Modifying Crossovers

@lemonhaze Good eye identifying the components.  Indeed those are Duelund bypass capacitors.  They are actually in the midrange circuits.  Didn't feel a bypass was necessary for the low frequencies.  The Path resistors are proven by friends that have done this mod so I'm not anticipating trying others.  The resistor in the heat sink is a 30W powertron. This is indeed the low frequency circuit.  I"ve had good luck with the duelund wire and have bought enough of it to rewire the speaker with it.  

Indeed, this is going to be an externnal crossover.  I started trying to put it back inside but there just isn't enough room.  I was going to have to put it on 4 boards mounted various places around the inside of the box.  So this panel that I have everything mounted on is about 12x12" and I'll be building a polished and oiled walnut box for it to go into.  I think I'll put a plexiglass top on it.

There currently are no push on connectors in the speaker.  Eveything is getting soldered up with Mundorf silver/gold solder.

thanks for the suggestions.

Jerry

@boxertwin12  Indeed full range drivers have their fans and I'm glad you enjoy them.  I prefer to go the other way.  thanks.  Jerry

3 things...

1. There once was a speaker designer who claimed changing the quality of parts in a crossover (while maintaining the same circuit design) changed the sound of the speaker. Many disbelieved. So, he installed an upgraded crossover in a set of 2-way speakers w/ an A/B switch, and graciously sent them to nonbelievers to experience first-hand, in their own listening space, with their own equipment. If I recall the results of the experiment correctly, the ability to distinguish "Crossover A" from "Crossover B" was unanimous, and the preference was for the crossover with "better" parts. If the additional expense is "worth it" is always a source of debate.
2. I believe if crossovers were externally mounted (and on display like audio jewelry) the quality of the parts would increase dramatically. And, yes, cost would increase dramatically, too.
3. There is no "best crossover" (including the "no crossover" option). There are only trade-offs.

@nrenter Good post.  BTW, the new crossovers I'm making are going to be external with a plexiglass top.  

As for "is it worth it?   I'll have about $3k in this upgrade by the time I'm done.  I don't expect it to be a religious experience.   But I think I'll get more out of it than I got out of my $4k streamer upgrade.  Probably less than I got out of my $12K DAC upgrade.  Definitely I've spent $3k at times on amps that turned out not to be an upgrade.

Jerry

Several years ago, when I had an obsession with vintage Pioneer equipment, I stumbled onto a set of Pioneer HPM-200 speakers (in pretty good condition) and wanted to see how much performance I would squeeze out of them. I commissioned a gentleman to reverse-engineer the crossover circuit and rebuild it with premium parts. The sonic results were amazing (and the measured performance was impressive, particularly given this is a complicated speaker designed in the 70’s). My whole restoration is documented over at AudioKarma.org. Combined with a minty (and restored) Pioneer SX-1250, a Realistic LAB-500 turntable, and a TEAC R2R, those speakers round out a very cool vintage system. Soon, I’ll want to part with it all, and I’ll probably never get out of it what I put into it,  but the parts upgrades did make a difference.