KLF 30 Tapered Array?

[HornEd]

For tone, timbre and quality HT purposes, putting six KLF 30's to work in a 6.1 system has been a delight (especially since my receiver processes 5.1 as 6.1). I wonder, though, if the modified center KLF 30 would not benefit from having a crossover that would make it a Tapered Array?

As noted in a recent Belgian post: "Klipsch's version of 2.5-way crossover technology, called Tapered Array, is a crossover network design that provides improved imaging and midrange clarity. With tapered-array, two woofers work together in the lower frequencies with one driver transitioning out as sound enters the mid-range frequencies. This greatly enhances the off-axis intelligibility creating a wide soundstage that is consistent across your room."

That being said, is there a crossover I can order and how much would it likely improve my center?

This could be my "tweak of the week!" HornEd

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"30 Something 6.1 Herd"

KLF 30 Mains

KLF 30 Mod Center

KLF 30 Mod Surrounds

KLF 30 Rear Effects

SB-2 Front Effects

Subs: KSW-15 + 3 KSW-12's

Speaker Support Systems:

Mitsubishi RPHD1080i 65"

Yamaha RX-V3000 Receiver

and more...

... UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

[STL]

I too am curious about this! After doing some reading about it, I can't help but wonder if my center channel creation (that can be seen here http://webpages.charter.net/bcm00re/custom_speakers/klipsch_center.jpg ) couldn't benefit from a tapered array crossover.

That being said, I don't believe you will be able to just buy a crossover that will work. You could study the design of the filter network used in the KLF-C7 and compare with to the one in your KLF-30. Then you might be able to come up a new design, but it's something you would have to build yourself.

[DrWho]

I'm no expert on crossover design, but all you'd really have to do is put a low pass filter right before the second driver. I think a crossover at 80Hz would be a good place to start because a 1/4 wavelength is 3 feet which would be about the distance between the two drivers. If it's closer to 2 feet, then 120Hz might work better. For an 80Hz low pass filter, just wire a 175.33uf capacitor in parallel and then a 22.51mH inductor in series such that the capacitor is between the inductor and the driver; and the inductor is closer to the positive terminal of the driver.

Here's a link that shows some pics:

http://www.colomar.com/Shavano/crossover12db.html

The only downside I can see to this approach is that you MIGHT have to compensate for the change in frequency response (at most, a difference of 3dB). I could see attenuating the HF driver by 3dB and then using a low shelf EQ on the first driver to drop the response 3dB where the second driver starts to come into play. However, this would reduce the overall speaker sensitivity by 3dB. But this would only be an electrical reduction which means boosting your amp by 3dB wouldn't increase frequency modulation distortion unless your amp introduces flaws with another 3dB of gain.

Looking at the specs of the reference line, I think the change would only have a magnitude of 1dB (thus explaining the difference in center versus main sensitivites). (Rf-5 versus RC-7 is 99dB to 98dB...i used RF-5 because they both use dual 8" drivers whereas the RF-7 has 10" drivers).

[DrWho]

I forgot to mention that the only advantages with a tapered array is in the off-axis response. On-Axis response is for the most part identical. So if your HT is such that all the listeners are close to on-axis, then a tapered array probably won't be of substantial benefit.

I'm not sure how far off-axis you have to be for it to be an issue. I think within a 15 degree window should be fine.