DIY Custom Crossover Service

[88man]

Does any one know who provides high-end custom crossover service for Parallel and series crossovers for 2 and 3-way designs? Troels and Tony no longer provide this service.

Looking to design a 3-way passive crossover:
- Crossover points: 200Hz, 2.0kHz.
- 2nd order acoustic, parallel.
- MT cab: front baffle 10.5”(W) x 15”(H). 15L, sloped 7-deg.
- W cab:15”(W) x 30”(H). 90L
- Target sensitivity 90dB+

Scan-Speak 32W/8878T11 13” Woofer
Scan-Speak 18M/8631G00 7” Midrange
Scan-Speak D2908/714000 Beryllium Tweeter

Thanks

 

[Dave R]

Does any one know who provides high-end custom crossover service for Parallel and series crossovers for 2 and 3-way designs? Troels and Tony no longer provide this service.

Looking to design a 3-way passive crossover:
- Crossover points: 200Hz, 2.0kHz.
- 2nd order acoustic, parallel.
- MT cab: front baffle 10.5”(W) x 15”(H). 15L, sloped 7-deg.
- W cab:15”(W) x 30”(H). 90L
- Target sensitivity 90dB+

Scan-Speak 32W/8878T11 13” Woofer
Scan-Speak 18M/8631G00 7” Midrange
Scan-Speak D2908/714000 Beryllium Tweeter

Thanks

You might contact Madisound with your request.
Crossover Design: Madisound Speaker Components

 

[88man]

You might contact Madisound with your request.
Crossover Design: Madisound Speaker Components

Thanks Dave! I’m not sure if their simulations are as sophisticated or refined as Troels’ or Tony’s. They’re inexpensive so I have nothing to lose since I already have test cabs.

 

[Lojzek]

You should first have the cabinets built and then sent these over to whoever you choose as a filter designer. That will probably not work out. How much do you think would be fair to pay for such a task?

 

[classicalfan]

Try Danny Ritchie at GR Research for custom crossover design. He does this not only for DIYers, but for commercial speaker manufacturers as well.

Danny will also determine the best crossover points and filter orders. Don't be too surprised if he chooses different ones than you've selected. He will do what's necessary to get the best sound.

 

[88man]

You should first have the cabinets built and then sent these over to whoever you choose as a filter designer. That will probably not work out. How much do you think would be fair to pay for such a task?

Thanks for the reply. For a premium build, I’d pay $500+ not including shipping. If they’re really experienced tonmeisters with the top drivers, they can get very close to perfection.

 

[88man]

Try Danny Ritchie at GR Research for custom crossover design. He does this not only for DIYers, but for commercial speaker manufacturers as well.

Danny will also determine the best crossover points and filter orders. Don't be too surprised if he chooses different ones than you've selected. He will do what's necessary to get the best sound.

I’ll look into Danny Ritchie, thank you! Experience with the aforementioned drivers are a must for successful implementation in regards to crossover points, beaming, parameters, break-up modes, tonal characteristics of cone, etc. I’ve had great simulations that have sounded better than tried and tested designs. So in the hands of an experienced designer, one can get very close if you give them a sensible and predictable design.

 

[boswald]

Don't forget to include pics and drawings of your room, best with your boxes as they will be placed.
No sense spending money and hobbling the engineer.


good luck, and of course if you are captured blah blah etc etc....

 

[classicalfan]

I’ll look into Danny Ritchie, thank you! Experience with the aforementioned drivers are a must for successful implementation in regards to crossover points, beaming, parameters, break-up modes, tonal characteristics of cone, etc. I’ve had great simulations that have sounded better than tried and tested designs. So in the hands of an experienced designer, one can get very close if you give them a sensible and predictable design.

Danny Ritchie has created a series of videos on YouTube, and here is a link to one of them on his approach to quality crossover design:

YouTube

You may want to watch it and determine if Danny is the right designer for you or not. If you decide to go with him I suggest you let him pick the crossover points and filter slopes. Otherwise you are not going to get the advantage of his extensive experience in creating outstanding crossovers.

