Someone to do a crossover design?

[hal55]

I intend using a seas 5.5" paper/reed driver, the ER15RLY, with a fountek neo x 2 ribbon tweeter in a small ported bookshelf type speaker. I can design the and build the speaker, but designing the crossover is something I really don't want to tackle. Are there any suggestions for a person or firm that can be recommended to do this work, and at reasonable cost. I don't expect anyone to work for nothing, but similarly I don't want to pay a Kings ransom either. Madisound advertises such a service on their website at most reasonable cost but I believe their designer has since retired.

[Boyse6748]

Reffc (Paul) of this parish may be able to assist. No idea how much he would charge. The only thing to do ..... is ask. He most certainly is very capable.

If no answer on the Forum, drop me a PM and I’ll let you have his email.

Peter


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[Wakefield Turntables]

Yep goto paul.

[spendorman]

This was a service that Falcon used to provide, but that was decades ago. They did me one for EMI 14"x9" 14A770, KEF B110, Celestion HF1300 and Coles 4001G. I still have Malcolm Jones drawing of that circuit.

[walpurgis]

Crossover calculator? https://www.diyaudioandvideo.com/Calculator/SpeakerCrossover/

You'd probably want a third order or higher network with ribbons. Many will tell you that the home constructor can't build a decent crossover, but I do mine.

[Yomanze]

Those tweeters have high power handling (for a ribbon) ideal for using a 1st order crossover with, which has a certain magic in a two way design IMHO.

[walpurgis]

Those tweeters have high power handling (for a ribbon) ideal for using a 1st order crossover with, which has a certain magic in a two way design IMHO.

Greater risk of intermodulation though. Also, the wide overlap of response between two drivers with very different tonal characteristics could cause some 'oddities' in the sound.

[sq225917]

i use Ribbons into the mids on my NS1000M, first order, no issues.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5443/9648814312_54e1171b07_b.jpg
Easily done with basic box and crossover calc tools and a measurement mic and a copy of REW for final in situ testing. if I can do it anyone can.

[fatmarley]

I intend using a seas 5.5" paper/reed driver, the ER15RLY, with a fountek neo x 2 ribbon tweeter in a small ported bookshelf type speaker. I can design the and build the speaker, but designing the crossover is something I really don't want to tackle. Are there any suggestions for a person or firm that can be recommended to do this work, and at reasonable cost. I don't expect anyone to work for nothing, but similarly I don't want to pay a Kings ransom either. Madisound advertises such a service on their website at most reasonable cost but I believe their designer has since retired.


The very best way to do It would be with measurements of the drivers In the box (Impedance and frequency). It Is possible to trace the graphs from manufacturers data sheets, but I wouldn't fully trust them (manufacturers often massage the frequency response graphs to make them look better than they actually are). There's a guy over at the partsexpress forum that has designed crossovers for people without measurements and they have been happy with the results, so may be worth asking over there.

Don't waste your time with online calculators.

[montesquieu]

Another vote for Paul at RFC.

Don’t expect him to busk it though he’ll need driver details and box measurement - in fact you might be better off giving him an idea what you are trying to achieve and having him work out the details all round.


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[hal55]

Thanks all, I feel I'm on safe ground with this Seas/Fountek combination. Its the same midbass and a similar Fountek that Salk use in the Song tower, which is well regarded in the US. Madisound have now responded that their crossover design service is still going, with the option of them building the crossover. I'm in shock at a local kit/ speaker supply company that has just quoted be 1800 Australian dollars to design the crossover. I may well have a go at trying to design it myself just to "have a go" but I'm pretty sure that could end in tears. Still, I'll sit down one afternoon or evening and see if I can nut it out. May well also approach Paul, he sounds as he is the unanimously approved guru, and get his costings.

[walpurgis]

If you do proceed Hal. My suggestion would be to keep things a simple as possible, at least to start with. I don't know the comparative sensitivities of the drivers concerned, but the tweeter may need 'padding' down somewhat, to bring output down to match the bass/mid unit.

[hal55]

Oh it certainly does, 94db sensitivity, way above the midbass, at least they are both 8ohm.

[fatmarley]

You'll lose around 3 to 5db on the midbass due to baffle step loss. In free space I'd expect that speaker to be about 82 to 83db (2.8v 1m).

[Yomanze]

You could always run the drivers with no crossover and set the tweeters at around 4 or 4.5khz, 1st order. Somewhere to start, the ear is an important measurement tool too. Experimenting will help to hear the differences. Some designers end up back here (no crossover on driver) albeit with doped (‘critically damped’) drivers.

I think unless you are BBC, Harbeth or Tannoy then less is more.

[paulf-2007]

Deqx are from your neck of the woods. Use it with any speaker you build.