Help!!!
I am already an experienced DIY (and some professional) electronics audio buff. I had no expectations of being a DIY Speaker Buff, but I seem to have been forced into it.
I recently bought a set of 2 main channel speakers and a center channel speaker from a small speaker company that may be on its last legs. I bought based on my listening experience from about a year previous. Here is the problem. While the cabinet, drivers, etc. are fine, they seem to have just thrown the cross-overs together. The units are large towers consisting of two 8" mid-bass drivers and a 1" open-weave silk dome tweeter. The lower 8" driver cross-overs at a lower frequency with only the upper driver extending much into the mid-range. Based on some measurements I have taken, and some guess work, I expect the cross-over frequency should be about 2KHz. The mid-bass is pretty good up to that range based on some dirty tweaks I have tried.
It is a basic ported design, however, the unit is stuffed pretty solid with dampening material to behave more like a non-ported system (confirmed a year ago when talked to the designer).
I have most of the specs for the woofer and tweeter (except a response\impedance curve). I can run a crude response curve and an impedance curve will be relatively easy to come up with.
So, my question(s):
1) Is there any book, article, etc. that will allow me to easily figure out how to configure the cross-overs for such a design? I.e. where to cross-over lower base unit, mid-base, etc. Phase compensation, etc.
2) A couple suggestions on free\shareware modelling software for cross-overs.
3) A suggestion for a reasonable cost microphone with a flat response or at least one that is well characterized so that I can flatten the response.
I am pretty up on the components so sourcing them is not a problem.
FYI, the speakers only cost me $650 U.S. for the set of mains and $200 for the center channel which was about 1/4 of the original list. I guess I will now have to consider this a reasonable cost "DIY KIT". The cabinet construction is fantastic and the drivers are actually really good. Below 2KHz, they sound far better than my Energy 22.2s and the bass is very clean with no air pumping. I purchased them from the factory at www.zetag.com
Thank you in advance!
I am already an experienced DIY (and some professional) electronics audio buff. I had no expectations of being a DIY Speaker Buff, but I seem to have been forced into it.
I recently bought a set of 2 main channel speakers and a center channel speaker from a small speaker company that may be on its last legs. I bought based on my listening experience from about a year previous. Here is the problem. While the cabinet, drivers, etc. are fine, they seem to have just thrown the cross-overs together. The units are large towers consisting of two 8" mid-bass drivers and a 1" open-weave silk dome tweeter. The lower 8" driver cross-overs at a lower frequency with only the upper driver extending much into the mid-range. Based on some measurements I have taken, and some guess work, I expect the cross-over frequency should be about 2KHz. The mid-bass is pretty good up to that range based on some dirty tweaks I have tried.
It is a basic ported design, however, the unit is stuffed pretty solid with dampening material to behave more like a non-ported system (confirmed a year ago when talked to the designer).
I have most of the specs for the woofer and tweeter (except a response\impedance curve). I can run a crude response curve and an impedance curve will be relatively easy to come up with.
So, my question(s):
1) Is there any book, article, etc. that will allow me to easily figure out how to configure the cross-overs for such a design? I.e. where to cross-over lower base unit, mid-base, etc. Phase compensation, etc.
2) A couple suggestions on free\shareware modelling software for cross-overs.
3) A suggestion for a reasonable cost microphone with a flat response or at least one that is well characterized so that I can flatten the response.
I am pretty up on the components so sourcing them is not a problem.
FYI, the speakers only cost me $650 U.S. for the set of mains and $200 for the center channel which was about 1/4 of the original list. I guess I will now have to consider this a reasonable cost "DIY KIT". The cabinet construction is fantastic and the drivers are actually really good. Below 2KHz, they sound far better than my Energy 22.2s and the bass is very clean with no air pumping. I purchased them from the factory at www.zetag.com
Thank you in advance!
