Newbie Building a Lyra

[Kofi Annan]

Oh yeah-- and if anyone has any recommendations for hook-up wire for the crossover, I'd like to hear it. Otherwise, I'm guessing that my normal stranded wire will be OK.

Kofi

[Kofi Annan]

Anyone?

[ingvar ahlberg]

The polarized elyts are not in series with signal sothats ok but parallel a small filmtype to improve hf properties.
The parallel method is always a good thing and the caps You´re planning to use are good.

This is some sort of knockout panel on the back of the speaker, I'd guess?

Right.
Internal wire- Use a good speakercable of moderate crossection area, a very heawy wire will need prolonged heat wile soldering and polypropylene (as most filmcaps ) are sensitive to overheating.

[Kofi Annan]

Thanks! That helps a lot.

Are you saying that instead of paralleling a 10uF and a 1uF polyprop together that I should use a 10uF polyprop and several small film-types together to achieve the correct uF value?

Also, what about the inductors? Again, Parts Express does not have inductors of certain values at the correct gauge. When I could increase the gauge I did so, but in some cases I was only able to decrease the gauge (i.e., from 18 awg to 16awg).

Will this cause a big problem? Should I try to order the correct gauge elsewhere?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

Kofi

[Gaucho]

Also, what about the inductors? Again, Parts Express does not have inductors of certain values at the correct gauge. When I could increase the gauge I did so, but in some cases I was only able to decrease the gauge (i.e., from 18 awg to 16awg).

You can parrallel two of the 18ga inductors to get a heavier inductor. An example to be real clear: place two 5mH coils (twice the desired final value) in parrallel to get: 2.5mH of inductance with 1/2 the DC resistance of one coil.

Will this cause a big problem? Should I try to order the correct gauge elsewhere?

Not a big problem, you will just drop a little bit more voltage over the higher DC resistance. And if 16ga is the correct gauge 14,12 ,10...etc will be even more correct!

Good Luck,

Gaucho

[Kofi Annan]

OK-- last question, I think:

What's the deal with the "perfect layer" inductors. If I use these at 14awg in lieu of some of the 16awg / 18awg inductors, will this be OK?

Also, I am having to get 18awg in place of some 16awg inductors and I know that you (plural) have advised that this will be OK, but I am curious to know what the real drawback may be.

I know I'll drop some more voltage across the inductors, but as far as the sound goes, would I fly into an uncotrollable rage because it sucks so bad or would I only barely notice the difference between a midrange inductor at 20awg (bobbin-wound air core) and one at 18awg (air core, not bobbin-wound)?

Thanks again for all the advice. If there are any UN resolutions that anyone wants to recommend, I'd be happy to bring it up at the next open forum.

Kofi

[Kofi Annan]

Anyone?

I'm so lonely.

[navin]

Originally posted by Gaucho


You can parrallel two of the 18ga inductors to get a heavier inductor. An example to be real clear: place two 5mH coils (twice the desired final value) in parrallel to get: 2.5mH of inductance with 1/2 the DC resistance of one coil.
Gaucho

true. in fact i think that 2 x 18ga might sound better than 1 x 16ga. why?

well a few years ago i was trying to wind my own inductors. being a student of OVER engineering i decided to wind 12ga. man was that diffcult. the wire wold lold not cooperate. so to achieve the same DCR I took 2 x 14ga in parallel and wound with that. problem solved. later in the day i found a friend who was willing to wind me an inductor using 12ga (SWG) using a lathe machine.

when i replaced the my 2x14ga inductor with his 12ga inductor i was expecting a better sound but felt the sound quality had degraded. why i dont know. so i swtiched back to 2x14ga.

BTW "Perfect Lay" inductors are a brand. They use processes (might be a lathe machine) to wind inductors where hte wires are perfectly parallel and there are no air gaps. in fact i have seem hexa core inductors too where the wires have a hexagonal crosssection rahter than round. all this to reduce air gaps in the inductor. air gaps cause all sorts of losses that could be detailed/mentioned here but doing that would turn this post into a course in electronics.

[Kofi Annan]

Thanks for the explanation. I'd still like to know, however, if the sound difference between the midrange inductor at 20awg (bobbin-wound air core) and the inductor 18awg (air core, not bobbin-wound) is noticable to your average schmo.

Here's the crossover schematic if anyone wants to see it.

Only the 20awg, above, is available at Parts Express and I want to know if I should try to find another inductor elsewhere.

Kofi

[Kofi Annan]

Anyone?