Modifying Crossovers

To get a crossover with high end components you'll have to spend $100k or more.  I am currently building new external crossovers for my speakers.  I spent $2300 on caps, resistors, and inductors.   Here is a photo of the final layout completed just last night.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5maaKbDKvpNdjGja9

There is no way I would mess with factory Crossover of New Speaker, UNLESS many people documented the OEM made a mistake and problems resulted. 

The crossover looks like simple design nice quality to me

https://audiogroupdenmark.com/product/boerresen-x3/

OLD Speakers, I would have my friend check the crossover for out of spec parts, replace them with the idea or restoring 'original', not 'let's upgrade them".

He has two pairs of JSE Model IIs. restored one pair's few out of spec parts. 'Upgraded the heck out of the other pair. We both prefer the simply restored pair to the upgraded pair.

It's very hard to deny the bias of it's better right! he's like me: not necessarily so.

Vintage parts might have been +/- 5%; newer ones, same values are probably tighter specs, say +/- 2%, not going to improve the sound, just typical modern production.

@falmgren ,

I would be highly suspect of anyone who thinks they know more than the speaker designer. If they know so much, why haven't they designed their own speaker.

My 2 cents...

Bob

Well, if you know what you have and what you want.

For isntance, Focals have good components, but I like Mundorf MKP's better than the Solens they use in the mid to low end models.

Wharferdale speakers can sound really really good with some better tweeter caps.

I would be highly suspect of anyone who thinks they know more than the speaker designer. If they know so much, why haven’t they designed their own speaker.

@gdnrbob

Heh, well I have made several sets of speakers but I don’t claim to know MORE than they do, but maybe have different tastes.

Modding a speaker with careful application of the right caps is like adding hot sauce to a really good soup.

Some I wouldn’t touch, at all. Top of the line Magico and B&W use top of the line Mundorf caps. NOT my favorite, but in both cases the caps are absolutely tied to the sound quality. Once I start playing around in the crossovers I’m absolutely changing things far from the brand intentions.

Wharferdale diamonds though are an easy win. :) B&W has used caps exclusively as the distinguishing feature between some models. In these cases and upgrade may be ideal.

With some older speakers, made in the 1980s for instance, not only are you dealing with older parts but non-ideal impedance curves.  Infinity and Yamaha speakers, and Focal Profile (newer than that, still crap impedance).  Definitely cases where a complete re-think of the crossover can have positive effects. This last approach requires a more advanced hobbyist capable of doing a complete speaker analysis, not just part swapping.

However, I love DIY and the point about making your own is a really good one.  Plenty of fantastic sounding, high end kits out there. :)