Rega RS3's - Possible to remove speaker cover "pegs" from Drive units?

[Gazjam]

Recently took the covers off my RS3's to have a listen and they sound better without them.
Look a lot beter too :)
Only thing though is that the drive units have pegs attached where the covers clipped on.

It LOOKS as though its just a case of loosening off the screw and the peg would come with it, then just re-attach the screw? :scratch:

Just wondered if anyone can shed any light on it, don't want to just go ahead just in case...

Image here:
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=rega+rs3&hl=en&sa=X&biw=925&bih=460&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsfd&tbnid=LhX6BnRLGZa4zM:&imgrefurl=http://www.sorishop.com/board/old_goods/g_detail2.html%3Fno%3D5292&docid=avvqWlTsLyH6bM&imgurl=http://www.audiocamp.net/freedata/oksung/detail/20090916143019_HgLv.jpg&w=200&h=210&ei=P7saT5LlIYWn8gON5oWrCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=380&vpy=135&dur=331&hovh=131&hovw=130&tx=59&ty=71&sig=102785916129137834122&page=5&tbnh=130&tbnw=130&start=54&ndsp=13&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:54

thanks. :cool:

[brian2957]

Just be careful that those screws holding in the pegs are not longer than the bottom ones mate and strike something inside the speaker when you screw them back in and cause a problem .Brian.

[Effem]

Just be careful that those screws holding in the pegs are not longer than the bottom ones mate and strike something inside the speaker when you screw them back in and cause a problem .Brian.

I would agree with that, but usually there is nothing at all lurking behind the drive units in that particular position that would obstruct the screw.

[Welder]

Hmm, given these are new speakers and you're apparently not keen on opening them up to see how they are constructed, I'm not sure this is a good idea.

Most speakers use a threaded insert which has spikes on it that bite into the chipboard, mdf, whatever. A few speakers have a nut attached to a large rotating washer and can only be assembled or taken apart by accessing both front and back; these are pretty rare tbh and more often found in Pro build PA kit for example.

The problem isn't taking the screw out, it's re-engaging the insert thread when you go to replace the bolt. If you push the bolt against the insert when trying to engage the thread there is a possibility of pushing the insert out and finding its dropped into the cabinet inside.

Don't be alarmist you might be thinking but I've done exactly this on a few occasions; particularly with some more recently built speakers where the bolts have been done up on a production line with a torque driver which tends to twist the insert in the baffle material making the spike holes oversize.

Just saying.

[Gazjam]

sage advice guys, thanks.
I'll leave well alone.

(Actually I will email Rega see what they think...one last try) :)

[DSJR]

Are you sure the grille-removal thing isn't just brain-washing from the 70's (when grilles were really bad unless they were foam)? They sound fine to me with them in place and any very slight character they exhibit up top is in the tweeter and crossover choice, rather than anything else I think. Rega's grilles are some of the best in the business and were very carefully designed to have no diffraction effects, unlike the thick wodden frets that so many speakers had and still have.

[Audioman]

Gary. Err. Why would you want to risk moving these 'pegs' anyway ? Dave may be right about Rega grills. The big frame grills that are still quite common do make a difference. But maybe I just prefer looking at the cones anyway.

[Gazjam]

I'll be running the speakers with the covers off - they look far better to me this way. Sound better too...something happening to the treble with the covers on thats not there with them off.
This is mostly a visual thing though. ;)
I guess I'm thinking it would look better if the drive units sat flush with the speaker rather than having one or two pegs sticking out, taking away from the look.
This is especially noticable with the side bass unit.

Not a major drama though and certainly not one worth taking a risk with the speakers for!

I'll email Rega see what they say, then I'll call it a day.

[RichB]

Hi Gaz,

As a fellow RS3 owner I agree with you they look much better with the grille covers off, although I cant really tell any difference it makes to the sound.

For the sake of keeping the drivers dust free, and safe from curious pets and visiting tiny relatives, I've decided to keep them on.

When we moved house a few years ago the grilles on my Mission 760SEs were damaged and i've had them bare since, within minutes of his first visit to our new home my 3 year old nephew had found the speakers and managed to press both of the tweeters in... :steam:I pulled them back out with a small pin. Doesnt seem to have affected the sound at all but the lesson was learned when it came to speaker covers!

How long have you had RS3s? What has been your opinions of them so far? I have come to love mine dearly after being quite underwhelmed by them initially. I think this was down to the fact that when i demo'd them, the store must have had the aracm amp they used absolutely blasting which i mistook as 'presence' from the speaker rather than just plain old volume. At home i tend to have them playing at much lower levels and unlike the monitor audio speakers and stands they replaced do not have neighbour annoying levels of bass. The Arcam / Rega combo has a very laid back and warm sort of presentation on its own, when playing FLAC through my standac it is much more lively.