"Is it not possible to purchase ready made crossovers that will suit your needs, or do you find you get much better sound by making your own crossovers?"
Depends on your needs. They will probably be fine for "low end" speakers, but if you plan on going audiophile there's not much point in spending a lot of money on quality drivers and then skimping on crossovers.
The best way to learn about building great loudspeakers, including the crossovers, is to buy a reputable kit or build an established design. If you need links let us know.
Depends on your needs. They will probably be fine for "low end" speakers, but if you plan on going audiophile there's not much point in spending a lot of money on quality drivers and then skimping on crossovers.
The best way to learn about building great loudspeakers, including the crossovers, is to buy a reputable kit or build an established design. If you need links let us know.
A crossover should be driver specific.
Things like a zobel are calculated from the drivers specs.
The lowest crossover point for a tweeter is generally stated as 2*fs (some places 3*fs).
An L-pad is calculated to give a specific attenuation based on the drivers efficiency and impedence.
In short a prebuilt crossover will work but a crossover that takes into account the drivers parameters/characteristics will give better results.
Things like a zobel are calculated from the drivers specs.
The lowest crossover point for a tweeter is generally stated as 2*fs (some places 3*fs).
An L-pad is calculated to give a specific attenuation based on the drivers efficiency and impedence.
In short a prebuilt crossover will work but a crossover that takes into account the drivers parameters/characteristics will give better results.
My recommendations are:
1. Buy a couple of loudspeaker design books - Building and designing loudspeakers with projects by Weems is a good start followed by Dickason's loudspeaker design cookbook
2. Find an existing kit / design you like. Try and obtain the driver specs and frequency, phase and impedance measurements off the net
3. Download some software and model the enclosure / crossover of the kit. Play with the component values to see the effect (if you are a hands on learner). www.audua.com has speaker workshop. A bit buggy, but helps the learning curve heaps.
Assuming you are designing and building your crossovers from scratch, then you'll want to be able to measure to fien tune the designed system.
Software modeling a crossover / speaker enclosure is an approximation (pretty good if you know what you are doing) - but it relies on quality data going in - typically you measure the drivers you have purchased (and burned in) in the enclosure you plan to put them in.
If you just want great sound - might be best to build a kit.
Cheers,
David.
1. Buy a couple of loudspeaker design books - Building and designing loudspeakers with projects by Weems is a good start followed by Dickason's loudspeaker design cookbook
2. Find an existing kit / design you like. Try and obtain the driver specs and frequency, phase and impedance measurements off the net
3. Download some software and model the enclosure / crossover of the kit. Play with the component values to see the effect (if you are a hands on learner). www.audua.com has speaker workshop. A bit buggy, but helps the learning curve heaps.
Assuming you are designing and building your crossovers from scratch, then you'll want to be able to measure to fien tune the designed system.
Software modeling a crossover / speaker enclosure is an approximation (pretty good if you know what you are doing) - but it relies on quality data going in - typically you measure the drivers you have purchased (and burned in) in the enclosure you plan to put them in.
If you just want great sound - might be best to build a kit.
Cheers,
David.
http://www.madisound.com/leap.html
Madisound will also design a crossover for you. I am sure they will walk you through the spec points of the crossover if you would like.
Madisound will also design a crossover for you. I am sure they will walk you through the spec points of the crossover if you would like.
A properly designed crossover will, in almost all cases, outperform a generic ready made one. If you are new to DIY, you probably don't have the tools needed to properly design a crossover. I strongly recommend you start by copying a project. Choose a budget, a goal, then find a project to match it.
If you have the funds, I also recommend you look at the ready made cabinets at partsexpress.com. They are a huge time saver.
Dan
If you have the funds, I also recommend you look at the ready made cabinets at partsexpress.com. They are a huge time saver.
Dan
Thanks for all your replies.
I had looked at some projects over at zaphaudio, and some seem very interesting, however I doubt my current ability to make crossovers. I have printed a couple hundred pages of reading on speaker design and crossover, and I figure I should start there before attempting to make anything audiophile quality.
Solen said they will make me a crossover, which is where I will order my drivers, so I will go that route for my first project.
I also think it will be good for me, as some of you have stated, to buy a ready made casing for my first set.
I had looked at some projects over at zaphaudio, and some seem very interesting, however I doubt my current ability to make crossovers. I have printed a couple hundred pages of reading on speaker design and crossover, and I figure I should start there before attempting to make anything audiophile quality.
Solen said they will make me a crossover, which is where I will order my drivers, so I will go that route for my first project.
I also think it will be good for me, as some of you have stated, to buy a ready made casing for my first set.
Just a note: I recently built a nice pair of MTM speakers. Some very good speaker designers on another forum designed the crossover since they had experience with the drivers I was using.
The crossover cost half what the drivers cost. The price kind of put me back but, I had heard over and over that the "magic" is in the crossover.
Once I heard the completed speakers, I was completely convinced.
I was not aware such imaging was possible!
The crossover cost half what the drivers cost. The price kind of put me back but, I had heard over and over that the "magic" is in the crossover.
