Replacing a blown tweeter in a Behringer B215A Powered Speaker

Introducing the Behringer B215A
Introducing the Behringer Eurolive B215A PA

I picked up a Behringer B215A Powered Speaker and it served me well for just under a year. I somehow blew the tweeter during a Xome performance! Imagine that!

By the time I thought about it again and went to dig out the warranty information, the one-year warranty period had expired. Pretty typical thing for me to do. So I figured that I’d crack ‘er open and see what going on in there.

Screws on the back of the B215A with some notes
Screws on the back of the B215A with some notes

Opening up the cabinet was easy enough except some of the screws holding the thing together were recessed so far down in the back of the cabinet that my trusty screwdriver would not reach. Actually, most of the screws were that way. I went to the hardware store and picked up an extra long Philips screwdriver — a 20 inch long one to be exact. I measured things up and you would need at least a 9 inch long shaft on the screwdriver to get these screws out. Most of the screws were the same but there were two that were shorter than the others and the screws used for the handles were different.

The speaker cabinet is open
The speaker cabinet is open

So, after all the screws were out, the front and the back of the speaker came right apart. If you are doing this yourself, be extra careful as both the front and the back are big and heavy and could fall over. Prop up one side on a wall, chair, table, etc. You don’t want one side falling over and yanking too hard on the wires.

When I got to the point where I could  reach inside the speaker, I marked a + and – on the respective connectors with a Sharpie for both the compression driver (tweeter)  and the woofer. I also marked each of the wires themselves as “woofer” and “tweeter” so I wouldn’t get those mixed up.  Then I removed the quick disconnects on each set of speaker terminals. Now the cabinet is in two pieces!

Original Behringer compression driver mounted on the horn
Original Behringer compression driver mounted on the horn

The compression driver on these speakers screw right in to the back of the horn. Simple enough to remove, right? I twisted and turned it but it would not budge. I expended all my vast muscular energy on it and could not get it to twist off. I noticed that the diameter of the compression driver was about the same as an oil filter on a car. A quick measure told me it was 3.5″ in diameter.  So I went and picked up a cheap oil filter wrench. The oil filter wrench worked flawlessly. The magnet in the compression driver did attract the metal on the wrench a bit though. A couple of light taps and some twisting and the driver was off!

I got the compression driver off with an oil filter wrench
I got the compression driver off with an oil filter wrench

Behringer uses some sort of loc-tite material on the threads to secure everything in place making it difficult to remove.

I did a little research online and found that the threaded opening on the Behringer compression driver is actually a pretty standard size — 1 3/8″ in diameter with 18 TPI (threads per inch). For a replacement, I wound up going with a Selenium D220TI (8 ohm) available at Parts Express. It cost me $45.84. There was another one available in the $30 – $40 range but I decided to go wit the D220TI  because of the rated power handling. Supposedly the original Behringer HF compression drivers replacements run in the $70 – $80 range. The few places that I found online indicated that they are “special order” items and it would take a while to get them to me. The specs on the Selenium are better, it was around half the price and I could get it in a few days so the decision was pretty much a no-brainer. There was also another consideration in the decision process… the Selenium has a titanium diaphragm and the original Behringer 34T30D8 has an aluminum diaphragm according to the markings on the driver.

Original Behringer 34T30D8 Compression Driver
Original Behringer 34T30D8 Compression Driver

Now, when I purchased this speaker, I was under the impression that it had a titanium diaphragm driver… the box it came in says it has a titanium diaphragm driver… Behringer’s Web site says it has an aluminum diaphragm driver and some retail Web sites say it has a titanium, others say it has an aluminum.

Original box the Behringer Eurolive B215A came in
Original box the Behringer Eurolive B215A came in

I feel that there’s something weird going on so I’m probably going to write a nice letter to Behringer to see what they have to say… but I digress…!

Selenium D220Ti Titanium Horn Driver (8 Ohm)
Selenium D220Ti Titanium Horn Driver (8 Ohm)

So, I popped in the new Selenium driver, reconnected the wires and put everything back together. The Selenium is a lot bigger and heavier that the Behringer counterpart but it screws on to the back of the horn and fits inside the cabinet just fine. The oil filter wrench won’t strap around the new driver — it was just way too big. I just screwed it in as tight as I could by hand.

As for the sound, I have only done a brief test bit it sounds excellent. I hope that the new Selenium driver will hold up to the abuse I sometimes put it through.

By the way, the Behringer B212A supposedly uses the same setup except the woofer is a 12″ as opposed to the 15″ in the B215A. You should be able to replace the stock Behringer compression driver with a new one like I did.

