Al Klappenberger

Tony, Ok, Here's an "L" pad that will cut the tweeter down by about 2.3 dB. It's made up of 27 Ohms across the tweeter and three 5.6 Ohms in parallel (1.86 Ohms) connected between the tweeter and the network. You can use the barrier block mounting screw as a binding post for the tweeter + wire and the two resistors. See the drawing: Al K.

Hi guys, It sounds like everybody is tyring to talk Tony out of damping down the tweeter! As to "T" pad Versus "L" pad. The "L" pad match impedance between unlike impedances while providing attenuation. The "T" is constant impedance from both ends. I don't think the tweeter cares. It can be, and usually is driven from a very low impedance. It's the tweeter filter in the network that needs to see 8 Ohms. So, an "L" pad should do it. Keep arm twisting and will post some options of you decide you really want to try it. Al K.

Hi guys, You can't tap down on the transform for the tweeter because it is located only in the squawker channel on my network. The Klipsch networks use it for both. This is the main reason I have not offered a network for the Cornwall. The tweeter runs wide open as does the woofer. Both are supposed to have equal efficiency with the squawker being higher efficiency. The transformer cuts down only the squawker to match the other two. Well, I sort-of hate to encourage the use of resistive attenuators since they are counter to the design philosophy of my network. I will do it if everybody twists me arm real hard though! I think you would do best to just get an adjustable one. Try Solen. The part number for an adjustable 8 Ohm, 15W "L" pad is LP-15W8. My price list says it costs $2.06. Al K.

Brian, The crossover networks Tony has installed and referred to these days as the "ALK" is available only from me. Klipsch company has nothing to do with it! Don't bother them! I have Belle Klipsch myself and use a set in my own speakers. For the price information, please email me and I will give you all the info. name@domain.com

Hi Tony, I'm glad you like the new crossovers Tony. Thanks for the compliments! I have just learned something that might have a bearing on why they seem to smooth out some of the "glare" as Tony described it. It seems that some of the Klipsch squawkers, which are supposed to cut off at 6000 Hz, come back to life to emit a narrow band around 9000 Hz. My network has about 7 dB of rejection at 9000 Hz which helps this. The Klipsch networks have no rejection at all at that frequency! There is no way I know of to reduce the levels to the tweeter without the use of some additional hardware. The choices are some form of reisitive attenuator or another transformer. Some have suggested the use of a specially chosen cable from the network to the tweeter. I think I would try getting the smallest speaker wire you can find to replace the tweeter cable. Maybe even as small as AWG #22! If that doesn't do it, I could easily calculate the values for a "T" or "Pi" attenuator made from resistors. You can also order adjustable pads from companies like Solen. Maybe a big Persian rug hanging on the back wall will do it too! Al K.

kent, Yep, Randy is right, polarity is not a factor. One thing though. The mounting position might matter. The direction a coil is wound (C.W or C.C. W) and its position relitive to other inductors can cause differences in energy induced into it. So, try to keep it away from other inductors and metal objects (like mounting screws!). Remember, two coils next to each other is a transformer! Al K.

Kent, No! To measure inductance requires an impedance or inductance bridge or meter. You can also di it by measuring at what frequency a coil resonates with a known capacity. Then you calculate the inductance from the resonance equation. Al K.

Ken, At first it's a good idea to test the inductance, but after you strip a few of them and get the hang of it, you will be able tell if it's right just by looking at it. It will look like an ordinary stranded wire that has been "tined". AL K.

I am surprised nobody has asked about stripping the ends of the litz wire. Anyhow, here is how I do it... Here's the procedure: The insulation is heat strippable. Using a very hot soldering iron, put the flat surface of the iron tip against the end of the wire so that it looks like the wire is coming out of the iron tip and add solder until the solder adheres. Turn the iron 90 degrees, without removing it from the wire placing the flat surface against the wire lengthwise and add more solder. Move the iron along the wire as the insulation melts. Keep a pool of melted solder completely around the wire as you move along it. It will take about 20 or 30 seconds to strip half and inch. NOTE: Be very sure you have all the strands connected together. It is VITAL that all the strands be connected at BOTH ends of the inductor! Al K.

Ray, That procedure just too complicated! Try this one: 1) - Do it! Easy huh? Al K

cls72, The screw is a long wood screw and it's on the rear left corner if the connection block is facing you. Look back at the thread on updating the AA (I think), I have a picture posted of my hand holding the screw over top of the inductor. Al K. Yes.. I just went back and found it. It's under the "Updating older Speakers" section.

KenB I don't know if you have seen the other thread about the screw, but there is a metal screw holding the tweeter inductor to the board on the back right hand edge of the AA network. Remove it and throw it away! Glue the coil to the board if you have to. It will do more to improve the highs than the cap replacement job did. This sounds like a lot to expect, but it seems to be true if the latest comments I am hearing and my measurements are ture. Al K. OOPS! Pardon me while I pull my head out of my butt! You are the guy that started that screw mod thread! DAAHHHH...

