Playing with crossover values

[VantheMan]

Looks like Mills for sure to be going on with.

[VantheMan]

While I´m waiting for the 2R7 wire wounds to arrive, I got hold of some cheapo 3R9, 10w ceramic types and duly fitted them in the place of the 2R2 originals just to see their effect : As if the system had taken a Valium - now sounds , all there but sleepy time, just like mediocre CD. Quite fascinating.
Day 2. You ain´t gonna believe it. I don´t. This morning they sound much more lively. I guess the electrons needed to punch the new resistors into shape. I dunno.

[VantheMan]

FWIW I´ve just fitted some 2R7 0.2% 5w Panasonic metal film resistors in series with the Millennium and the bass presence has increased no end. My WD25Texs now seem to dig much deeper almost to the verge of booming. All I can think is that the green kit supplied resistors were defective in some way. Let´s see how they settle in. Who knows ? might even go back to 2R2 at this rate.

[VantheMan]

Yep, I can see myself going back to 2R2 because positional accuracy seems to have suffered using 2R7. Lead singers seem to come from nowhere which is a bit unnerving. Unless of course it´s down to the fact they are metal film resistors and the original 2R2s were normal wirewounds. I want the extra bass of the 2R7s with soundstage of the 2R2s.
I´ll just have to try the Mills, I guess.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by VantheMan

Day 2. You ain´t gonna believe it. I don´t. This morning they sound much more lively. I guess the electrons needed to punch the new resistors into shape. I dunno.

Fresh ears perhaps. Times I've done similar being disappointed in an evening only to think how good it sounds the following day. Check across a range of CDs too as mix changes a lot and we can only hope to get something that works well on a variety of stuff we listen too. Sometimes there's a balance that makes one or two recordings sound really good but is not good with many others and that's a sign it's not really an accurate setting

[VantheMan]

Hi Richard, you might well be right, as if the human ear/brain has the gift to find the silver lining to any cloud. That´s why going back to the original to check is such a good move. I have experienced the "next day syndrome" many times, too especially after tuning up my Linn suspension for example or adjusting my Mana support.
I´ll order the same value ( 2R2 ) but in Mills just in case.

[VantheMan]

Have fitted the 2R2 Mills (and the 27R) into my crossovers and all is well. A bit more front rowish than from what I remember originally but smooth. The sound has "fleshed out" and fills the room much more. How much is due to the value and how much is due to the manufacturer, no idea and no real desire to investigate.Let´s see after a couple of weeks.

[VantheMan]

I really like what the Mills wirewounds have done to my WD25TExs insofar as smoothness and imaging/airiness are concerned and am wondering if they would have positive effects in the bass side of the crossover. Just as the 2R2 resistor in series with the tweeter would seem to be extremely important, is there a similar all-important resistor in the bass circuit, R1 or R3 or both ?

[Phil Y]

Hello Chris,

I have no real experience of your speakers (I heard a a pair briefly once) but as they are a 2 way, the bass units are doing midrange. This being the case, I would say Mills are worth a go there as well.

My limited experience of using them in speakers is all good, but some positions will give bigger results than others. Logic would say, the more of the signal going through the resister, the bigger the effect. Looking at the circuit, my hunch would be that R1 would make more difference. My x-overs have 6 resistors, I changed them all for Mills.

Phil.

[VantheMan]

Thanks Phil. All I needed was a shove. I had been told that for bass frequencies I probably wouldn´t notice them so much but of course the crossover point is quite high with the Seas mid-bass woofers I have. I´ve just noticed that R1 has the same value (27KR) as the one I changed between the tweeter terminals so should be easy to try.
Thanks again,
Chris