Is it possible to modify speaker crossovers so that they mimic the speakers response after a graphic eq. is applied? Or are we limited by the drivers in question?
Sorry if this is a stupid question, I imagine there's a lot of factors involved, I don't know the basics of crossover design... I'm guessing the answer is it could be done but it's a painstaking process! I was testing a pair of Kef concerto speakers and tried to make them sound as my main speakers and sort of managed it using an external eq adjusted as you can see in the picture
Thanks
Sorry if this is a stupid question, I imagine there's a lot of factors involved, I don't know the basics of crossover design... I'm guessing the answer is it could be done but it's a painstaking process! I was testing a pair of Kef concerto speakers and tried to make them sound as my main speakers and sort of managed it using an external eq adjusted as you can see in the picture
Thanks
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Thanks,
I'm afraid I don't know how to, I should better teach myself with the basics before asking so broad general questions... but it's good to hear it's not a crazy idea!
Thing is I bought a Falcon Acoustics crossover thinking it would be a noticiable upgrade and apart from a slight increase of definition in high frequencies (which are already too much) it sounds virtually the same... but of course they didn't pretend to make a new/different sounding speaker out of that crossover although I prefered to believe that
I'm afraid I don't know how to, I should better teach myself with the basics before asking so broad general questions... but it's good to hear it's not a crazy idea!
Thing is I bought a Falcon Acoustics crossover thinking it would be a noticiable upgrade and apart from a slight increase of definition in high frequencies (which are already too much) it sounds virtually the same... but of course they didn't pretend to make a new/different sounding speaker out of that crossover although I prefered to believe that
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Depending on the reason you ask this question it may also be possible to do it before amplification on your line signal with a "set in stone" line signal EQ, kind of like an adjustment box. I once upon a time thought about making one of these with a small microcontroller and digital potentiometers! Adjustable adjustments... 
AllenB,
yes I have a loptop and guess I could get some sort of program to produce single notes... to de reproduced through the speakers? but I'm lost about where to go from there
Hi Humbledeer,
basically that's what the eq unit (Yamaha EQ500) I used does, and it could do... but you know what happens when you're anal about sound, there's a very subtle "openness" lost in the eq chain, I was able to notice!😂Maybe a "set in stone" box with the needed adjustments would be less in the way...
yes I have a loptop and guess I could get some sort of program to produce single notes... to de reproduced through the speakers? but I'm lost about where to go from there
Hi Humbledeer,
basically that's what the eq unit (Yamaha EQ500) I used does, and it could do... but you know what happens when you're anal about sound, there's a very subtle "openness" lost in the eq chain, I was able to notice!😂Maybe a "set in stone" box with the needed adjustments would be less in the way...
Just loop the EQ through, ie feed it with the sound out and send it back into the laptop. Get an analyser program, set your levels, to do a single sweep or block of pink noise and instantly you have the response. Convert it to an *.frd file and you can work with it in a speaker simulator.
The speakers will take a little more than that but if you can work with resistors and cables then no problem.
The speakers will take a little more than that but if you can work with resistors and cables then no problem.
Thanks for the info! I'll look into it when I have time and feel brave enough to embark on the project, it sure will be a learning process
By the way, the EQ unit has a pink noise button generator. Could that be used to send that EQed pink noise to the laptop? It is to adapt the EQ to the room with a mic, i've never been able to use it properly as to do it needs to be scary loud.
By the way, the EQ unit has a pink noise button generator. Could that be used to send that EQed pink noise to the laptop? It is to adapt the EQ to the room with a mic, i've never been able to use it properly as to do it needs to be scary loud.
It is WAY better to do it in the Signal world, meaning an EQ before the power amp, what you have already done, than in the Power World, passively between amp and speaker, which costs precious Watts.
For an electronic EQ, getting 10dB boost or cut is easy peasy, passively it means that if your average listening level is 10W, you will need to boost it to 100W or attenuate to 1 W.
