Forward Sounding Speaker Crossover Components - Suggestions?


I've been hooked on the immersed/surround sound from a set of stereo speakers since my first Carver Sonic Holography preamp back in the day, so I've been on a quest to replicate, but with a highly-refined set of components. Some people want to replicate "soundstage" as a concert, with the sound between their seated position and the speakers. I prefer to be sitting in the middle of the "stage", surrounded by the music.

To this end, I believe I've made most of the significant changes on all hardware, with exception of finding the right speaker crossover components. Please share your experience with the most forward sounding crossover components, including capacitors and inductors, so you can save me from this endless loop of buying, burning in, realizing it doesn't quite hit the mark, then repeat. Thanks in advance!

akacree

Showing 2 responses by sns

I like performers in room presentation, modded a number of speakers and crossovers over more than a decade. First off, electronics, pre's, amps, sources are greatly responsible for sound staging, so that good place to start. As for crossover mods, my intention with these mostly for gains in resolution, transparency, more natural timbre, wasn't looking for sound staging presentation to change per se. Having said that these mods did affect sound staging to some degree. Generally, I've heard more dimensional images, larger sound stage such the illusion of performers in room much greater. So, speaking in generalities, SET amps, DHT pre's and physically large horns do it for me.

 

As for specifics with crossover mods, I've used Duelund, Jupiter, Audyn caps, all very nice, specific models in these brands will give you exact voicing. For what its worth, at present using combo of Jupiter VT with Audyn True Copper Max, Jupiter VT bypassed with Duelund Silver bypass cap. Jupiter VT is a more  laid back cap, Audyn more up front. Also love the Jantzen air core inductors, solid core on mids/bass, wax impregnated litz on tweeters, both top notch, may amaze you depending on current inductors. Internal wire important as well, I like Duelund tin plated copper. By the way, these on Klipschorns, custom drivers, Volti tractrix horns, custom tweeter baffles. I also modded Merlin VSM, Omega, and others in the past, always to good effect.

@akacree DHT pre's pretty rare, my Coincident Statement pre uses 101D, present 101D tubes not very reliable, Coincident went to 300B in new Statement. Vinnie Rossi has very nice 300B based pre, Bottlehead has 300B pre at much more affordable price. May be others I've missed.