Upgrade speaker in an MR hilt?

[bassman]

Hi guys,
I've looked around your forum but I can't find an answer to my question.

Is it possible to just replace the speaker in a stock MR hilt battery pack with one of TCSS's speakers?

The hilt I'm talking about is the 2007 Luke ANH hilt. I'm sure you've heard complaints about the sound being way too low.

Thanks

[Novastar]

Yes and no.

The way the MR electronics are put together, the speaker is part of the battery pack. You may have noticed this when pulling out the 3AA (I think it's 3AA) pack to replace/install batteries.

The problem is--it really isn't EASY to:

* Get to the speaker
* Keep the parts intact without breaking plastic stuff
* Make sure the replacement speaker fits "just so"

However--I would say that it *IS* possible, however extremely difficult. Not recommended.

A better option would be to drill holes into your hilt all over the place (but possibly "hide" them in creative ways) to create the resonance you're looking for. Resonance is often more important than a "better" speaker.

Often... not always.

[bassman]

Thanks. I appreciate your advice.

I've tried swapping my Obi-Wan battery pack for the Luke - since they use the same amount of batteries, and it works...but now the Obi is too quiet.

...and since the Obi's battery pack is slightly smaller than the Luke, it isn't making the right connection on the inside of the hilt so, when the saber is being moved around, or if it strikes something, the sound will sometimes cut out for a second.

Again, thanks for your help.

[Lord Maul]

A better option would be to drill holes into your hilt all over the place (but possibly "hide" them in creative ways) to create the resonance you're looking for. Resonance is often more important than a "better" speaker.

Often... not always.

That wouldn't work AT ALL. The MR speakers are at the very end of the pommel, so I fail to see how drillin holes all over the hilt would help.

[Darth Morbius]

Hi guys,
I've looked around your forum but I can't find an answer to my question.

Is it possible to just replace the speaker in a stock MR hilt battery pack with one of TCSS's speakers?

The hilt I'm talking about is the 2007 Luke ANH hilt. I'm sure you've heard complaints about the sound being way too low.

Thanks

What causes the sound to be low is the poor placement of the soundholes UNDER the D-ring bracket. Not much to be done about it.

Replacing the speakers on SOME models is actually quite easy. The two that come to mind immediately are the Luke ROTJ and the Mace Windu FX's because the speaker enclosure just snaps on to the end of the battery pack with locking tabs.

The other sabers have packs with the speaker pretty much SEALED inside with no way to change them out, short of cutting them open.

[Novastar]

Yup... this is all correct, except for Maul's comments, which don't make any sense since I have altered several MR hilts for resonance (and other reasons naturally) and the improvements are impossible to ignore.