No.. I would not user resistor pads. These divorce the amplifier's damping factor from the driver. This makes for poor frequency and transient response. Klipsch DOES have the T2A available, but a better transformer can be had at less cost from United Transformer Co. Talk to Mark Cooper and ask for a number 3619. Their phone number is: (972) 442-2231. Al K.

Kent, A 2.2 or 2.7 mHy coil is probably fine. I would use the 2.2 myself just becasue it will have less DC resistance. Al K.

Hi Guys, The inductor can be replaced by a good air would coil from Solen or North Creek music. Get one that is wound of #14 solid wire or heavier. Litz is not needed for the woffer coil. Here's the "E" network: Al K.

Tony, Ok... Now that I see it on the drawing I tend to think it might be an improvement. I don't think it will do any harm. In fact, the Belle has a wedge like that right at the throat of the horn, right in front of the woffer driver. The La Scala may have that too. You would have to pull the woffer out to see it though. Al K.

Tony, I don't completely understand what you are describing, but I would NOT do anything to change the rate of area expansion inside the horn! Cross bracing is another natter. That would help. Al K.

I now have a copy of the type E network schematic. There is no tweeter inductor used. The other "inductor" is the transformer. It should say T2A on the top. It has a flat frequency response and does not influence the tweeter roll-off at all. Al K.

NOPE! It might look like that, but the inductance of the transformer doesn't come into play here. I don't have the schematics on any of the networks for the Herecy though, so I can't sware to that. I am speaking in general terms. Anyhow, the inductance of the transformer would be WAY to high for a tweeter inductor. If you have the schematics on the Heresy networks, could you post them or emial them to me? I am collecting them! Al K.

Kent, There is only one transformer. The other one is the woffer inductor. It's iron core and just looks like a transformer! I don't have a schematic of the Heresy network, but I would assume the tweeter filter is just a single capacitor. That is, 6 dB / Octave. It doens't use an inductor. Al K.

UPDATE! ----- I just discovered that the tweeter coil in the Klipsch AA network is being "DE-Qed" by the screw that runs through the center to hold it to the board. The measurements on it I made before were with the coil removed from the network and connected directly to the bridge. The Q is reduced to only 8.7 by the mounting screw! Remove the screw and throw it away! Stick the coil to the board using silicon adheasive instead! Al K.

Do you suppose this might be what he means? Al K.

Hi Guys, I think I will vote for a set of Acoustic Research AR 2ax that I had while I was in the Air Force. Accoustic dummy loads! I have only had 3 set though. The ARs where relpace by Altec Lansing "mailbu". Which were big sectored Voice-of-the-theater horns and two 12 inch woffers in a bas reflex. I got rid of them for a set of Belles that I have had ever since! Al K.

Randy, Well, Not quite! The Klipsch "A" network only uses a single series cap, but the "AA" has an inductor for the tweeter too. The DC resistance is a constant part of the quality factor of an inductor and the only one that counts for the woffer inductor. As frequency increases, the AC losses creep in. That is caused by such stuff as eddy currents across the wires, skin effect, currents induced into nearby objects causing more eddy currents and the like. The North Creek inductor have low DCR because they are wound of #12 wire compared with #14 for all the rest. The point here is that the heavy wire didn't help the quality factor at 6000 Hz! The smaller gauge Litz wire had lower losses at 6000 Hz to spite higher DCR. The conclusion here is that Litz wire is the thing for the squawker / tweeter inductor. DCR is not as important. The DC resistance (DCR) however IS the most important factor for the woffer inductor but the more illusive "Q" or quality factor is the main factor for the squawker / tweeter crossover inductor. Distributed capacity of the inductors is not too important for crossover networks, it seems. I did some computer simulations assuming huge amounts of distributed capacity compared to what is really there and it had very little effect. I didn't include it in the data because I really can't measure it accurately. The coil with the highest distributed capacity was the home made coil on the PVC pipe because the two ends of the winding are right over top each other. The spiral inductor from Alpha Core is good because each turn is in proximity to the adjacent ones only. The means each turn is at nearly the same voltage as the one next to it. That cuts the effect of the capacity down to spite the fact that the capacity is actually quite high. The Solen coils distributed capacity is also quite low. I think the bottom line is to use the Solen Litz wire inductors for the squawker / tweeter inductors and the biggest inductor you finances can support for the woffer inductor. Al K.

Lammers, Yep... If it sounds right, it is! As Sgt. Friday used to say, "Just the facts, mam". My impedance bridge doesn't have ears! It can only measure part of the story. Al K.