Home Brew Al K Universal crossovers.

[laatsch55]

I have the plans Glen...

 

[laatsch55]

Well,during Kevins visit we started hearing problems with the DCM-50 compression drivers. Started hearing a "crack" , at volumes we should not have. So, I called Al Klappenberger to get some new diaphrams. During our talk, I decided to try one of his "extreme slope" designs. It will help during high volume periods by keeping more of the bass out of the mid-horns....they are not cheap...1500.00 a pair.

 

[Fishoz]

Ouch....worth it? You were happy with the K's the way they were.

 

[laatsch55]

Yes, but I was killing the compression drivers in the mid-horns...only took 7 years....

 

[Gibsonian]

Well,during Kevins visit we started hearing problems with the DCM-50 compression drivers. Started hearing a "crack" , at volumes we should not have. So, I called Al Klappenberger to get some new diaphrams. During our talk, I decided to try one of his "extreme slope" designs. It will help during high volume periods by keeping more of the bass out of the mid-horns....they are not cheap...1500.00 a pair.

Hi Lee,

BCS DCM50 is $700 a pair at US speaker. Still not cheap.

Extreme slope is 48 db/octave or ??? What frequency are you crossing to your woof?

 

[laatsch55]

Hi Scott.....yep 48db/octave IIRC, and they are crossed at 400hz....

 

[Gibsonian]

400 hz is pushing it based on the freq response of the DCM50. It really just starting to work at 400 Hz. Looks like could benefit from a slightly higher crossover point. Have you considered crossing at 600 - 800? Sure the mid would prefer that but don't know what your woofer response looks like.

 

[Gibsonian]

 

[laatsch55]

With the K's I'm stuck with 400, that's the golden number....

 

[Gibsonian]

Figured that. Low freq horn must drop off fast after that????

 

[laatsch55]

Not that so much Scott, the enclosure....

 

[laatsch55]

I run Crites 1526S woofs....same parameters as the K-33 IIRC...

 

[Gibsonian]

I figured it was the horn response.

 

[laatsch55]

Yep......

 

[laatsch55]

That's what has kept the K's from being a two way.....

 

[Gibsonian]

Well hopefully the steeper slope is the cat's meow for ya.

 

[laatsch55]

It makes sense, I've talked to a couple guys that are running Al's Extreme Slope crossovers, they both tell me it'll take a week to love em , but after that, it'll be clear.....

 

[THD+N]

With a 48dB/octave slope, you can cross over a speaker right up or down, to its limits, without damage. Al K. knows his stuff.

Although nowadays with access to good laptop based hardware and software, you can spend $300 and get a "poor man's" Klippel and design and tweak your own speakers and crossovers easily.

I have a pair of La Scalas with my own version of Al's universal network. It is definitely an improvement over the stock AA crossover. I don't listen at super loud levels, so power handling (Lee's burnt up resistors) is not an issue for me.

 

[laatsch55]

Yep, in the universal design I was trying to bleed to much power off in the swamping resistor....

 

[laatsch55]

And yep, AL knows his stuff....