Missing whizzer cone - is there anything I can do?

[cr0wl3y]

Hi there,

I just bought a pair of Lowther DX3 drivers from someone that had removed the whizzer cone to use them in a multi-way system. Do you think there is a way to make one and attach it to the drivers or would you say that chances are I'll ruin them in the process? Also, does anyone have experience of both? Am I missing much by not having the whizzer on?

Thanks!

[CLS]

Wow! That's in my mind for quite a while. Before adding back the whizzer (of any kind), would you please give it a listen as it is? I'd love to hear your listening impression, or better yet, some measurements

Sorry for not being helpful. That's just so interesting and I can't help asking.

And, good luck.

[Nelson Pass]

I have a pair of Lowthers made without whizzers. Big
peak at about 5K and then no top end.

If you are in the U.S. contact Jon ver Halen at

www.lowther-america.com and see about a re-cone job.

[CLS]

Well, that's quite similar to the Philips 9170 tested here:

http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/philips...20Chapter%20II

Without whizzer, 9170 also has a broad peak centered around 5kHz.

[loninappleton]

This is not the best suggestion but years ago Popular Electronics showed a speaker mod to "improve" your speakers.

The idea was to take a funnel and cut it to the diameter of the dust cap. Funnels come in a wide range of tapers and sizes.

I actually tried it but way back then was not a sophisticated listener and I certainly wasn't using Lowthers. I had junk to play with.

[cr0wl3y]

Originally Posted by CLS

Wow! That's in my mind for quite a while. Before adding back the whizzer (of any kind), would you please give it a listen as it is? I'd love to hear your listening impression, or better yet, some measurements

Sorry for not being helpful. That's just so interesting and I can't help asking.

And, good luck.

Hi CLS,

I have been listening to them and they sound really nice in my early acoustas, although at certain frequencies (upper mids and highs) a bit "shouty". Cannot really comment on whether the top-end is lacking as I have never listened to them with the whizzers in. When I get the chance I will do some basic measurements and post results. Suggest you check in a couple of weeks and PM me if I've forgotten to do it

Thanks for the suggestions guys, unfortunately a recone job is not cheap and around about £100 less than a "new-for-old" or EX3 upgrade with Lowther, plus the turnaround time is significant. I think I'll just keep them for a while (maybe try them out with a friend's supertweeters) and eventually upgrade to EX3s when I have a bit of money saved.

[cr0wl3y]

Originally Posted by CLS

Wow! That's in my mind for quite a while. Before adding back the whizzer (of any kind), would you please give it a listen as it is? I'd love to hear your listening impression, or better yet, some measurements

Sorry for not being helpful. That's just so interesting and I can't help asking.

And, good luck.

Hi CLS, just cleaned and aligned the drivers last weekend and played some frequency sweep sounds through them. Without having measured them properly (i.e. just by listening to them and looking at a time chart of the sweep), results are very similar to Nelson Pass' drivers. Peak around 4-6k, volume starts falling noticeably at 6-8k and becomes almost inaudible after 10-12k. May or may not do proper measurements, depending on time.

[oublie]

Sorry if this is a little off topic but has anyone ever put a whizzer on a non whizzer speaker to improve high frequency response? Also could a whizzer be 'shaped' to improve horizontal or vertical response or alleviate high frequency combing in a line array configuration?

[Magura]

Originally Posted by cr0wl3y

Hi there,

I just bought a pair of Lowther DX3 drivers from someone that had removed the whizzer cone to use them in a multi-way system. Do you think there is a way to make one and attach it to the drivers or would you say that chances are I'll ruin them in the process? Also, does anyone have experience of both? Am I missing much by not having the whizzer on?

Thanks!

Making a whizzer should be no big deal, and as your only alternative is a recone, you have nothing to loose.

I'd get my shoes on, and take a walk to a bookshop, and buy some different grades of paper.


Magura

[CLS]

Yeah!

Talking about paper, I remember I once made a diffusor for a lamp by a piece of tracing paper and got a good result. That kind of paper is very tough, tougher than most ordinary papers. So maybe it'd be an option. For your reference.

It tends to shrink at where the glue is applied, though. Some experiments will be needed to assure the compatibilities between the papers and glues...

Just a thought.