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Speaker builder: heil tweeters vs multiple ribbons

Hello,

I'm not sure if anyone here builds their own speakers, but i was wondering if anyone has heard multiple ribbon drivers in sound vs a heil tweeter. I need something that crosses down at 1khz or below to get the cross largely out of vocal range. I really need something that's easier to drive than a large ribbon, so its either heil or a multiple ribbon tweeter configuration (appx 16 per channel). multiple tweeters are excellent at detail and resolution, but i have heard that they can mess up imaging. then again, some of the most high end speakers in the world are multiple driver units. Heils are pretty hard to beat--by anything. heils would probably be better in dispersion and transient energy. if any of you have some insight on this subject, i would greatly appreciate it.
atlanticpro
hi_fi_ralph's avatar
hi_fi_ralph
4 posts
 
I believe the Heil 2 is the way to go. It is a scaled down version of the large Heil. You will run into too many problems trying to get down to 1K with a Heil. The resonance of the Heil is around 900 Hertz. They need to be crossed at at least 2k at 12 db per octave or 3.6 khz with 6db/octave. I believe they work better than ribbons in the lower octave because of the area of pleated diaphragm. The ribbons must also go through a transformer that will affect sound just like a resistor or capicator. Having heard good heil in a dipole configuration I really like the sound. The total lack of stored energy is amazing. Thank and good luck Ralph Hellmer designer and builder of Surreal Sound speakers www.surreal-sound.net
ngjockey
1,042 posts
 
Firstly, there isn't a ribbon tweeter that I would use under 1.5 to 2 kHz. Most wouldn't be under 4k. At sixteen per side, let's assume Raal and Mundorf are financially impractical.

What makes you think 1kHz is out of the vocal range?

However, if that's what you want, consider planar magnetic instead of true ribbons and BG Neo8's ($80), perhaps with a 10 or 12K low pass and a single Neo3. Even the big Genesis', only had one tweeter of the array without the low pass. Look at GR Research's former line arrays.
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 

My speakers are custom built 3 way. The crossover was designed by an eccentric engineer who did nothing else. It utilizes Solen Metallized polypropylene capacitors for the woofer, and Jantzen Superior Series Z-capacitors for the midrange and tweeter. The tweeter is a ESS Heil air motion transformer, the mid driver is Vifa 6 inch mid woofer, the woofer is a 12 inch Pioneer. Each driver has it's own crossover, that means three crossovers per side. Speaker wire is maximized for each driver; copper silver composite for the tweeter and so on. It is a 3-way 4th order T-type; the crossover frequencies are 400/2500; 92DB efficiency. At present, they are operating on the 4 ohm out of a tube amp.

The ESS AMT is a dipole, this accentuates the "Holographic" sound stage which is behind the speakers, that appear for the most part to be useless pieces of furniture. Non audiophiles have to get up and look behind the speakers for hidden speakers, since that is where the sound is emanating from.

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