(OT) Adding a ribbon tweeter to my speakers?

**cradeldorf** · February 7th, 2012, 04:08 PM

Hi Guys, I'm thinking

**just me now** · February 7th, 2012, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by cradeldorf

Hi Guys, I'm thinking about adding some ribbon tweeters to my speakers but I'm not sure how to hook them up? do I want to hook them to my HF side of my crossovers? or do I hook them to the leads from the the receiver where they hook to the crossover and just put a capacitor in the + line?
Sorry I suck so bad at understanding electronics. :/

I would say to the HF side of the crossover... BUT, what's the Frequency Kenneth?

I think that an appropriate xover point and slope are going to be important,
if you would like to keep the ribbons going strong, longterm...

depending on the crossover you have in place now, you may be able to adjust it -- or you may need to make some additional -- more invasive -- adjustments... or....

maybe running the ribbon in parrell with your HF driver;
with an additional capacitor inline to provide a 6db/oct filter, would do it....

(although I have no experience with them, my understanding is that the ribbons are somewhat fragile --
so I would suggest limiting low frequency energy to what is appropriate for the driver.....)

I am sure more knowledgable folks will chime in... lol

**bowtie427ss** · February 7th, 2012, 05:02 PM

maybe running the ribbon in parrell with your HF driver;
with an additional capacitor inline to provide a 6db/oct filter, would do it....

Before the L-pad. The ribbon will likely have lower sensitivity than the CD/horn.

Cradle, post some specs or the model of your ribbons so folks can give more concise responses.

**voice of the theater** · February 7th, 2012, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by bowtie427ss

Before the L-pad. The ribbon will likely have lower sensitivity than the CD/horn.

Cradle, post some specs or the model of your ribbons so folks can give more concise responses.

If I remember correctly, the GPA crossovers he's using for his 604's don't have L-pads.....

**bowtie427ss** · February 7th, 2012, 08:34 PM

There must still be a fixed pad of some type, no? as the 604 HF and LF sections don't have the same sensitivity.

**voice of the theater** · February 7th, 2012, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by bowtie427ss

There must still be a fixed pad of some type, no? as the 604 HF and LF sections don't have the same sensitivity.

Good point--there must be something in place to "tame" the higher efficiency of the horn as compared to the woofer.... Cradeldorf--do you have a schematic of your crossovers?

**voice of the theater** · February 7th, 2012, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by cradeldorf

I plan on keeping both sections of the 604 running not swapping the ribbon for the HF section of the 604.

Sounds like a good plan to me. That way you don't lose that classic 604 sound--you're just enhancing it's high end response (with the tweeters added, the h.f. will roll off way past where you'll be able to hear it). Not to mention, the woofer in your 604 will never play all the way up to the ribbon tweeter--you'll need the horn to go down to 1600 hz.....

**bowtie427ss** · February 7th, 2012, 09:18 PM

I question R1 being parallel in the woofer circuit. I think it should be across the HF circuit. If that's the case, then that series/parallel resistor arrangement of R1 and R2 would be your fixed pad simulating an L-pad "locked" in one specific position. But i'm not familiar with this network so can't say for sure.

My advice with a ribbon as delicate and valuable as the Aurum would be to bring it in up high, maybe 8khz to 10khz with a simple first order(single cap in series) XO. I'm assuming that you're looking to fill in that "sparkle" in the top octaves, and i think this arrangement could go a long way in doing that.