Addition of Super Tweeters.

[DaveK]

Hi Guys,
At the request of Mark (Reid Malenfant) I offer the pics below of my super tweeter additions for your delectation ;) .
Sorry if they are not quite as crystal clear as you would like but my eyesight and the auto focus on my camera may not be what they once were :D .
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv4/DaveAndSue/DSCF0056.jpg
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv4/DaveAndSue/DSCF0049.jpg
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv4/DaveAndSue/DSCF0050.jpg
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv4/DaveAndSue/DSCF0055.jpg
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv4/DaveAndSue/DSCF0053.jpg
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv4/DaveAndSue/DSCF0052.jpg
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv4/DaveAndSue/DSCF0051.jpg

The L-Pads and crossovers were provided by Reid Malenfant (Mark) and the bits were put together by Sean of Custom HiFi Cables. I did the butchery of the plastic Maplin boxes, housed everything and I actually soldered the speaker cable post connections :D .

[Macca]

Is that a vent, Dave or do they have two drivers?

[chelsea]

Was it worth doing?

[DaveK]

Is that a vent, Dave or do they have two drivers?

Martin,
No, no vent, 1 domdl driver and 1 ribbon driver - see here, these were what I bought: -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320877821584?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

My 'advisor', Sean at Custom HiFi Cables (great guy to deal with, can't recommend him high enough :) ), suggested that connecting the dome tweeter would risk interference with the existing dome tweeter on my Mission 774 speakers so he only connected the ribbon tweeters. TBH I really did not know what I was doing, just fancied the idea of adding super tweeters 'cos my top end hearing is shot, otherwise I would probably have only bought ribbon tweeters but it seems to have turned out fine :) - see below:



Was it worth doing?

Yes, Stuart, IMHO most definitely. In saying this I am aware that some with greater knowledge of this subject than I say it is not possible for humans to hear these sort of frequencies. I have taken them out of the system and then reconnected them and I am convinced that the sound is much better with than without.
I am now going to shelter behind the settee :lol: .
Dave.

[chelsea]

Thanks.

[realysm42]

Is there an actual definition to what a super tweerter should be, ie the frequency range they are meant to reach up to?

Aren't these just standard Dali ribbons?

[Ali Tait]

Martin,
No, no vent, 1 domdl driver and 1 ribbon driver - see here, these were what I bought: -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320877821584?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

My 'advisor', Sean at Custom HiFi Cables (great guy to deal with, can't recommend him high enough :) ), suggested that connecting the dome tweeter would risk interference with the existing dome tweeter on my Mission 774 speakers so he only connected the ribbon tweeters. TBH I really did not know what I was doing, just fancied the idea of adding super tweeters 'cos my top end hearing is shot, otherwise I would probably have only bought ribbon tweeters but it seems to have turned out fine :) - see below:


Yes, Stuart, IMHO most definitely. In saying this I am aware that some with greater knowledge of this subject than I say it is not possible for humans to hear these sort of frequencies. I have taken them out of the system and then reconnected them and I am convinced that the sound is much better with than without.
I am now going to shelter behind the settee :lol: .
Dave.

Yes we have heard the same at previous Owstons Dave, trying a pair of super tweeters in and out of circuit. The difference was obvious, much better with the tweeters in circuit.

[Reid Malenfant]

Ah, cheers for getting some pics up Dave :) I didn't supply you with those capacitors, maybe your friend swapped them :D



Is there an actual definition to what a super tweerter should be, ie the frequency range they are meant to reach up to?

Aren't these just standard Dali ribbons?
Not sure about the frequency range in all honesty. Tannoy make some titanium supertweeters, there is no way on this earth that they'll get above say 30KHz without going into breakup. The metal is not stiff enough, make it thicker & it'll still break up, but have lower sensitivity. There aint no free lunch.


On the other hand a ribbon is driven over the entire diaphram, not just the edge like a dome is.. So in a lot of respects it's like an electrostatic.

As far as I'm aware the Dali ribbons are good to at least 30KHz with no nasties in evidence :)

[DaveK]

Ah, cheers for getting some pics up Dave :) I didn't supply you with those capacitors, maybe your friend swapped them.
Yep Mark, on reflection I think you may be right - one benefit about knowing nowt is that I can just relax and go with the flow once I trust the source :) .


As far as I know the Dalis are good to at least 30KHz with no nasties in evidence :)
Again that figure rings a bell with me but, (self deluding old fool that I am, suspected by others anyway :lol: ), I remain convinced that, even though I have had my ear pressed right up against them when in use (the ribbons, not my ears :lol: ), they sound much better in circuit than it does without them.
FWIW I have put a SPL meter up aganst them in use and that also tells me that they are shoving something out so I'm happy in my delusion.
A much more knowledgeable guy on another forum is going to add some super tweeters to his set up soon and report back - should be interesting ;) .
Dave.

[DaveK]

Hi Mark,
I asked Sean about the capacitors he used and this was his reply: -

"The caps I used were 1.00uF, matched within 2% i think. They're Solen metallised polyprop caps to 400V if anyone asks - can't remember the model as it's 2 am and i've had a few drinks but can confirm if anyone is mega-interested ;) "

Hope this helps,
Dave.

[walpurgis]

Hi Mark,
I asked Sean about the capacitors he used and this was his reply: -

"The caps I used were 1.00uF, matched within 2% i think. They're Solen metallised polyprop caps to 400V if anyone asks - can't remember the model as it's 2 am and i've had a few drinks but can confirm if anyone is mega-interested ;) "

Hope this helps,
Dave.

1uF is usually too large a value for an 8ohm s/t of average sensitivity. I've tinkered with super tweeters many times and found the best value to be around 0.2uF or 0.1uF, this rolls the s/t in at the limits of audible treble, which is what you want. A super tweeter that can clearly be heard is not doing the job right, the effect should be subtle. Geoff.