Also you'll need to send the drivers mounted in the final cabinet in order for Danny to measure them properly first and then design the crossovers.

 

[dwk123]

Rick Craig at Selah Audio also does custom work, I think. I'm not sure how the process works if you're not sending the cabinets, but drop him an email - he frequents various DIY forums and has always seemed very personable and helpful.

 

[88man]

Thank you classicalfan and dwk123! Very impressive approaches to crossover design. I’ll look into both options.... Ha, I hope he has a test cabinets for woofers. It would be much easier to send in a mid/tweeter cab, instead of a 140lbs woofer enclosure.

Thanks for the great responses!

 

[wolf_teeth]

I would pick Rick over Danny any day.

Since you are in Boston- maybe you should look up Dave Ralph (dlr), or Dennis Murphy.

Later,
Wolf

 

[88man]

I would pick Rick over Danny any day.

Since you are in Boston- maybe you should look up Dave Ralph (dlr), or Dennis Murphy.

Later,
Wolf

Thanks so much, Wolf! I have a great start here.

 

[Lojzek]

Thanks for the reply. For a premium build, I’d pay $500+ not including shipping. If they’re really experienced tonmeisters with the top drivers, they can get very close to perfection.

I'd charge for such a build 70 work hours based on whatever an engineer usually earns. You would also have permission to use this design in anyway you want, including sellling it to the next door milionaire that usually pays 10 grand for a simple vase.

 

[Inductor]

I'd charge for such a build 70 work hours based on whatever an engineer usually earns.(...)

How much does an engineer usually earns in europe vs. the US for curiosity? I believe it is different across various countries.
And there is the price of components for a prototype & testing final versions in a finish design.

 

[88man]

I built 3 simulations on appropriate enclosure sizes and dimensions provided by the engineer with graphs. 2 of them were series-fed mid-tweeter 3-ways. The simulation projects have sounded better than “tested” kits from others builders. If there ever was a tweak, i.e. tweeter presence, or midrange roll off, or bumps in F.R., an experienced engineer who can think outside the box can get creative with changes. It can be a change in a resistor value, or unwinding a coil, etc. I do have a multi-tester to measure component values.

 

[system7]

Mr 88man, I'm not finding this Scan-Speak 18M/8631G00 7” Mid:

Midrange – Scan-Speak A/S

Do you mean 18M/8631T00? Troels has had a go at that one, along with your tweeter:

MUN17-3W

I wouldn't have thought adapting that for a different woofer would be hard.

Remind ourselves:

Scan-Speak 32W/8878T11 13” Woofer
Scan-Speak 18M/8631G00 7” Midrange
Scan-Speak D2908/714000 Beryllium Tweeter

 

[classicalfan]

I built 3 simulations on appropriate enclosure sizes and dimensions provided by the engineer with graphs. 2 of them were series-fed mid-tweeter 3-ways. The simulation projects have sounded better than “tested” kits from others builders. If there ever was a tweak, i.e. tweeter presence, or midrange roll off, or bumps in F.R., an experienced engineer who can think outside the box can get creative with changes. It can be a change in a resistor value, or unwinding a coil, etc. I do have a multi-tester to measure component values.

Don't quite understand what you mean by "the simulation projects have sounded better than the 'tested' kits other builders." Did you actually build all of these and listen to them?

 

[Lojzek]

Best to diy this stuff anyway. The knowledge is scattered all over this place but hey, it's there and it's for free and we know that all the best things in life are free. And the circus carries on...

 

[system7]

Seen one three way, seen 'em all, IMO!

Troels seems to be crossing at 200Hz on 66uF... and added an LCR to the mid to tame its rising response near crossover. Might have lifted the top end of the tweeter a bit too. All seems to make sense. 2kHz cross to the tweeter. Which is quite demanding IMO, but what you seem to do with Scan 6".

Tweeter:
https://www.scan-speak.dk/datasheet/pdf/d2908-714000.pdf

Mid:
Midrange – Scan-Speak A/S

Slightly weird woofer:
Woofer – Scan-Speak A/S