I am going to upgrade the caps with clarity caps in my new DM602, along with mills resistors. I got SONIQS (Clarity cap) audiophile caps. 6.8UF and 10UF. They are huge in size!!!!
There is no sufficient space to keep the caps firmly seated agaist crossover board. Any suggestions to install them. How can I buy those plastic fasteners securing the inductor in the picture?
Please help!
There is no sufficient space to keep the caps firmly seated agaist crossover board. Any suggestions to install them. How can I buy those plastic fasteners securing the inductor in the picture?
Please help!
If your replacing the caps and resistors, why not make up a new xover board.
Use a peice of mdf and just use a little glue (silicon) to secure them.
Those "plastic fastners" are called cable ties.
They are available everywhere, electronics shop, plumbers (some), hardwares, car parts shops, to name a few.
Available in many different widths and lengths, also if they are 'proper' ones the color denotes their intended use.
White for internal use, so you can see them.
Black for outdoors, uv protection.
Blue from distant memory is chemical resistant.
Only a few dollars for a bag (100) of 150mm long.
Use a peice of mdf and just use a little glue (silicon) to secure them.
Those "plastic fastners" are called cable ties.
They are available everywhere, electronics shop, plumbers (some), hardwares, car parts shops, to name a few.
Available in many different widths and lengths, also if they are 'proper' ones the color denotes their intended use.
White for internal use, so you can see them.
Black for outdoors, uv protection.
Blue from distant memory is chemical resistant.
Only a few dollars for a bag (100) of 150mm long.
By the looks of the circuit board it should be easy enough to trace out the diagram.
With the coil, I really don't see the point in replacing it.
You might find (as others have) that by replacing all the bits with better ones the speakers might not sound any better.
In fact quite a few say the opposite, that they sound worse.
You have to remember that the resistance of the inductor will play a part in the design.
You'd probably be better of spending your time and money on bracing the cabinet.
If they really don't sound like you want, I'd be suggesting replacing them outright.
With the coil, I really don't see the point in replacing it.
You might find (as others have) that by replacing all the bits with better ones the speakers might not sound any better.
In fact quite a few say the opposite, that they sound worse.
You have to remember that the resistance of the inductor will play a part in the design.
You'd probably be better of spending your time and money on bracing the cabinet.
If they really don't sound like you want, I'd be suggesting replacing them outright.
Replacing the caps might give a sonic difference.
It's whether that difference is for the better that's the question.
Replacing the resistors, well, I think your time would be better spent on the toilet myself.
As for the inductor, only way I see that changing anything is if the value or resistance is a little different.
Again this may or may not be of benefit to your ears.
Modifying/bracing the cabinet .
Look it really is all a matter of what the original is like as to whether any of it will help or hurt.
It's not like the b&w's are cheap rubbish to begin with.
Bracing.
Put on your favorite cd, turn the volume up to whatever level you listen too, and put your hand on the side of the speaker cabinet.
Do you feel any vibration ?
If not, then go buy a bottle of your favorite drink and just enjoy what you have.
If you do, well, open the box up and put bits of timber from one side to the other.
(Very crude description of bracing)
This is to try and stop the box from vibrating.
And yet again, this may not make any difference that you can tell anyway.
I would suspect that it would only make any sort of audible difference at very high volumes.
If you want more info on bracing, have a read through some of the posts here.
I'm sure you'll find better descriptions than what I have given.
You'll also find more opinions about whether changing a cap/resistor/inductor to brand xyz will transform the speaker into a 'super' speaker or not.
Remember one thing though;
"Opinions are like ar-e holes, everyone has one"
Enjoy.......................................................
It's whether that difference is for the better that's the question.
Replacing the resistors, well, I think your time would be better spent on the toilet myself.
As for the inductor, only way I see that changing anything is if the value or resistance is a little different.
Again this may or may not be of benefit to your ears.
Modifying/bracing the cabinet .
Look it really is all a matter of what the original is like as to whether any of it will help or hurt.
It's not like the b&w's are cheap rubbish to begin with.
Bracing.
Put on your favorite cd, turn the volume up to whatever level you listen too, and put your hand on the side of the speaker cabinet.
Do you feel any vibration ?
If not, then go buy a bottle of your favorite drink and just enjoy what you have.
If you do, well, open the box up and put bits of timber from one side to the other.
(Very crude description of bracing)
This is to try and stop the box from vibrating.
And yet again, this may not make any difference that you can tell anyway.
I would suspect that it would only make any sort of audible difference at very high volumes.
If you want more info on bracing, have a read through some of the posts here.
I'm sure you'll find better descriptions than what I have given.
You'll also find more opinions about whether changing a cap/resistor/inductor to brand xyz will transform the speaker into a 'super' speaker or not.
Remember one thing though;
"Opinions are like ar-e holes, everyone has one"
Enjoy.......................................................
Like Maddmutt said, opinions are.....
I'd change the resistors first. You should hear a slight reduction in grain. Changing the caps should yield bigger changes, but there's a bigger chance that you might not like the change. They might reveal problems in your equipment upstream. I'm not familiar with those particular caps, but I'd bet substituting the current caps with Auricaps would be pretty safe. Unless you've got the gear to measure the inductors carefully (including DCR), I wouldn't mess with them.
Bracing the cabinets will also yield significant changes, and you might not like better bracing. I've gone down that road. It can make a speaker sound dry or dead. What I would change is the regular foam that they've probably lined the cabinet with. Get some whispermat (or suitable substitute) and reline it with that. You can fasten it with hot glue.
Good Luck!
I'd change the resistors first. You should hear a slight reduction in grain. Changing the caps should yield bigger changes, but there's a bigger chance that you might not like the change. They might reveal problems in your equipment upstream. I'm not familiar with those particular caps, but I'd bet substituting the current caps with Auricaps would be pretty safe. Unless you've got the gear to measure the inductors carefully (including DCR), I wouldn't mess with them.
Bracing the cabinets will also yield significant changes, and you might not like better bracing. I've gone down that road. It can make a speaker sound dry or dead. What I would change is the regular foam that they've probably lined the cabinet with. Get some whispermat (or suitable substitute) and reline it with that. You can fasten it with hot glue.
Good Luck!
As it already sounds wonderful, I will keep the parts for a future project or to build an XO from the scratch when time permits. The main reason I GOT INTO this XO upgrade is the use of MUNDORF HIGH GRADE Silver/gold caps in their new 600 series!!
Thanks all for the responses you gave. It was a wonderful learning experiance.
Thanks all for the responses you gave. It was a wonderful learning experiance.
I never wanted to put you off from changing parts.
I was just hopeing to make you aware that some times these 'upgrades' can make things worse.
Just a thought, if money allows, why not buy/get/do a small speaker project ?
Find a small/cheap two way 'kit', build the xovers with the cheapest parts you can find.
Electrolytic caps, std wire wound resistors and cheap inductors.
Then replace one component at a time with better/high grade ones, and see what (if any) difference it makes.
I can garantee that replacing the electrolytics with moderate polypropelenes will make a difference.
The resistors and inductors, well, try it and tell us.
I was just hopeing to make you aware that some times these 'upgrades' can make things worse.
Just a thought, if money allows, why not buy/get/do a small speaker project ?
Find a small/cheap two way 'kit', build the xovers with the cheapest parts you can find.
Electrolytic caps, std wire wound resistors and cheap inductors.
Then replace one component at a time with better/high grade ones, and see what (if any) difference it makes.
I can garantee that replacing the electrolytics with moderate polypropelenes will make a difference.
The resistors and inductors, well, try it and tell us.
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