Important news: I have heard from a few folks that the there isn’t enough room inside of the B212 series (specifically the B212A and B212D) powered speakers to accommodate the Selenium driver. It’s just too big. If you really want to try though, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Here are some extra photos:

The amplifier side of the Behringer B215A
The amplifier side of the Behringer B215A
The big ol' 15 inch woofer
The speaker side of the Behringer B215A
The 15 inch woofer
The big ol’ 15 inch Behringer woofer
The original Behringer compression driver is out
The stock Behringer compression driver
The new Selenium D220Ti ready to go in
The new Selenium D220Ti ready to go
The new Selenium D220Ti is in and ready to go
The new Selenium D220Ti is installed

47 Thoughts on “Replacing a blown tweeter in a Behringer B215A Powered Speaker

  1. So, this is very good news indeed, and thank you so much for the photos.
    I have four of these speakers, and am generally very happy with them – Bang For The Buck theory.
    But I blew a tweeter in one, just before a prestigious 3D sound presentation, and no local dealer could provide a replacement.

    Do you have a source for this selenium tweeter replacement?

    Anyway, thank you for a very helpful article.

    John

  2. Hey John,

    Check the main post… there’s a link to the page for the tweeter I used. I got it from Parts Express.

    -;.

  3. Helpful advice, especially the filter wrench. I did discover it to be easier accessing the inside by removing the amp from the back instead of splitting the cab in two. The tip on the replacement drivers was also very good. They are cost effective and arrived in two days.
    thanks,
    Ron

  4. Great article! I am right there but need to replace the woofer in the B212. I cannot figure out how to get the woofer out. The screw heads are visible under the grill but there is no apparent way to get the grill off. Any suggestions?

  5. Thank you so much for this page. I blew up my driver before a gig tonight and had to borrow a monitor so I could hear my direct guitar signal.
    I just ordered a new driver from the link you provided. You rock! (The pictures help a LOT)

  6. Thanks for the info. Followed your direction and ordered the driver. Installed it yesterday and it works great again. Thank you!

  7. hi bob i got my self a B215A last week its great but i have one little problem i blew out the amp in one of them i dont want to have it repaired i would like to just buy the the amp complete and replace it can you please help me source one or maybe another brand that will fit in the encloser?

  8. Hey Felix,

    Hmmm… interesting question. I have a weird feeling that you might have to get in touch with Behringer directly or an authorized dealer locally.

    They should be able to at least point you in the right direction.

    Also check the enclosed documentation. I’m sure there’s contact info to be found there!!

    -bob

  9. thanks for the quick reply but im in a third world contry my friend down here we pay the same price you do but we dont get service even when you buy brand new stuff you take it back to the dealer he would laugh till he faint or somthing

  10. This page makes me really happy, Thank you for making this. I just ordered the D220TI a minute ago, I am crossing fingers. One small question, When you blown your tweeter, did you hear nothing at all or just bad tweeter sound? mine is like nothing at all. I can’t hear any tweeter, Anyways I’ll see, part is on the way.

  11. @Cemre
    Thanks for the kind words!

    My tweeter blew completely… no sound at all. I ran a super high-pitched tone (I have a distortion pedal that produces such a sound when a non-connected cable is plugged into the input) through the speaker and put my ear right up to the tweeter cone… nothing! I remember that I could hear a little bit of the tone through the woofer, though.
    -bob

  12. Your excellent article was a real help, can’t thank you enough! It was also nice to have a link to purchase the right part. The instructions were exactly what I needed to know, but fortunately for me, the driver unscrewed off of the horn by hand, very easily.

  13. Please note! Although the Selenium may fit and work well in the B215, they will not fit the B212A or B212D. They are too tall and the amp pack won’t fit into the cab. Found out the hard way.

  14. thank you for posting this, great instructions, links, and pictures. for the record, this works for the B215D too — seems the letter change is only a difference in the amp. have you found that the selenium driver holds up to your abuse?

  15. Could you just replace the diaphragm ? I thought since its the only replaceable part thats all you have to do? they are about $25
    I have have one with the same problem , NO noise just smell.
    thanks
    dan

  16. Thanks for the tips. I was having trouble getting the high driver out. I actually but a chain vice grip set and that worked, as well. Thanks, again!

  17. STOP STOP STOP!!!!! IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO REPAIR THE B212 Series.

    The tags on this article list the B212A. However, the horn listed – Selenium D220TI – DOES NOT FIT the Behringer B212D. The amp gets in the way of allowing the cabinet to close.

    šŸ™ – SOB

    Bob Hughes

  18. Great webpage. That’s what I love about the internet. I just did a search on B215A replacement tweeter and found this. I’ve had a pair of these Behringers for 2+ years and they have been solid up until this weekend. Best bang for the buck and half the price of the competition (Mackie, JBL, EV).

    Thank you for taking the time to document everything, even where to buy the replacement driver!

    Cheers from California,
    Eric

  19. ThereĀ“s no need of large screwdrivers just remove the small screws and pull out the piece then youĀ“ll see the driver and the woofer.

  20. great article. very informative and concise. I have love the 215d line of speakers. very reliable. I have had a pair for over 5 years and i use them 2-3 a week for road gigs and as mains in my studio. Recently one of them blows a fuse every time you power the unit on. Any thoughts on what could be wrong? Another one I have an issue were I can hear the hiss in the horn get louder as i turn up the volume, but there is no sound coming out of the speaker via the horn or the woofer. What could be wrong with that one. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

  21. Thank you for posting this! I’ve been procrastinating on this problem for over 2 years, but just ordered the part after reading your article – much appreciated…

  22. I blow my tweeter and ordered the Selenium D220Ti. Strangely the back of the Selenium is to big and it will not fit into the cabinet when closing. Seems that the back is hitting the Amp cooler. Did anyone of you had the same problem?

