Updating xover changes sensitvity ?

Braddles

Here is why i ask.

I currently have some Tekton Lore speakers to try. http://www.tektondesign.com/

They are listed at 98db while my RTA11TL at 90db.

You may have seen in another thread that ive updated the xovers with Gen1 sonicaps and mills.
I expected with the sensitivity difference between the speakers to have to adjust the volume a bit but this isnt the case. They are pretty much the same output at the same volume. (by ear only)

I know that specs listed but maufactors can be a little out some times but 8db?:question:

anyway i just thought i would ask.

Cheers
Brad

Joe08867

The problem with Sensitivity measurements is there is no parameters other than what the manufacturer wants to use.

I would hedge a bet that if you put 5 speakers with the there manufacturers claimed 98db in the same room, under they the same conditions, none of them would be identical.

I would also say that the updated crossover is much more efficient than the original in the RTA's. I know my 2B's are way more sensitive than they were originally. By ear. I have never measured them electronically.

heiney9

Did you compare the same speakers in the same manner before the x-over upgrade? If not, what's the baseline besides now just listening by ear. As Joe states all manufactures may not use the exact same procedure so the printed specs might only occur under a certain stringent set of circumstances which you haven't or can't recreate.

Also, you need to use an spl meter and use test tones, not music by ear.

H9

FTGV

Braddles wrote: »

... ive updated the xovers with Gen1 sonicaps and mills.

You should not have any significant change in sensitivity assuming you are replacing a film cap with another film and resistors of same value. If you were replacing an electrolytic cap in the high pass section with a film cap the lower series resistance(ESR) of the film might gain the tweeter a fraction of a db in level.Swapping inductors with ones having different DC resistance values can alter woofer levels some depending upon the actual amount they differ.

Face

FTGV wrote: »

Swapping inductors with ones having different DC resistance values can alter woofer levels some.

And even that is pretty small(less than a dB).

Braddles

Didnt change inductors, just caps and resistors with the same values as original. I put 2 17uf together as no 34uf available.

Anyway like i said it was just out of interest. Nothing exact. I have had different speakers together over the years with less listed db difference than these two and had to adjust the volume bceause it was noticably (by ear) different.

On a side note the Tektons are an interesting speaker. Pretty good for the money they cost.

skrol

After I upgraded the caps and resistors in my RTA-11TL's I had a sense that they seemed louder. I am not sure that they actually are though. It may just be that the sound is cleaner.
Stan

dorokusai

You won't have a significant change since the changes following the schematics are simply part swaps, not a redesign.

As mentioned previously, you need to meter anything you do if you want some specifics. Will their be a perceived change in the sound? Of course, it's a given and I would hope that an improvement is heard overall.

Braddles

Ok I maybe didn't ask the question the right way so let's try this.

If you picked up two sets of speakers to take home and try and one was 90db while the other was 98db, on the way home would you be thinking to yourself that you will probably have to do some volume correcting when changing between the two?

Face

It appears someone may have over-exaggerated their specs.

I would confirm with a SPL meter before throwing rocks.

Braddles

Face wrote: »

It appears someone may have over-exaggerated their specs.

I would confirm with a SPL meter before throwing rocks.

Hey? Who is throwing rocks? I'm just posting that I was surprised at what I found when comparing two speakers and asking if anyone with more knowlage than me could answer why it may be.

Not trying to start a conspiracy here or anything.