at least check out the web and holysmokes you were there like an Angel. I followed your steps and it sounds better now than before, probably not, but it really sounds good. It actually cost me nothing since my wife had the glue gun and the glue!! Just thanks very much I truly appreciate it!!! mgl1719

[jainla]

Chalk up another happy customer. Some observations:

• go ALL THE WAY AROUND the ring, especially the rubber ring side that attaches to the faceplate, even if you can only see a tear on one part. I had to do it twice after I repaired the first tear another one seemed to develop.
  
• if you use the silicone caulk don't be afraid to use LOTS of it.
  
• use a flashlight to see in and around the housing; it's dark in there!
  

You might want to run the stereo and then (gently) push on the rubber ring with your fingers if you are trying to figure out where the rip is. I had one rip that I could see and a later one I couldn't.

Certainly beats replacing this speaker; I honestly think the bass sounds better than ever. Posts like this is why this forum ROCKS!

[bronxlexus]

This is for all of those people seaching for a replacement subwoofer that was damaged because either you or one of the kids turned the bass up to loud or played some of that more modern music on your Mark levinson Stereo system and the subwoofer speaker now makes a rattling noise in the back .

This will work for any make or model subwoofer lexus offers.

Go find/borrow/buy an electric glue gun or heavy duty bathroom tub/tile 100% silcone clear caulk (home depot or lowes).

I prefer the glue gun. Pull off or pry with screw driver or puddy knife the subwoofer top grill where you suspect the noice is coming from. Inspect the cone around the speaker. lightly push down on the speaker's outside cone edge. you will find using a flash light and a good pair of reading glasses will help. Observer that in almost all cases the speaker will be torn around the outside edge. This is the weakest part of the factory subwoofer. Mine was torn for about 2 inches along the edge and was very hard to see tear. Take your glue gun, insert glue stick and let it warm up. Now go all the way around the entire outside edge of the speaker cone with glue meeting outside edge with the foam part of the speaker, cover the paper part of the speaker from the form part of the cone to the outside wall of the speaker. Fix any other tears with the glue gun.

Push the speaker cover back on and it will be as good if not better then new.

This is a simple repair for an expensive speaker that will last for a long time. No other replacement speaker will sound as good as the factory speaker without potentially damaging your Mark levinson amplifier. Believe me I know because I have tried others.

schuppin@worldnet.att.net let me know how it went!!!!!!!!!!

Tools :

Screw driver

Sears electric glue gun and glue.

cost:

Nothing but 10 minutes of your time.

$5.00 bath room caulk but go the glue gun route instead

You all got it wrong My local Lexus dealer sent me to buy the original foam edge for my subwoofer at reconekits.com and he replaced it for me my sound was back to normal

[Acidic]

This is a simple repair for an expensive speaker that will last for a long time. No other replacement speaker will sound as good as the factory speaker without potentially damaging your Mark levinson amplifier. Believe me I know because I have tried others.

Great post, it's great to make such a cheap fix that helps so many but his part of the post simply isn't true... if someone would take the time find the ohm load of the amp and match it up with some modern subs we could EASILY find subs in the sub $100 range that sound BETTER... this is the old Lexus parts are best taken too far...

but this fix works so 90% of people should just do this... $500 for this sub is a flat out joke....

[Erick Strong]

I can't beleive how simple it was to repair my woofer on my 01 ls 430 ultra. I started at $540.00,$460.00,$210.00 to thanks to the GREAT ADVICE i received from this forum the final price is ZERO. thank you so much. the glue gun ideal worked like a charm.

[cipnj718]

HI, I HAVE A ES 300 (2002)...HAVE SAME PROBLEM AS ANOTHER MEMBER IN THE GROUP....CAN'T SEEM TO TAKE THE INSIDE COVER OFF TO GET TO THE SUBWOOFER...PLEASE HELP!!....SECOND PROBLEM IS THAT ONE OF THE (TWO)WIRES THAT GIVE POWER TO THE SUBWOOFER IS DISCONNECTED...HOW DO I RECONNECT IT BACK??..I USED SUPER GLUE, AND I THINK I KILLED THE TIP OF THE WIRE(ITS SILVER/METALLIC).

[Curly]

Bob,

thanks so much! This worked like a charm. I got a glue gun from Michaels arts & crafts and went to work. I played music with

bass so I could see the tear. I could not see it by a visual inspection at first. I have pictures and a quicktime movie of the process if anyone wants me to email them. Now my sub is fixed and sounds great!

The repair took me about 20 minutes and works.

If you can still email the pictures and movie please email to: mcurlanis@yahoo.com

Thank you much!

[sar127]

Thanks so much OP!! Been living with this busted sub on my 2000 LS since almost 2004!

such an embarrassment for ppl in the back seat having to deal with that terrible noise all this time.

Since that was so simple, my automatic next thought was, will this work on any cheapo home theater sub??

Does anyone know? That would be incredibly helpful. THanks in advance.

