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All speakers have a little EQ built in

It may come as a shock to audio purists but part of the work of a crossover is level matching as well as tonal adjustments of individual drivers.  Ahem.  That's what we call equalization. 

This is true whether the speaker uses active or passive crossover, and may be in place just to adjust phase matching in the crossover range.

Also, curiously, while companies may brag about the number of parts in their crossovers, more parts does not indicate more quality.  It may just indicate more equalization had to be done to the drivers to get them to match. 

erik_squires

Showing 3 responses by elliottbnewcombjr

elliottbnewcombjr
5,199 posts
 

 

erik_squires OP

I replaced my speaker’s level controls recently,

vintage electrovoice 4 way, 16 ohm L-Pads (not potentiometers). Pair labeled Presence and Brilliance

vintage AR-2ax, two pairs of speakers, 3 way: two 8 ohm L pads each pair. Also renewed the AR-2ax crossover capacitors. Electrovoice crossover is components in a metal can full of tar. I’ve been advised by custom crossover makers to leave them alone.

then I use a microphone, ear level seated position, with tracks 9 to 28 from this GRP/Carver test tone CD

 

 

then spent a day and a half carefully balancibg them so frequencies not only blended equally but frequencies do not vary side to side

elliottbnewcombjr
5,199 posts
 

And those calculations/crossover designs are for the speaker when in a large padded cell.

'In the Beginning', speakers came with Level Controls, so they could be adjusted for your listening space, your preferences, your particular hearing including 'typical' age related, progressively reduced ability to hear highs.

'In the Beginning' Preamps/Receivers came with important features i.e. Stereo/Mono/l+r to r; l+r to l; phase; balance; low and high filters, tone controls. These days those controls can be 'in' or 'out', no reason not to have their potential benefit(s)

elliottbnewcombjr
5,199 posts
 

Ag insider logo xs@2x

bruce19

AR-2ax’s were my 1st decent speakers while in college. LP’s, FM,

listened to the nightbird when working late or all night

https://www.google.com/search?q=allison+steele+the+nightbird&rlz=1C1JSBI_enUS1081US1081&oq=nightbird+all&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggCEAAYChgWGB4yBggAEEUYOTIMCAEQABgKGA8YFhgeMgoIAhAAGAoYFhgeMgwIAxAAGAoYDxgWGB4yCggEEAAYChgWGB4yDQgFEC4YChgWGB4Y1AIyDQgGEC4YChgWGB4Y1ALSAQkxNzk2MGowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I just restored two pairs of them. 1st sounded so good I got a second pair. restored the crossovers and replaced the L-Pads for tweeter and mid volume adjustments. they sound terrific, using in both my office and garage/shop systems.

2nd pair came with new tweeters, I replaced the tweeters on the 1st pair.

a fine example of the advantage of level controls

 

 

everything you need is readily available, do a simple 'ar-2ax' search on hifishark.

 

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