Modding a crossover?

VR3
VR3 Posts: 28,641
edited February 2005 in 2 Channel Audio
Hmm, yeah - I am curious as to what parts of a crossover you would mod, and with what persactly ('values'?)

And I really like my speakers, so...why not look for a way to better it?

Also, the crossover, most of the components of it are glued down... so??
- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,411
    edited February 2005
    Sid

    Very wide open question and you don't even say what speaker your wanting to upgrade. Get your read on, read a book maybe? Search the internet, then come back with something.
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
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    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited February 2005
    Better quality (more expensive) caps and resistors of the same value with an equal or higher voltage capacity. See www.partsconexxion.com

    Get a hot glue gun. Less than $5 some places. They are glued not only to hold them down but to keep the parts from vibrating.

    Lots of times a PCB is not used because it is better to glue down on a piece of thick carboard or wood.

    Oh yea, like Hoosier said too...

    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited February 2005
    you probably won't see too much difference swapping parts for ones with the same values. However, if you change the # crossovers, values etc, you might improve the sound.

    Case in point: Klipsh RF-35's. They've got two 8" drivers and one horn tweeter, single crossover at 2600hz, so both the bottom drivers get the same signal. They're begging for you to split out one of the lower drivers around 200hz. Now doing this and keeping your impedence stable and not getting volume shifts at your crossover points isn't easy, but it'd be worth a shot.

    I think the first thing I would do is find a spare set of posts/ backplate for your speakers, and do all your experimenting on them, so if it doesn't work, you've still got the originals.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,641
    edited February 2005
    I speak of the Definitive Tech BP10B...

    Here is a pic of the crossover now, its nothing special... (as you can see)

    BP10BCrossover.jpg
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited February 2005
    Def tech uses a pretty good crossover design even on their lower end, I believe. look up the specs on them- if they're Linkowitz-something (as opposed to, say, butterworth) you're gonna have a hard time improving on them. I'd save your cash for the next upgrade.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,641
    edited February 2005
    Alright...

    I am going to put the money in refinishing the caps...

    High Gloss black edges with deep walnut stained top, gonna look dead sexy
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited February 2005
    Just out of curiousity, how do your def techs compare to similiarly priced polks? I kicked around getting them, but couldn't find anyplace local, so I ended up with polk.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,641
    edited February 2005
    Since were on a Polk forum...

    I'll put it like this...

    I use to own Polk :)
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,641
    edited February 2005
    Another thing...

    The BP line has been in production since 1996, and can be had cheap. They sell as good as they did in 1996, and for a good reason to.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited February 2005
    Very cheesy network.

    A cap upgrade alone should make a substantial difference. Those cheap electrolytics are just that, cheap.

    Try and get a diagram of the network, and completely rebuild it. The only thing I would save are the inductors. If you do change the inductors, not only get the same value, but the same guage. Even if the value is this same, but the winding is a different guage wire, you can alter the overall Q of the driver.

    The book I'm sending you with your B&W's has some good crossover design information also.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,641
    edited February 2005
    Def Tech is not willing to share any information on the crossover network, probally due to the fact it is their current line...

    I may ask to see if I can get a 'replacement' crossover, and dick around with it, see whats what...
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,641
    edited February 2005
    the small electro - says 8 UF --- 100 v --- BP+/-10
    Larger Electro - 15 UF --- 100 v --- BP+/- 10
    The green capacitor says - CL 21 --- 3.3 UF J --- 100 V
    pink one says - 85 K --- 100 V ---D
    one white rectangle thing says - 10 W --- 20R
    other one says - 10W --- 2R7

    Help any?
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • gatemplin
    gatemplin Posts: 1,595
    edited February 2005
    They are typical cheap parts on that board. You can do better, but you would need to build a measurement rig and learn to use some design software.

    You would be better off starting from scratch or building a proven kit than trying to mod that (IMO).

    If you do upgrade the parts, follow Russ' advice. You can get parts from PE, Zalytron, Madisound and Solen.
    Graham
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,641
    edited February 2005
    I probally wont waste my time man...

    I am completely satisfied with it as is, just curious about a price, and how hard it would be to do it
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,601
    edited February 2005
    Anyone out there try modding the RTI10s? I'd like to try taming the brightness, its a bit TOO much!!!.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,641
    edited February 2005
    toilet paper...

    or treble control
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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