[lex460]

After your repair fails this is another option

http://www.parts-express.com/speakerrepaircenter/index.cfm

[williamb82]

im surprised no one here has just had a speaker repair shop replace the surround. you can have just the surround on the speaker replaced and its very cheap. and if the voicecoil ever gets blown they can recone the speaker as well. theres a place in tampa florida called "the speaker exchange" that does this. ive had the surrounds on an infinity center channel speaker redone there and my brother has had some old cerwin vega 12in subs reconned there years ago.

once you have the subwoofer grille off on the rear of an ls400, there are 4 10mm bolts holding it in. use a ratchet and deepwell 10mm socket to remove these. then 1 electrical clip and it comes out. you can take it to a local place or prolly mail it to the place i mentioned to be repaired and then reinstall it when it is shipped back. this would be a more permanent repair then the hot glue trick.

heres a link to their site.

http://speakerex.com/

and no, i do not work for them. i just used to live about a mile from them and passed them all the time.

also, this would replace the ml woofer without damaging the amp. just wire the voicecoils in series for the origonal 12ohms

http://speakerex.com/88P.html

[jraytx]

Bob,

thanks so much! This worked like a charm. I got a glue gun from Michaels arts & crafts and went to work. I played music with

bass so I could see the tear. I could not see it by a visual inspection at first. I have pictures and a quicktime movie of the process if anyone wants me to email them. Now my sub is fixed and sounds great!

The repair took me about 20 minutes and works.

[jraytx]

can you send the pictures of the speaker repair. thanks

[luvmyulexus]

Bob,

thanks so much! This worked like a charm. I got a glue gun from Michaels arts & crafts and went to work. I played music with

bass so I could see the tear. I could not see it by a visual inspection at first. I have pictures and a quicktime movie of the process if anyone wants me to email them. Now my sub is fixed and sounds great!

The repair took me about 20 minutes and works.

[luvmyulexus]

Just happened on this forum topic and I would sure appreciate your pix for my ML Subwoofer on my 2001 LS430.

A picture is worth a thousand words and in my case, if it can be screwed up, I'll so it.

Thanks and the e-mail is abower@q.com as in my profile.

Arlo

[ebg2892]

This is for all of those people seaching for a replacement subwoofer that was damaged because either you or one of the kids turned the bass up to loud or played some of that more modern music on your Mark levinson Stereo system and the subwoofer speaker now makes a rattling noise in the back .

This will work for any make or model subwoofer lexus offers.

Go find/borrow/buy an electric glue gun or heavy duty bathroom tub/tile 100% silcone clear caulk (home depot or lowes).

I prefer the glue gun. Pull off or pry with screw driver or puddy knife the subwoofer top grill where you suspect the noice is coming from. Inspect the cone around the speaker. lightly push down on the speaker's outside cone edge. you will find using a flash light and a good pair of reading glasses will help. Observer that in almost all cases the speaker will be torn around the outside edge. This is the weakest part of the factory subwoofer. Mine was torn for about 2 inches along the edge and was very hard to see tear. Take your glue gun, insert glue stick and let it warm up. Now go all the way around the entire outside edge of the speaker cone with glue meeting outside edge with the foam part of the speaker, cover the paper part of the speaker from the form part of the cone to the outside wall of the speaker. Fix any other tears with the glue gun.

Push the speaker cover back on and it will be as good if not better then new.

This is a simple repair for an expensive speaker that will last for a long time. No other replacement speaker will sound as good as the factory speaker without potentially damaging your Mark levinson amplifier. Believe me I know because I have tried others.

schuppin@worldnet.att.net let me know how it went!!!!!!!!!!

Tools :

Screw driver

Sears electric glue gun and glue.

cost:

Nothing but 10 minutes of your time.

$5.00 bath room caulk but go the glue gun route instead

[Bocatrip]

This is for all of those people seaching for a replacement subwoofer that was damaged because either you or one of the kids turned the bass up to loud or played some of that more modern music on your Mark levinson Stereo system and the subwoofer speaker now makes a rattling noise in the back .

This will work for any make or model subwoofer lexus offers.

Go find/borrow/buy an electric glue gun or heavy duty bathroom tub/tile 100% silcone clear caulk (home depot or lowes).

I prefer the glue gun. Pull off or pry with screw driver or puddy knife the subwoofer top grill where you suspect the noice is coming from. Inspect the cone around the speaker. lightly push down on the speaker's outside cone edge. you will find using a flash light and a good pair of reading glasses will help. Observer that in almost all cases the speaker will be torn around the outside edge. This is the weakest part of the factory subwoofer. Mine was torn for about 2 inches along the edge and was very hard to see tear. Take your glue gun, insert glue stick and let it warm up. Now go all the way around the entire outside edge of the speaker cone with glue meeting outside edge with the foam part of the speaker, cover the paper part of the speaker from the form part of the cone to the outside wall of the speaker. Fix any other tears with the glue gun.

Push the speaker cover back on and it will be as good if not better then new.

This is a simple repair for an expensive speaker that will last for a long time. No other replacement speaker will sound as good as the factory speaker without potentially damaging your Mark levinson amplifier. Believe me I know because I have tried others.

schuppin@worldnet.att.net let me know how it went!!!!!!!!!!

Tools :

Screw driver

Sears electric glue gun and glue.

cost:

Nothing but 10 minutes of your time.

$5.00 bath room caulk but go the glue gun route instead

Amazing information. I just purchased a LS430 with the same problem. Bob could you please email me the pictures of the repair? It would be very much appreciated. Thanks soooo much.