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/philips9710.htm#February 2006, Chapter II

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

 

[loninappleton]

from popular electronics

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[cr0wl3y]

Thanks for the feedback, I have decided to go ahead with the tweak, worst case scenario is I'll end up doing the re-cone anyway as Magura said. Tracing paper tip sounds like a good idea CLS, also makes sense as such paper tends to be quite light, so won't add much to the overall mass.

Anyone got any good suggestions on how to try different paper grades temporarily, before I decide what the one to do the permament job with? U think that temporary fixing spray applied to the whizzer could work?

Also, where do you think is best to apply the glue in the final thing, onto the actual cone or the top part of the cylinder where the voice coil is wound?

 

[brianco]

Thanks for the feedback, I have decided to go ahead with the tweak, worst case scenario is I'll end up doing the re-cone anyway as Magura said. Tracing paper tip sounds like a good idea CLS, also makes sense as such paper tends to be quite light, so won't add much to the overall mass.

Anyone got any good suggestions on how to try different paper grades temporarily, before I decide what the one to do the permament job with? U think that temporary fixing spray applied to the whizzer could work?

If you can find a natural rice paper in the correct thickness it will sound very good; faster and purer than Lowther diaphrams. But you need to buy a natural shellac (Gum Damar, it comes ion crystals which you disolve in pure turps. try Cornellison in London, their telephone no is +44(0)20 7636 1045). Mix this and coat the diaphram on both sides with a couple of coats.

 

[cr0wl3y]

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

If you can find a natural rice paper in the correct thickness it will sound very good; faster and purer than Lowther diaphrams. But you need to buy a natural shellac (Gum Damar, it comes ion crystals which you disolve in pure turps. try Cornellison in London, their telephone no is +44(0)20 7636 1045). Mix this and coat the diaphram on both sides with a couple of coats.

Thanks! I'll check this out. Do you by any chance know what the correct thickness would be?

 

[cr0wl3y]

Update - made whizzers using hand-made paper and brianco's tip on hardenning it with gum dammar. Sounds really really good! I'll post pictures as soon as I get round to taking them and have kept the "blueprints" and will eventually post them to make it easier for others to do the fix.

Thanks to everyone and particularly Brianco for all the tips and advice!