I was looking around the forum/web to find out about SBL tweeters (as I think I may have blown one) and come across this at Audio 42.


Has anyone tried these out?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Adam Meredith,

The fact that the two tweeters have such different specifications makes me think that there is more opportunity to break what's right than making them better. Whatever happens, the speaker will be different.

IME using a so-so tweeter in an optimised design works far better than dropping in a far-higher spec one without major revision to the crossover network. The SBL crossover I think has a resonance trap designed around the factory-supplied tweeter that may require a major revision using any other tweeter. That having been said, the Audio42 guys appear to be genuine and appreciate that the quality of the raw components can seriously impact the maximum potential of the final design.

As Frank said, the overall effect would be a dramatic change. It would be up to the listener to determine whether that change would amount to an improvement or just a change.

quote:

The SBL crossover I think has a resonance trap designed around the factory-supplied tweeter that may require a major revision using any other tweeter.

Not actually–the mass dampers do a fine job without having to design an overly complex crossover (simple Bessel filters) in either the passive or active SNAXO versions.

There are a lot of variations on the various Scanspeak models, some of which have limited availability outside of quantity orders (and this largely applies to most OEM driver manufacturers)–variations in impedance or efficiency (not entirely interdependent) make a big difference when using a passive crossover (as many Isobarik owners with blown tweeters will attest)–even when using the same model driver as factory-specified....