Once I heard the completed speakers, I was completely convinced.
I was not aware such imaging was possible!
Do you have details on this project you just completed?
The more and more I look into this, the more I realize the key seems to be making a good crossover to match your drivers, and that doesn't look easy. I'm sure I could learn it in time, however, I just don't know how deep I want to get into this. Time is a factor for me.
I do definitely want to try some projects on www.zaphadio.com, as I can have someone make the crossovers for me with his specs, and buy the cabinets and parts from PartsExpress and Solen. I'm also tempted to maybe try a kit from SEAS.
My dad is giving me some really old speakers with a broken woofer in one of them. I plan on playing with those for a while, just as a start.
Thanks again for the replies, guys. I appreciate your input and patience.
The more and more I look into this, the more I realize the key seems to be making a good crossover to match your drivers, and that doesn't look easy. I'm sure I could learn it in time, however, I just don't know how deep I want to get into this. Time is a factor for me.
I do definitely want to try some projects on www.zaphadio.com, as I can have someone make the crossovers for me with his specs, and buy the cabinets and parts from PartsExpress and Solen. I'm also tempted to maybe try a kit from SEAS.
My dad is giving me some really old speakers with a broken woofer in one of them. I plan on playing with those for a while, just as a start.
Thanks again for the replies, guys. I appreciate your input and patience.
To have a custommade crossover made may work fine - but it will never reach the level of a fine trimmed speaker
This one is as simple as it gets, and I am sure anyone can make that crossover
http://www.zaphaudio.com/Waveguidetmm.html
This one is as simple as it gets, and I am sure anyone can make that crossover
http://www.zaphaudio.com/Waveguidetmm.html
I'm not sure I understand why you are reluctant to build a crossover. The answers above imply that the difficulty is in designing it, and a crossover design from Solen or Madisound or a project like Zaph's answers that objection. But is the problem (also?) in the actual construction? Can you solder, and do you have the tools for example?
Patchwork,
I'm sorry I didn't realize you requested this until now. Below is the crossover and drivers. One tweet, two mid woofers. They go into a box very simular to the aluminum MTM at Parts Express except the enclosure is sealed. Got the crossover parts from Madisound and Parts Express.
The have great sound and imaging. Let me know if you are interested in more details. Remember, the magic is in the crossover!
I'm sorry I didn't realize you requested this until now. Below is the crossover and drivers. One tweet, two mid woofers. They go into a box very simular to the aluminum MTM at Parts Express except the enclosure is sealed. Got the crossover parts from Madisound and Parts Express.
The have great sound and imaging. Let me know if you are interested in more details. Remember, the magic is in the crossover!
Attachments
Hi guys,
well, to answer a few questions:
Why I don't want to build a crossover for this set of speakers?
Two reasons. One, there is already a crossover in there, and I assumed I could re-use it. Two, I want to spend as little as possible. However, I think it would be best if I did more research on how to make my own crossover, and buy cheapy drivers, and experiment. This way if I break the drivers, it's not a big deal.
I can in fact solder, though I may not be the best in the world. I think I will learn a lot by opening these speakers and actually seeing what a crossover looks like, this way, when I read about crossover making, I have something visual to look at to compare the words to. I am a very visual, hands on learner, and just reading won't sink into my brain and stick
well, to answer a few questions:
Why I don't want to build a crossover for this set of speakers?
Two reasons. One, there is already a crossover in there, and I assumed I could re-use it. Two, I want to spend as little as possible. However, I think it would be best if I did more research on how to make my own crossover, and buy cheapy drivers, and experiment. This way if I break the drivers, it's not a big deal.
I can in fact solder, though I may not be the best in the world. I think I will learn a lot by opening these speakers and actually seeing what a crossover looks like, this way, when I read about crossover making, I have something visual to look at to compare the words to. I am a very visual, hands on learner, and just reading won't sink into my brain and stick
hi patch,taking apart speakers is a great way to learn.i´m not sure if your worried about designing os assembling the crossover.assembling the xover is not very hard.you should get a Schematic with you xover that is pretty straight forward.and besides if you have any questions you can ask us.
also i would suggest not soldering your xover as you may make mistakes and want to make changes
also i would suggest not soldering your xover as you may make mistakes and want to make changes
As a temporary thing, twist the leads together. Or use clip leads. I don't recomment either approach though.
A nice way to assemble a crossover is to get some masonite pegboard, and tie-wraps that are narrow enough to fit through the pegboard holes. Use the tie-wraps to secure the parts, and solder the leads. For a more finished look, you can get the pegboard in polyethylene too.
This is a good project to use to learn to solder. It's not that hard, and will be a very valuable skill for many applications.
A nice way to assemble a crossover is to get some masonite pegboard, and tie-wraps that are narrow enough to fit through the pegboard holes. Use the tie-wraps to secure the parts, and solder the leads. For a more finished look, you can get the pegboard in polyethylene too.
This is a good project to use to learn to solder. It's not that hard, and will be a very valuable skill for many applications.
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