We can "waste" Volts which are cheap, not Watts (expensive)
Your curve shows about +3dB boost at a midrange frequency, around 480 Hz; that means attenuating lower and higher frequencies by 3 dB since crossovers are passive, they can only provide loss, not gain, so you start by wasting half your amplifier power.
Much better to get that curve beforehand.
EDIT:you have ALREADY found an EQ you like, so no real need for measurements.
Just trying to keep it simple to solve your problem.
For an electronic EQ, getting 10dB boost or cut is easy peasy, passively it means that if your average listening level is 10W, you will need to boost it to 100W or attenuate to 1 W.
We can "waste" Volts which are cheap, not Watts (expensive)
Your curve shows about +3dB boost at a midrange frequency, around 480 Hz; that means attenuating lower and higher frequencies by 3 dB since crossovers are passive, they can only provide loss, not gain, so you start by wasting half your amplifier power.
Much better to get that curve beforehand.
EDIT:you have ALREADY found an EQ you like, so no real need for measurements.
Just trying to keep it simple to solve your problem.
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Juan, I don't think it's as bad as that. Much of a crossover is reactive. Often EQ variations make little difference than previously. Resonance is sometimes used to increase levels (gain).
In any case, EQ is one of the steps I usually take when designing a crossover (this is the other way around but it's the same process).
In any case, EQ is one of the steps I usually take when designing a crossover (this is the other way around but it's the same process).
Of course the lower level manipulation is preferred, however, if the speakers have bad tendencies than you’ll never quite get where you want with low level changes alone.
I had some free speakers that seemed to have potential, yet had a blaring midrange, and some odd ringing effects. I set out to change the crossovers to as closely as possible match some much nicer speakers by using one on each channel to start out with. I used a free phone RTA app to help isolate some of the offending areas, and monitor the results as I played around with the levels and spectral balance. Also good have a db meter or an app at least. White noise is a useful tool to help understand what’s going on.
There are a few different tweaks that can be handy for changing the way a speaker sounds.
Is good to have a small stash of 1uf polyester caps, some 5w resistors of various values around, as well as some closed cell foam, bubble wrap for cabinet fill as well, if you want to go that far. I even wound up using some thin strips of adhesive backed weather stripping placed on the metal cones to tame a resonance after the overall balance has been achieved.
Need to search for the methods and risks/side effects of changing crossover component values…
Forget about any eq, at least until you’re done with any speaker modifications, or just forget about it regardless!
An eq can be helpful to parse out resonant areas ie. a 1khz peak may be a cone edge resonance at 300hz.
I had some free speakers that seemed to have potential, yet had a blaring midrange, and some odd ringing effects. I set out to change the crossovers to as closely as possible match some much nicer speakers by using one on each channel to start out with. I used a free phone RTA app to help isolate some of the offending areas, and monitor the results as I played around with the levels and spectral balance. Also good have a db meter or an app at least. White noise is a useful tool to help understand what’s going on.
There are a few different tweaks that can be handy for changing the way a speaker sounds.
Is good to have a small stash of 1uf polyester caps, some 5w resistors of various values around, as well as some closed cell foam, bubble wrap for cabinet fill as well, if you want to go that far. I even wound up using some thin strips of adhesive backed weather stripping placed on the metal cones to tame a resonance after the overall balance has been achieved.
Need to search for the methods and risks/side effects of changing crossover component values…
Forget about any eq, at least until you’re done with any speaker modifications, or just forget about it regardless!
An eq can be helpful to parse out resonant areas ie. a 1khz peak may be a cone edge resonance at 300hz.
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Thanks all for the input. I had already improved the boxes with bracing, bitumen, felt and white wadding to the sides. About the changes in the "signal world" I took out to the arena my Kenwood KA7300 and used its tone controls adding two notches at 400hz and cutting two at 3khz and I have to tell you results are quite good! I think I prefer that to having an extra piece of gear in the middle, despite the EqQ may allow more precise tweaking... a shame amp these days come with no tone controls at all!
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