Anyone used L pads for tweets and skwakers

[istics]

So I love my heresy ii's and my forte II's but I cant afford that nice tube amp yet so I am always looking for a way to lower the output of the tweeter and skwaker in both speaker sets as they are both a bit forward with my current solid state AV amp. Now I know that the answer is a better amp and that is coming!!!! but for the time being I was wondering if anyone has used L pads to attenuate the tweeter and skwaker of either of the 2 sets of speakers I own?

 

If anyone has used them, how did it sound? did you use fixed or variable L pads? Where did you get them or who makes quality ones? or if fixed  was used what value resistors were used?

 

 

Thanks guys

Bryan

Edited April 29, 2016 by istics

[pzannucci]

The unfortunate part of this is if you don't put the l-pad before the input to the tweeter and midrange both, you will mess up the crossover points and balance.  To do this properly, you will probably need to modify the network to be more like the bi-wire networks on other Klipsch speakers so they are kept in sync and the crossover isn't severely impacted.

[istics]

pzannucci, yeah as i understand it the pads would be wired between the xo and the driver input. I also understand that this will change the impedance of the speaker over all which shouldnt be a problem as both my klipsch's measure 4 ohms. I wonder if I am using ALK's xo's with constant impedance balancing would Lpads have some other unintended effects?

 

 

wdecho, how did you like the results? and did you use pads on both the mids and hi's?

[istics]

thanks for the clarification wdecho

 

did you find 3db to be enough of a drop? also on the calculator link you posted it asks for watts per ch?

Edited April 29, 2016 by istics

[Marvel]

but they have a 4 ohm woofer

In the slot loaded horn, it acts closer to an 8 ohm woofer.

 

I have a DHA2 crossover, which is a constant impedance, which also allowed me to cut the mids about 3db. I think pretty much all LS owners should drop the mids down. The overall tonal balance is better, and makes the bass seem more full. IOW, you don't need the chainsaw mids in your head to get enough bass. That's why I am plenty satisfied having no subs.

 

Bruce

[JL Sargent]

Where are those crossover purists that say you should never add a resistor(s) in the signal path? Used to be some of that thinking around here.

Edited April 29, 2016 by JL Sargent

[Marvel]

Used to be some of that thinking around here.

 

Probably still is. I don't mind the autoformer, and would love to try one of the huge ones Dean had made.

 

There is also some capacitance between the primary and secondary coils.

 

It's really only one coil with multiple taps

 

It certainly isn't cost that keeps some from using resistors, since the autoformers cost a lot more than the resistors do.

 

Bruce

[Marvel]

You will have to explain how the autoformer affects the bass, since it is used to adjust the mid.

[JohnA]

Where are those crossover purists that say you should never add a resistor(s) in the signal path? Used to be some of that thinking around here.

 

We're still here.      It appears to be a little less important to the mid and tweeters due to diaphragm mass, but the argument is still the damping factor of the amp is important to controlling diaphragm over excursion.  Resistors in a L-pad reduce the effective damping factor.  A swamping resistor in Klappenberger's designs is not in the signal path, but it reduces efficiency by bleeding off power.  I doubt Mr. Paul would have allowed it. 

[JohnA]

So I love my heresy ii's and my forte II's but I cant afford that nice tube amp yet so I am always looking for a way to lower the output of the tweeter and skwaker in both speaker sets as they are both a bit forward with my current solid state AV amp. Now I know that the answer is a better amp and that is coming!!!! but for the time being I was wondering if anyone has used L pads to attenuate the tweeter and skwaker of either of the 2 sets of speakers I own?

 

If anyone has used them, how did it sound? did you use fixed or variable L pads? Where did you get them or who makes quality ones? or if fixed  was used what value resistors were used?

 

 

Thanks guys

Bryan

 

Look at your room and it's reflectivity, first.  Hard walls and floors will make your speakers seem bright when they aren't. 

 

Changing amps is rarely the answer.  A good tube amp will NOT make bright speakers less so, but it WILL add nice sounding (higher) harmonics.  If your current receiver is inexpensive, it may be ADDing higher odd harmonics that will sound harsh.   However, at sane listening levels that is unlikely.

Edited April 30, 2016 by John Albright

[Deang]

If the bass is "better", it's only because you've knocked the midrange down.

To the OP - learn how to read a schematic and start saving for some good parts.

[SWL]

Hopefully forum member SET 12 will chime in here. I heard his outboard crossovers he built for his Fortes and they were by far the most balanced sounding Heritage (extended) speaker I've heard to date.....and he uses no EQ or a preamp.

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk

[mr clean]

I so wish klipsch would put in adjustment for the highs from the factory. It seems to me there are other brands that cause fatigue also but klipsch is mentioned quite often.  It would be nice if you had some adjustment.It could be room problems or peoples ears but I would be willing to pay more for the change and would keep the highs where they are now for those it doesn't bother and for people like me could turn it down fuzz to make our ears happy. I still use the tp over the tweeters and it sounds great but a fix from the factory would be killer!

[pzannucci]

Klipsch was against L-Pads early on and went the autoformer route.  Don't think that will change in the current versions of Heritage.  It would be easy enough to do if you didn't mind making your speakers "non-original" and keeping them for the duration.

[absolve2525]

Do current production Heritage speakers still use autoformers? I was under the impression that they aren't used anymore, at least in the Khorns. 

[Deang]

They haven't been used for over a decade. 

[raeggis]

On 29.4.2016 at 4:39 PM, istics said:

So I love my heresy ii's and my forte II's but I cant afford that nice tube amp yet so I am always looking for a way to lower the output of the tweeter and skwaker in both speaker sets as they are both a bit forward with my current solid state AV amp. Now I know that the answer is a better amp and that is coming!!!! but for the time being I was wondering if anyone has used L pads to attenuate the tweeter and skwaker of either of the 2 sets of speakers I own?

 

If anyone has used them, how did it sound? did you use fixed or variable L pads? Where did you get them or who makes quality ones? or if fixed  was used what value resistors were used?

 

 

Thanks guys

Bryan

 

[Deang]

On ‎4‎/‎29‎/‎2016 at 5:35 PM, JL Sargent said:

Where are those crossover purists that say you should never add a resistor(s) in the signal path? Used to be some of that thinking around here.

 

I'm right here. :-)

 

Some designs call for them, so you have to use them. So, invest a little and buy some good ones.

 

I run my LaScalas at the stock settings. I use parts similar to what the original networks used.