Monitor 5A Crossover Build

nikolas812
nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
edited April 2009 in Vintage Speakers
The thought of rebuilding my crossover has crossed my mind and I wanted to run it past you guys.


I have not heard of anybody doing the crossover mods to a set of peerless monitors. Is there a reason one should not be modding a peerless set of Monitors? Or has people been doing it and I just missed it?

Also. What parts should I buy if I do it? Would a simple cap upgrade be fine? Or should I do the caps and resistors?

I pulled the crossovers and found a 34uf capacitor, 12uf Capacitor, 6.2 ohm resistor, 2.7ohm resistor and what I think is an air foil???


I'm more experienced with capacitors than I am after market resistors. If I was to replace the resistors what should I be looking at brand wise?


Heres a pic of the Crossover.



Cheers


[URL="[IMG]http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj162/nikolas812/cross1.jpg[/IMG]"]cross1.jpg[/URL]
Post edited by nikolas812 on
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  • nikolas812
    nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
    edited April 2009
    Reference for me...


    Custom built Sonicaraft GEN I 34uf Capacitor $45.00 x2
    Sonicraft GEN I 12uf Capacitor $20.45 x2

    Mills Resistor 2.7ohm MRA-5 $2.37 x2
    Mills Resistor 6.2ohm MRA-5 $2.37 x2


    Total $140.00





    Nick
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  • nikolas812
    nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
    edited April 2009
    Some more questions.

    Is the 12uf capacitor on the high side and the 34uf on the low side?




    Nick
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited April 2009
    It's all good. The 5 watt resistor is fine for the smaller speakers. I use 12 watts for my builds. Also I would go with a Solen 33uf cap on the lows.
    http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=027-592
    or Jantzen
    http://www.parts-express.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?PartNumber=027-944&DID=7
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • nikolas812
    nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
    edited April 2009
    At this point I am wondering if just doing the Caps for the highs and resistors might be the best route. This can be done For $50.00 Vs $150.00 for the lows and highs...


    To do the highs and lows you looking at almost twice what the speaker is worth. I just don't think I could justify it..



    Nick
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  • nikolas812
    nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
    edited April 2009
    Well. I just looked at the Solen Caps at Parts express. For $15.00 I don't think you could go wrong.



    You would be able to do a complete crossover upgrade for about $80.00

    Not bad.

    Sonicraft for the highs
    Solen for the Lows
    Mills for the resistors




    i wonder if anybody has tried this combination..




    Nick
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited April 2009
    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61727
    The Sonicaps are more important on the highs. The signal doesn't actually pass through the big cap(34uf) to the driver. On the 12uf the signal passes through the cap to the tweeter.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • nikolas812
    nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
    edited April 2009
    Nice thread.


    Now I can't stop thinking about the clarity caps and how they would sound on the highs.


    I'm still thinking Solen for the lows though.



    Nick
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited April 2009
    I don't use passive crossovers so I only need little tiny caps to swap out in my active XO';) The Solen's work good as shunt caps, but I would never use them in series again.
    Happy hunting.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited April 2009
    How did everyone learn about this kind of stuff? I know so little but would enjoy doing this.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited April 2009
    nduitch wrote: »
    How did everyone learn about this kind of stuff? I know so little but would enjoy doing this.
    Trial and error.

    Nick, which Claritycaps are you thinking about, the MR's? :D

    Here's an excellent cap comparison in case you haven't seen it before.
    http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Cap.html
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited April 2009
    Go to bed Face. If you can't talk via phone you should be sleeping LOL,
    Take care Bro.
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited April 2009
    nikolas,
    I think I have a couple 35uF Solens that will not be used anytime soon by me, that project got killed by a baseball bat. If you send me a PM with your address I'll send them to you. I also have some Solen 12uF's if you are interested in using them. No charge of course :)
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  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited April 2009
    nduitch wrote: »
    How did everyone learn about this kind of stuff? I know so little but would enjoy doing this.

    Use the search function and get your read on. There is a lot of info. here for your education.
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  • nikolas812
    nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
    edited April 2009
    Well. I couldn't help it. I had some already burned in Sonicaps laying around so I decided to go ahead and do the cap upgrade on the highs.


    So far what I've noticed with the new caps on the highs is. A better 3D image that wraps around you. I'm hearing stuff behind me now. Also the imaging was good before but kind of fuzzy in comparison. You can easily pinpoint where each instrument is comeing from now. They were also a little forward or bright before. Now not so much so. They sound much more natural.


    I like it. Fun stuff.:)



    I still have a lot more listening to do but this is my initial impression so far.. I also plan to mod them completely later down the road.


    Nick
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