Replacing tweeter in vintage speaker

halfgaar · 27th December 2007, 04:26 PM

I have a pair of vintage speaker systems, of which I'm considering a modification. I think the sound is very good, but sometimes it's overly bright, and sounds like "s" can sound somewhat sharp. Therefore, just hypothetically at first, I'm considering replacing the tweeters. It's also a good thought exercise, as my DIY audio experience includes little on speakers.

Anyway, how do I proceed? I don't know any of the specs of the tweeter, accept it's nominal impedance (8 Ohm), and the manual states that the entire speaker was meant to be used with amplifiers with a maximum of 60W. The manual doesn't say much more, unfortunately.

To determine the usable frequency range, I can measure the crossover output. When doing so, does the -3dB frequency comply with the -3dB frequency of the tweeter?

And I suppose the efficiency of a replacement driver will have to match. I do have an SPL meter, so I should be able to make an approximation of the current driver's efficiency.

How important is the resonance frequency of a replacement driver? Does it need to be an exact match?

ocool_15 · 27th December 2007, 04:42 PM

The lowest crossover point for a tweeter is usually stated as 2*fs or 3*fs depending on the reference.
You will need to match the sensitivity of the original driver.
You will need to figure out the current crossover as it may need to be modified.

27th December 2007, 04:26 PM	#1
halfgaar diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Netherlands, Groningen	Replacing tweeter in vintage speaker I have a pair of vintage speaker systems, of which I'm considering a modification. I think the sound is very good, but sometimes it's overly bright, and sounds like "s" can sound somewhat sharp. Therefore, just hypothetically at first, I'm considering replacing the tweeters. It's also a good thought exercise, as my DIY audio experience includes little on speakers. Anyway, how do I proceed? I don't know any of the specs of the tweeter, accept it's nominal impedance (8 Ohm), and the manual states that the entire speaker was meant to be used with amplifiers with a maximum of 60W. The manual doesn't say much more, unfortunately. To determine the usable frequency range, I can measure the crossover output. When doing so, does the -3dB frequency comply with the -3dB frequency of the tweeter? And I suppose the efficiency of a replacement driver will have to match. I do have an SPL meter, so I should be able to make an approximation of the current driver's efficiency. How important is the resonance frequency of a replacement driver? Does it need to be an exact match?

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27th December 2007, 04:42 PM	#2
ocool_15 diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: sk	The lowest crossover point for a tweeter is usually stated as 2fs or 3fs depending on the reference. You will need to match the sensitivity of the original driver. You will need to figure out the current crossover as it may need to be modified.

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