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Crossover Upgrade for RF-5


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I've seen several threads where the RF-7s have had their crossovers upgraded.  I wanted to know if the same can be done for the RF-5s?   Has anyone done it?  Is it is worth it?  I don't have much luck with the search feature here.  Also some background info. so I can learn about the process and see if its something I want to explore.  I love my RF-5s and certainly can't upgrade, but also don't know if I'm want to move on from them, but I was wondering if I can make them sound a little better.  Thanks everyone. 

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4 hours ago, Loudly Does It said:

I've seen several threads where the RF-7s have had their crossovers upgraded.  I wanted to know if the same can be done for the RF-5s?   Has anyone done it?  Is it is worth it?  I don't have much luck with the search feature here.  Also some background info. so I can learn about the process and see if its something I want to explore.  I love my RF-5s and certainly can't upgrade, but also don't know if I'm want to move on from them, but I was wondering if I can make them sound a little better.  Thanks everyone. 

A cap change shouldn't be too hard.  Just be sure you use the same value caps.  There's no need to modify anything in the circuit.

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1 hour ago, Loudly Does It said:

Thanks.  Going to start looking into it. 

Beware as most caps are going to e bigger than what's in there now.  You either need to be creative on the pc board or run wires to an external cap board like this.  The picture is of a Heresy 2 but the principal is the same.

20180203_144247.jpg

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23 hours ago, CECAA850 said:

Beware as most caps are going to e bigger than what's in there now.  You either need to be creative on the pc board or run wires to an external cap board like this.  The picture is of a Heresy 2 but the principal is the same.

20180203_144247.jpg

Is this from an RF-5 or another speaker?  Just wondering if you're familiar with the amount of room in there.  I only opened the tweeter when I bought them because there was no sound coming from it and it turned out the wire was loose.  I can't complain, got them for $200 over 5 years ago. 

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OK. Thanks.  I'm looking through Parts Express and not finding many options with the same value.  There's a couple but they're not the Film type on the crossover schematic for the RF-5.  They're the other types metabolized or polypropylene. Sorry, if it's a noob question.  I'm very handy so I know swapping out is not an issue, its just learning more than the basics right now, to ensure I get the right part. Thanks.

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I don't have anything to add to the tech discussion, but the 3's and 7's both are known to respond well to cap replacement and XO upgrades - so I encourage you to follow the information Carl's been feeding about caps to start things off.  They're an inexpensive way to begin looking at sound improvements on the RF-5's.

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On ‎3‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 9:38 AM, Loudly Does It said:

OK. Thanks.  I'm looking through Parts Express and not finding many options with the same value.  

I know a lot of people like the Daytons and I have some in a pair of Cornscallas that I really like.

027-434, 027-425, 027-436  Be sure to check the values with what's on your board.  If @Deang says they're OK, I'd use them.  Maybe he'll chime in.

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5 hours ago, CECAA850 said:

I know a lot of people like the Daytons and I have some in a pair of Cornscallas that I really like.

027-434, 027-425, 027-436  Be sure to check the values with what's on your board.  If @Deang says they're OK, I'd use them.  Maybe he'll chime in.

I've been noticing he's the crossover expert, so I'll be reaching out to him and see what he thinks about the parts you suggested and any advice, opinions and reading material me can provide.  Thanks. 

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I haven’t seen the RF-5 schematic, please post it. 

 

I’m not a “crossover expert”, just half decent at reverse engineering and building stuff. 

 

All of those capacitors are metallized polyester. The orange capacitors are metallized epoxy covered ovals. They are loosely wound, and then pressed to flatten them out - which stresses the film. 

 

Please post the schematic, or simply list the capacitor and resistor values. 

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On 3/19/2018 at 11:00 AM, CECAA850 said:

I know a lot of people like the Daytons and I have some in a pair of Cornscallas that I really like.

027-434, 027-425, 027-436  Be sure to check the values with what's on your board.  If @Deang says they're OK, I'd use them.  Maybe he'll chime in.

Sorry to keep bothering you.  Unfortunately Deang hasn't been able to respond.  If I can ask you.  So am i only changing the capacitors that go to the tweeter?  From the videos I've read I see where the mods are made to help with some of the harshness of the highs or is it best to change them all because the capacitors seem to be the part that over time has an adverse affect on the sound.   Deang did say on an earlier post not to worry about "film type" vs. metallized polypropylene.  There all the same.  If that's the case then I have more options, although I don't seem to get the exact value.  5.5 uF isn't available, but there are 5.6 uF available.  Thanks.

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What other components are you using with your RF-5's?

 

The RF-5's can be amazing speakers when paired with other components that are well mated to them. I have owned mine for around 18 years and absolutely love their sound. They can sound so natural, accurate and musical when they are used with well mated equipment. One of the best things I did for my RF-5's musically was when I added my MHDT Labs Havana tube DAC to my system, the combo is heaven.

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I went with Dayton Audio caps and mills resistors in my RF-3's from partsexpress but left the large cap for the woofer alone as suggested here, total cost was about $40 shipped IIRC. The difference was very noticeable, really cleaned up the sound worth doing IMO.  

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8 hours ago, Rich_Guy said:

What other components are you using with your RF-5's?

 

The RF-5's can be amazing speakers when paired with other components that are well mated to them. I have owned mine for around 18 years and absolutely love their sound. They can sound so natural, accurate and musical when they are used with well mated equipment. One of the best things I did for my RF-5's musically was when I added my MHDT Labs Havana tube DAC to my system, the combo is heaven.

I have a Pioneer Elite Sc-75 powering my speakers.  I have the RC-7 center with the RF-5s.   I looked into additional power but was told that my amp is delivering enough power to it.   Not familiar with your amp.

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3 hours ago, CECAA850 said:

I would change all caps.

I was thinking that might be the best bet.  If they can all start giving out, the lower frequencies could also benefit from it.   I'm going to open up one of the speakers this weekend to get a feel for the crossover layout and size.  Hopefully it doesn't require too much improvisation.  I read on another thread that people have made similar mods to the RC-7.  Was wondering if I should do it to everyone in one shot.  I would think it might affect sound production if the towers have new caps but the center has old ones.

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10 hours ago, Loudly Does It said:

I have a Pioneer Elite Sc-75 powering my speakers.  I have the RC-7 center with the RF-5s.   I looked into additional power but was told that my amp is delivering enough power to it.   Not familiar with your amp.

The RF-5's are efficient speakers and will work very well without much power. That said the RF-5's do love more power and really come to another level when they get it the bass becomes much hard hitting and with a great quick punch and instruments have better separation. Before going with separate amplification I had used my RF-5's with a couple different top end receivers which were rated at 120 and 130 watts per channel they both sounded excellent but my XPA-2's 300 wpc really made a very nice difference to sound quality bringing on an extra authority to the bass that the receivers just did not deliver along with the better separation and greater detail.

 

My MHDT Havana NOS tube DAC was such a perfect fit with the RF-5's I really fell in love with the match they made, the MHDT is just such a musical DAC that is very detailed but has an extremely musical sound not analytical, definitely one of my favorite system upgrades I've ever made. With the MHDT the RF-5's have such beautiful detail and not even the slightest bit of any overly bright or harshness at all, a very natural and beautiful live sound.

 

 

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