  23. Hey Bob,

    Glad to find this info to improve my gear and amused but not surprised to see it’s from a known sourceā€”I was just finally looking to replace this on one of mine, probably blown from long term or some specific exposure to an Instinct Control set! Good meeting you in Jan!

    Best,
    Ryan

  24. Actually, one question on inspecting this more closely. There are three mount screws on the original driver but apparently four on the Selenium. How did you solve this issue?

    Best,
    Ryan

  25. This is perfect. I just ordered the driver you suggested for my B215D speaker. I can’t wait to install it and be extremely happy that it works. I really hope it the problem is in fact the driver and not the cross over or amp. I will report back Friday with either good or bad news.

    Anyway, thank you for posting this!

  26. Exactly what I needed.

    For those curious about amp replacement, we’ve been down that road as well…(college radio station… dude, it sounded great, then there was this smoke, and…)

    The amplifier module should be available from any authorized Behringer service center. If you’re lucky, and they are willing to sell it as a raw part, without putting it in for you, its about $90 US. (Does NOT contain the plate or power supply transformer, just the Power Amp PCB & heat sink.) It takes about 15 minutes to change out.

    Either get the gaskets as well, or a tube of clear silicone to re-seal the amp plate back in its cavity. The cabinet will not perform properly with air leaks all the way around the amp.

  27. Hey man just want to say this for posting this it was a super big help great write up ! thanks again

  28. Awesome advice, I must say I was seeking a solution for so long and then you came to my rescue. The removal of the driver however is the most difficult part but everything else was flawless. Thanks again!

  29. Trying to replace sub in eurolive B 215 behringer speaker, once iremoved back, couldnt find screws to take woofer out. Any answers

  30. Hi Bob,

    Very nice post ! Did you know if I could use the same tweeter on BEHRINGER B212A ?
    +I’m looking for a reseller of level button, the high level is totally worn !
    Thank you

    BR

    Frank

  31. This was great information for my Behringer keyboard amp. It took no time to change the tweeter. Thanks for the pictures and great advice / instructions!

    one thing that worked for me. Instead of using the oil filter wrench, I was able to use a rubber jar opener to take the old tweeter off. It gripped it very well and took some effort, but it came off pretty fast.

  32. This will NOT fit in a B212a I just tried it and the Amp hits it when trying to close it up.

  33. Unscrew the screws from the back, it’s easier and just as efficient. *for the 15’s. For the twelves.. You’re gonna need about a 1/4 of an inch more room in the back because those JBL tweeters (which sound better than the OEM’s for sure!) are too big for 12’s. Get longer screws for the back and about 4-5 washers and some foam sealant for the back casing to make the room. At the end of the day you have better sounding speakers than you originally bought.

  34. I have a B212 tweeter that went out. Im going to open it up today to see what it needs. Since the Selenium D220TI will not fit, what would be a good a good replacement?

  35. You can use the Selenium D220TI for a B212A. Just use a dremel to sand down the plastic ridge at the opening edge of the horn. This ridge does not permit the JBL to be screwed in all the way. Doing that will make the driver fit 1/3 of an inch deeper in the cavity.

  36. Thanks for the post! Just replaced the drivers in two B215A’s. Regarding the screwdriver, do yourself a favor and get at least a 10″ — the 9″ one I got from Home Depot barely worked — had to trim off the rubber on the handle to reach the screws.

  37. I had a blown tweeter / high-end compression driver on one of my Behringer Eurolive B2010D speakers. I ordered the OEM part from Music Group. Similar to the original poster, after opening the cabinet I absolutely could not twist the old unit out. I even bought an oil filter wrench and applied a little WD40. It would twist, with difficulty, but would just not rotate out of the casing. Very odd. In the end I eventually just removed the diaphragm from the new driver and swapped it onto the existing magnet still in the casing. This worked! Hopefully the unit is still in place firmly from all the twisting but since I could not get it out I assume things will be ok. Best of luck out there people.

  38. Good article! Just replaced the horn driver in a B215D. It is possible to do this repair without splitting the cabinet. Simply remove the power amp unit. More than enough room to get to the driver. I used a Peavey 14XT driver which was readily available from a local dealer. Cost about $50. This was the same size as the original driver so this would be a good replacement for the B212 cabinet since the part mentioned in the article is too large for that particular cabinet.
    Thanks for the helpful tips!

  39. The tweeter in my Behringer B115D stopped working today. Searching for a solution I found this page.

    I’m not sure if the tweeter is gone or the amp..

    I also don’t know if the Selenium D220TI is the right sort of tweeter for my B115D. How do I tell?

  40. To remove the grill on the speaker you just need to pry it off. I used a pick/screwdriver. After rmoving the grill then I could unscrew the speaker and replace it.

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