Home » Audio » Speaker » 2nd order...what the doctor ordered?
Re: Not for me [message #16604 is a reply to message #16603] Sat, 12 June 2004 08:56 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18789
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
I agree about first-order crossovers. They are inexpensive and sonically forgiving but they just don't remove enough lows for tweeters.

I like first-order and pseudo-first-order filters for bass and midrange drivers, but not for tweeters. What I'm calling "pseudo-first-order" filters are those that have the reactive component in series but no impedance compensation in shunt. This makes the driver itself have so much influence on filter characteristics that I like to make some distinction of the configuration. So for me, first-order requires a Zobel or damper resistor. Without it, I refer to the circuit as pseudo-first-order.

Most tweeters I've used just don't handle the power with gradual slopes. They're not designed for that - They're designed for high frequency use only, and can't handle much excursion. I suppose that with tiny flea-power applications, it really doesn't matter. Maybe I like to listen louder than most, but I always smoke tweeters on first-order filters almost immediately. I honestly don't understand the practice of using a single series capacitor on an expensive compression horn tweeter. Don't even get it near me, 'cause it won't last long.

Aside from that, I've used JBL 2105's having first-order and pseudo-first-order circuits with a great deal of success. These little 5" mids don't handle a lot of power anyway, only about 40 watts. But they're pretty durable and tolerant of low frequency energies. I crossed a lot of them at 500Hz 1st order, and they work just fine that way. If that's what you're thinking about doing, they'll work very well for you. They're a very good sounding driver. But if you're going to crossover much below that, you may want to go with a higher-order slope.

Most larger midrange drivers and nearly all midwoofers don't need any crossover at all. It is sometimes appropriate for frequency response issues, but rarely for power handling. Sometimes I run woofers, midwoofers and large midrange devices with first-order filters, but sometimes I use higher slopes and sometimes none at all. I generally look at this on a case-by-case basis and design the crossover to match with the rest of the system.

 
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Previous Topic: Help with 2235
Next Topic: The "magic" of single drivers: some thoughts
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Thu Nov 28 17:25:17 CST 2024

Sponsoring Organizations

DIY Audio Projects
DIY Audio Projects
OddWatt Audio
OddWatt Audio
Pi Speakers
Pi Speakers
Prosound Shootout
Prosound Shootout
Miller Audio
Miller Audio
Tubes For Amps
TubesForAmps.com

Lone Star Audiofest