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DIY TypeA Crossover for my Khorn---Question 1.


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I have built ALs ALK crossover (thankyou) but would like to try a type A. Would using all Hovland caps --2uf and 6+7uf-- be too much of a good thing? Any suggestions of combos with synergy? I plan to bypass each with Russkie teflons as well.

thanks

tim

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By "too much of a good thing" do you mean cost or performance? And the Hovlands need bypassing?

Ah, youth.

Try this: start with basic good quality (no, this is not an oxymoron) oil filled caps, the kind you find in metal canisters. The outlay for these parts will range from $2 to $10.

Get the 3619 (replacement autoformer) for another $39.

Skip the 2.5mH choke or get a nice air gapped one for another $20.

Build all that together, listen for a few weeks, then put together your high-buck version and give that a listen.

Report back to us with your findings.

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In crossovers, I've tried summing multiple capacitors in parallel to get the desired value and did not like what I heard. Now I limit it to (2) max.

If you've got a 6uf and a 7uf that is close enough. You can add the 2uF quick enough and see if you like/notice the change.

I have not tried the ALK but converted my AA to a single 2.2 cap on the tweeter which I much prefer.

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I have built the 'A's with Oil Caps and Cheapie Solens. I could not tell the Difference at all. The Hovlands are expensive and if you've got money to burn, they will burn it faster for you.

You might want to try the Auricap vs. Oil Cap Route if you are not trying to burn money fast.

Either way, report back your findings as Randy said

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I rebuilt my Type AAs with all Hovland caps (they were different and I wanted them to be identical; long tale). I used a 6 and a 7 uF cap in parallel for the squawker. The results on the tweeter were immediate and good. The change to the squawker caps were not clearly audible. Hovlands do not need to be bypassed. Replace the woofer inductor with a good 12 or 14 ga. air-core inductor; 2.5 +/- 0.1 mH is fine. For the tweeter cap, use a 3 to 3.3 uF cap on the tweeter; 3.3 tests nearly perfectly at 5800 Hz.

I recommend you search the BBS for the 1st order design brother did for his La Scalas. I've heard it several times and had it tested in a lab. It sounds great, clean and articulate, and the crossover points hit nearly spot on at the 400 and 6000 Hz design points.

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I have the typeA schematic from this forum. I plan to build it without the woofer inductor--which was going to be question two. When ya live on the other side of the world postage costs mount up so planned to go for "the best" ie Hovlands, straight off.Al K recommends them for the ALK crossover. But perhaps a mix of oil and Hovlands might combine two great effects. The teflons are cheap and can't hurt--in my opinion.

Thanks all

tim

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If you are using the schematic I posted some time ago, it shows a bulb for tweeter protection. After listening and playing with this for a while I have decided that the bulb makes too large an impact on the sound and I have removed it from the network. Al K. made the suggestion to use a polyswitch for tweeter protection and I plan to explore that option to see what effect it has on the sound.

The use of a Hovland cap in the tweeter circuit makes a substantial difference in the quality and especially the detail of the sound reproduction. Again, Al K. has tested these components and has often published the results. My personal experience verifies in my mind that Al is correct in his choices for components. Based upon my ears, I think the parallel circuit first order crossover (modified Type A) provides the best sound in my LaScalas.

Personally, I would encourage you to reconsider the decision to not use the woofer inductor. If nothing else, keep the iron core stock inductor to avoid driver interference between the woofer and the squawker.

Let us know how it works out.

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