Upgrade Chorus 2 with midrange diaphragm , cross over and ....

[quanghuy147]

Hello,

I decide to upgrade my Chorus 2 and I have some questions. I hope you can share your experience to help me.

- Midrange diaphragm:

****Ti mid diaphragm : I searched around the forum. Some people like the Ti, some don't. So the only way to know is to try it out.

****Bob Crites mid diaphragm: I found little information about this : is it different (or better) than the stock?

 

-Crossover: my Chorus 2 is from 1990, so I guess it's time to replace the crossover. I intend to buy the kit and do the soldering myself (I just know the very basic soldering). Which capacitors and other parts do I need to buy? Which brand is the good one? (I learned that Bob Crites use Sonicaps but still wonder if there are any better choices?)

 

- With the advice from Moray James, I plan to put the Dynamat on the drivers. However, I don't know exactly how to do this , where to put them, is there ? How much dynamat  do I need for a pair of Chorus 2. I have some pictures found on Internet about using Dynamat with horns, I don't know which is the right one.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

P.S: I usually listen to vocal, jazz, classical. I listen at low level . I like the natural sound. So please kindly suggest the components for that taste . Thank you very much!

 

 

 

 

[willland]

Quanghuy147,

 

Glad you made it over here.

 

I am sure some of the resident experts will drop in to help you out.

 

@Deang

 

@moray james

 

Bill

[jimjimbo]

On 10/22/2016 at 5:45 PM, quanghuy147 said:

Hello,

I decide to upgrade my Chorus 2 and I have some questions. I hope you can share your experience to help me.

- Midrange diaphragm:

****Ti mid diaphragm : I searched around the forum. Some people like the Ti, some don't. So the only way to know is to try it out.

****Bob Crites mid diaphragm: I found little information about this : is it different (or better) than the stock?

 

-Crossover: my Chorus 2 is from 1990, so I guess it's time to replace the crossover. I intend to buy the kit and do the soldering myself (I just know the very basic soldering). Which capacitors and other parts do I need to buy? Which brand is the good one? (I learned that Bob Crites use Sonicaps but still wonder if there are any better choices?)

 

- With the advice from Moray James, I plan to put the Dynamat on the drivers. However, I don't know exactly how to do this , where to put them, is there ? How much dynamat  do I need for a pair of Chorus 2. I have some pictures found on Internet about using Dynamat with horns, I don't know which is the right one.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

P.S: I usually listen to vocal, jazz, classical. I listen at low level . I like the natural sound. So please kindly suggest the components for that taste . Thank you very much!

My opinion and advice is such:  If you listen at low levels, updating to a Ti mid diaphragm is not going to make a big difference.

If you buy the crossover kit from Crites, you won't need to purchase any other parts.

Regarding Dynamat, I would highly recommend putting down blue painters tape first on the mid horn prior to putting on the Dynamat.

 

This is the product I buy, and it will cover several horns.  Cut to fit.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Dynamat-10435-Self-Adhesive-Deadener-Xtreme/dp/B00020CAUG/ref=sr_1_3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1477264574&sr=1-3&keywords=dynamat

[wvu80]

Your second picture is of my Klipsch CF-4 horn.  My CF-4's had a slightly nasal sound I wanted to get rid of.  I used a 10 oz tube of pure silicon seal on each horn (two tubes total).  Use PURE silicon seal if you use my technique because it will stay flexible and not dry out. 

 

Use half the tube and put on a thin layer on the horn including around the mouth area.  Let it dry, then use the rest of the tube. If you try to put it on all at once it is too thick and does not dry very well.  I used an asymmetric pattern thinking it would help avoid resonance.

 

 

It is available at Lowes or Home Depot in 2-packs for $10 all the time.  I used it instead of the $65 Dynamat because it was cheaper, available locally and it works.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/GE-Silicone-Ii-10-1-oz-Clear-Unsanded-Silicone-Kitchen-and-Bathroom-Caulk/1088919

 

You will need a $3 caulk gun to use the caulk tubes.

 

If you do the knuckle rap test on the horn, it lowers the pitch (the knock) by about 1/3 of an octave.  Does it actually make the sound better?  I'm not sure if I could hear a difference in musical listening, but combined with the other small mods I did, I do think it makes an audible difference that can be heard.

[quanghuy147]

16 hours ago, jimjimbo said:

My opinion and advice is such:  If you listen at low levels, updating to a Ti mid diaphragm is not going to make a big difference.

If you buy the crossover kit from Crites, you won't need to purchase any other parts.

Regarding Dynamat, I would highly recommend putting down blue painters tape first on the mid horn prior to putting on the Dynamat.

 

This is the product I buy, and it will cover several horns.  Cut to fit.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Dynamat-10435-Self-Adhesive-Deadener-Xtreme/dp/B00020CAUG/ref=sr_1_3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1477264574&sr=1-3&keywords=dynamat

 

 

Thank you for your answer, so if Ti mid diaphragm will not make a big difference, do you know about the Bob Crites mid diagphram? Would it be better choice?

 

I would like to purchase parts because I want to do the soldering myself Which parts do I need and which brand? I read somewhere it is said "the crossover is the heart and the brain of the speaker, if the parts are high quality, the sound could be much better." Is it right?

 

@wvu80: Thank you, I guess I will do the Dynamat because it's easier to remove though obviously it is more costly than silicon.

 

 

[jimjimbo]

I honestly don't think you need to change the mid diaphragm.

 

If you purchase a crossover kit from Bob Crites, he will send all of the parts you need.  You will not need to source any other parts.

[wvu80]

1 hour ago, quanghuy147 said:

@wvu80: Thank you, I guess I will do the Dynamat because it's easier to remove though obviously it is more costly than silicon.

 

I think most people who have posted have used the Dynamat, so you are good to go on that. 

 

Regarding the picture in your first post, I would NOT damp the round part which is the magnet.  I have never heard of anybody doing that until I saw that picture.  If you damp things down too much you are likely to have the sound to come out dull and lifeless. 

 

I also saw in that picture where the Dynamat was used on the woofer as well.  That is unnecessary and undesirable.  I would ONLY make changes if there is a PROBLEM in the sound and Dynamat is the solution. 

 

I like jazz as you do and I like the music to sizzle and sound loud and live!  Be careful that by over damping that you do not throw a wet blanket over the sound.