More accurate with Zobel or without?

[Racket Scientist]

I'm still playing with my Tang Band 1808s in open baffles, and probably planning to put a zobel on to tame the top end a bit. I'm curious if there is a "general" answer to this question. Are most full range drivers closer to an accurate, flat frequency response through the mid and treble on axis with a zobel or without? How about this driver specifically? Is there a "Zobel lite" design - something that only partially corrects the impedence change and modulates the rising response less dramatically than the usual circuit? Also, I've seen zobels used on full range drivers alone, but my impression is that one of the main reasons to use one is to make passive crossover design work better - its difficult to design a passive crossover for drivers whose impedence is changing at different frequencies.

[TerryO]

Originally Posted by Racket Scientist

I'm still playing with my Tang Band 1808s in open baffles, and probably planning to put a zobel on to tame the top end a bit. I'm curious if there is a "general" answer to this question. Are most full range drivers closer to an accurate, flat frequency response through the mid and treble on axis with a zobel or without? How about this driver specifically? Is there a "Zobel lite" design - something that only partially corrects the impedence change and modulates the rising response less dramatically than the usual circuit? Also, I've seen zobels used on full range drivers alone, but my impression is that one of the main reasons to use one is to make passive crossover design work better - its difficult to design a passive crossover for drivers whose impedence is changing at different frequencies.

RS,
Quite a few drivers don't require any zobel at all. It really depends on the driver and personal taste. As for your last statement it's much the same, but remember that all drivers experience some frequency dependant impedance variations.

As for the Tangband, I have no idea, although there's been a bit of chatter about them lately.

Best Regards,
TerryO

[norman bates]

I know that the eminence 12lta (afterburner) sounded better without a zobel.

Norman

[BTW]

I have played around with the Walker HDL... This is a Zobel type network if I'm not wrong..

Depends on the driver you are applying the Zobel to.. If your driver have some serious peaks in the frequency spectrum.. a Zobel will help.. On the other hand if your driver relative neutral.. you might find the Zobel will reduce the dynamics a bit...

So IMHO ..end of day.. you still need to pick the Lesser of the 2 evils..

[LineArray]

If i refer to the same thing - R and C row circuit parallel
to the driver - there should in a perfect world be no
audible difference when applied to a fullranger e.g. .

It might be due to the amplifiers properties if there is
some difference audible ...

If there are other components involved like in a passive
crossover, the effect of compensating VC inductance
is more than articulate mostly.

Which even then does not mean you always need it.

[Bob Brines]

Originally Posted by LineArray

If i refer to the same thing - R and C row circuit parallel
to the driver - there should in a perfect world be no
audible difference when applied to a fullranger e.g. .

IME, a zobel along will have no effect on a full-ranger. If you have a BSC filter, then the top end can be altered with a zobel.

Bob

[planet10]

You cannot generalize. The Zobel only affects the FR in conjunction with the amplifier.

If you have a low Z output impedance on the amplifier it should have little effect. If you have a high Z output impedance then the HF will drop along with the impedance. A rising impedance with a high z amp in some cases helps increase the HF response so that it is flatter & more extended (FE12x for instance) so you just need to try it and see if it works for you, your amp & its interaction with the speakers.

dave