ampohm went bankrupt so the foil cap stock was bought up and selling at quite good prices through a couple of UK and US online shops..in other words buy up what you can now! pio / foil caps for ribbons or high end tweets if you must, otherwise use something like mundorf evo's or other metallized for the high value caps
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Perhaps IF you believe the Brochure Babbles.. But IMO they.. Do Not ..offer value for $$. Far from it
Now sit back and await the Bleatings from those who have swallowed the "party line" :-0
There comes a point where the a capacitor is doing a good enough job and the differences between capacitors are about how they change the sound rather than how they leave it alone. This kind of small change is what crossover tweaking is all about..ie: values and topology.
I've found that while it makes a difference, it is difficult to make a good speaker sound bad by, for example, using a good mylar capacitor, or obsolete transistors etc.
I've found that while it makes a difference, it is difficult to make a good speaker sound bad by, for example, using a good mylar capacitor, or obsolete transistors etc.
For bang for buck I don't think you can go past axons from parts connexion AXON True Cap Metallized Polypropylene Capacitors
Note I've not used any boutique caps at all, but I'm perfectly happy with my axons.
Tony.
Note I've not used any boutique caps at all, but I'm perfectly happy with my axons.
Tony.
1) Prepare some high quality small value capacitors...
Paralleling big cap with very small one (of higher quality) seems to have merit, even if the small cap theoretically doesn't have effect.
2) Measure your capacitors...
Tweaked crossovers have exact value components. Because cap tolerance is very low, the small capacitors can be used to match left with right (For example 10nF on the left and 100nF on the right).
The more complex the crossover, the more precise the component values should be. Of the shelf values just don't work.
Paralleling big cap with very small one (of higher quality) seems to have merit, even if the small cap theoretically doesn't have effect.
2) Measure your capacitors...
Tweaked crossovers have exact value components. Because cap tolerance is very low, the small capacitors can be used to match left with right (For example 10nF on the left and 100nF on the right).
The more complex the crossover, the more precise the component values should be. Of the shelf values just don't work.
First, what will you say against those who say that passive crossovers suck?
Second, show me one very good speaker with complex crossover (e.g. LR4) using off the shelf component values.
Notch filters are terrible. Notch filters at tweeter's resonance has dilemma. With the notch, it is hard to get a natural sound. Without the notch, there are moments where it is not good enough, especially to reproduce rock music. My conclusion is that without a notch filter for the tweeter, a speaker is never good enough (Of course, this is regarding "common" tweeters).
Jay, I am not sure I understand what you are asking, but when calculating currents through crossovers each intermediate point gets condensed down to a single complex value. Ie a resistance and reactance, or a current or voltage with phase angle. It doesn't matter how many components are behind it.
I will agree that greater care is sometimes needed with tank circuits because their bandwidth is narrow and hence specific.
I will agree that greater care is sometimes needed with tank circuits because their bandwidth is narrow and hence specific.
Hi Jay,
I can give you a good example of very complex and acurate filter and drivers set up : The Kef 104/2 Réf : each drivers were matched and spares were matched too for future broken driver. The filters were maid with less than 2 % tolerance on an electronic bench to match the reference crossover and measures ! Filter is very complex (many parts)...and they sound very natural, very good (i haven't the Cube box for bass renforcment).
But As you know an another speaker with LR4 is my Boston Lynnfield 400L: here is the opposite (agree with the rock music : shiny is problematic with treble) I try to set up in the treble... i'm really thinking about a notch, but a notch looks like a dilemna... when you have peaks at around 3,5 k ; and 6k and 7,5K...because you have digs too and do you have to smooth everything ? (your thought)....well I asking myself for room correction because after measurement each measures are differents at 15 cm left or right from the listening position. And maybe a simple MINIDSP Digi between source and dac is less expensive than many trys with passive parts.
I can understand now why a designer want to have a flat curve, because the rooms maid each same speaker...different !
Just two cents
I can give you a good example of very complex and acurate filter and drivers set up : The Kef 104/2 Réf : each drivers were matched and spares were matched too for future broken driver. The filters were maid with less than 2 % tolerance on an electronic bench to match the reference crossover and measures ! Filter is very complex (many parts)...and they sound very natural, very good (i haven't the Cube box for bass renforcment).
But As you know an another speaker with LR4 is my Boston Lynnfield 400L: here is the opposite (agree with the rock music : shiny is problematic with treble) I try to set up in the treble... i'm really thinking about a notch, but a notch looks like a dilemna... when you have peaks at around 3,5 k ; and 6k and 7,5K...because you have digs too and do you have to smooth everything ? (your thought)....well I asking myself for room correction because after measurement each measures are differents at 15 cm left or right from the listening position. And maybe a simple MINIDSP Digi between source and dac is less expensive than many trys with passive parts.
I can understand now why a designer want to have a flat curve, because the rooms maid each same speaker...different !
Just two cents
Re whichcapacitors
Thanks folks for your views, ive read lots about caps in the last few weeks, you would put a smooth cap in a bright sounding speaker type scenario, but when you are building for the first time this makes your choices more difficult, the mundorf silver in oil seems rated by everyone, but expensive, its my choice for the tweeter, but can I afford them for the mid woofer, the seas drivers being paper reed will be detailed with plenty of clarity, so I suppose im after a cap that's smooth with the richness and body to mach maybe pio, the sonicaps seem very rated and cheap, thanks for the imput cheers phil.
Thanks folks for your views, ive read lots about caps in the last few weeks, you would put a smooth cap in a bright sounding speaker type scenario, but when you are building for the first time this makes your choices more difficult, the mundorf silver in oil seems rated by everyone, but expensive, its my choice for the tweeter, but can I afford them for the mid woofer, the seas drivers being paper reed will be detailed with plenty of clarity, so I suppose im after a cap that's smooth with the richness and body to mach maybe pio, the sonicaps seem very rated and cheap, thanks for the imput cheers phil.
Exactly, having the equipment to measure the caps/coils/resistors of a crossover is more important than swapping in and out boutique caps and "hearing" a difference. Matching values and using software to model the response is the way to go.
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