Super Tweeter vs Tweeter

[ebag4]

When supplementing the highs for a full range driver it seems that most recommend using a super tweeter. Is there a reason a super tweeter is preferable to using a "normal" tweeter? I will be using this with the Eminence Beta 12LTA.

Thanks,
Ed

 

[Joachim Gerhard]

Depends on the tweeter and the crossover frequency. At what frequency would you like to cross over ?

 

[tinitus]

with your high efficient driver, I take it we are talking about a small horn tweeter
the smaller ones mostly are super tweeters

but its true, with dome tweeters its usually also about 'super tweeters'
they tend to go higher, and sound 'finer'

and that could be a fatal mistake to make, depends

but I think you definately need something with a horn/waveguide
I would choose one a little bigger, and be able to cross a bit lower

 

[Pano]

The Beta 12LTA is a wonderful driver, but hard to mate with a tweeter. One road to success is to cross high and except the ragged top end of the whizzer cone. A super tweeter is right for that.

 

[ebag4]

Thanks for the replies guys. I have a 96dB dome tweeter (GR T-6) That I would like to mate with the 12LTA. I am unclear on what the difference is between hi passing this tweeter vs doing the same with a super tweeter.

Best,
Ed

 

[Pano]

Your dome tweeter will probably play lower, so you may have to use a steeper high pass slope. You should be out of the 12LTA by about 6KHZ.

 

[ebag4]

Here are the tweeter specs:

Frequency Range 2k - 20kHz
Free Air Resonance 1kHz
Nominal Impedance 6 ohms
DC Resistance 4.75 ohms
Voice Coil Diameter 25.4 mm
Max Power 75 watts
Sensitivity 96 db
Face plate size 103.5 mm
Mounting depth 3.5 mm

Is there any reason I can't simply hi-pass this tweeter with a 1.5uF cap?

Thanks,
Ed

 

[badman]

A cap XO is often a good choice for supertweeters. You WILL face a challenge in terms of the polar patterns being badly mismatched, though the shallow XO helps with that somewhat.

1.5uF is probably small enough to give you reasonably high output ability from the tweeter without running out of xmax or power handling.

 

[ebag4]

Your dome tweeter will probably play lower, so you may have to use a steeper high pass slope. You should be out of the 12LTA by about 6KHZ.

Is this the difference between the supertweeter and this unit, the ability of the dome to play lower so you get more bleed through of the tweeter below the xover point and thus requiring a xover with a steeper slope?

A cap XO is often a good choice for supertweeters. You WILL face a challenge in terms of the polar patterns being badly mismatched, though the shallow XO helps with that somewhat.

1.5uF is probably small enough to give you reasonably high output ability from the tweeter without running out of xmax or power handling.

Is the polar response issue due to the difference between the dome type tweeter and the supertweeter or does it have more to do with the higher xover point?

Thanks guys.

 

[tvrgeek]

"Super tweeter" refers to how it is used. If the majority of the treble is done by the mid-range, then it is a super tweeter. Some tweeters are made with very high LF cutoff so they are only suitable for very high crossovers. Nothing magic here.

It is just the same. What I might use as a mid-range in one speaker may be the mid-woofer in the next, or I might use a mid to make it only a woofer.

 

[Cal Weldon]

supertweeter

Hi Ed,
As tvr says there's no magic. The super in supertweeter refers only to the prefix meaning 'above'. It doesn't mean better and there are no concrete rules as to its use. What you will often find is that a supertweeter has a response beyond 20 kHz, but again it seems to be more in the way it's used than the specifications or parameters.

Good luck with the project.

 

[tinitus]

super tweeter, wasnt it originally a term used in context with 4way speakers ?
and mostly referring to tweeters that were a bit too small to be used in ordinary 2 or 3ways, and 19mm became a 'standard sized supertweeter'

and same reason why the smaller PA horn tweeters, or the leaf tweeters, are often listed as super tweeters

I guess the name super tweeter came natural when the smaller tweeters were able to pass the 20khz 'barrier'

....... you will often find is that a supertweeter has a response beyond 20 kHz.......

 

[tinitus]

that said, if you could find a big cone tweeter with the needed sensitivity, and powerhandling, that might be the thing

but I doubt anyone cares to make one
I once asked Skåning about it, but no interest

 

[jrenkin]

A cap XO is often a good choice for supertweeters. You WILL face a challenge in terms of the polar patterns being badly mismatched, though the shallow XO helps with that somewhat.

Can you elaborate on the mismatched polar patterns for my edification? Thanks!