In 2007, a short production run of Visual Performance in-door, in-ceiling models were inadvertently manufactured with a substandard adhesive for the grille magnets. This affected a certain production run and not all the models. Gravity pulling down on the grille would cause the adhesive to give way and some the magnets dropped onto the inside of grille. We have replaced many speakers in that production under warranty and have not had the problem since. This pertains to the older, odd number VP models such as VP63R or VP85R.
Please note that this did not apply to the Visual Performance Extreme Series. The VP Extreme grille-holding system was designed differently and did not have the problem. VP Extreme Grilles are top-grade 316L Stainless Steel and have an excellent track record for longevity.
One reason the VP Extreme Series is more expensive is because they have resin-coated, Samarium Cobalt Magnets embedded in the speaker frame and in the grille (instead of Neo/Iron/Boron that the in-door VP model use). So the VP Extreme has twice the holding power of standard VP. SmCo is more costly to do but definitely worth it. It does not have any iron content so it’s inherently corrosion-resistant. This is obviously a critical factor in a product exposed to salt air, direct sunlight, rain, etc. Additionally, VP Extremes have a retainer behind each embedded magnet to prevent any strain on the adhesive and will not allow the magnet to pass through the frame and onto the grille. We have had zero grille magnet issues with VP Extreme.
Importantly, all VP models since that early production have the magnet retainers and have been trouble-free. If you come across a homeowner with an older VP speaker with loose grille magnets, please contact us and we'll gladly take care of them.
Last edited by Ken Manson on May 18, 2016 18:31.
