Front Speaker Crossovers???

[ROBB]

I have got a blinding deal on a set of front speakers :bannana: :bannana: , and the set comes complete with decent cable/crossovers etc (which is nice).
There are no visible crossovers in the door though - with the tweeter cable and main speaker cable appearing from the main door loom .

Are the (presumably built in) crossovers worth replacing whilst i am at it, (or are they up to the job) and if so is there any faffing required??
The head unit is an Audio 10. . . .

cheers
rob]

 

[Voltman]

They will have active ie electronic crossovers built in. Normal hifi speakers usually use passive components. I would have thought that it would not work swapping the speakers unless they have the same crossover frequencies as the originals. Hope this helps.

 

[ROBB]

Thanks Voltman,
The (original) main speaker has no components attached to the rear, but the tweeter has a (filtering?) capacitor on the +ve line in. I remember stripping my B&W's to look for a fault and there was indeed a crossover board hiding in the back. Presumably head units & amplifiers output a combined signal which is then split locally . . .
Early conclusion is that there is no built it crossover . . .
In which case - feeding the tweeter & main speaker inputs (combined) to the crossover should allow it to do its job ??

 

[Voltman]

Thanks Voltman,
The (original) main speaker has no components attached to the rear, but the tweeter has a (filtering?) capacitor on the +ve line in. I remember stripping my B&W's to look for a fault and there was indeed a crossover board hiding in the back. Presumably head units & amplifiers output a combined signal which is then split locally . . .
Early conclusion is that there is no built it crossover . . .
In which case - feeding the tweeter & main speaker inputs (combined) to the crossover should allow it to do its job ??

There will be a crossover somewhere, if you connect as you describe you will blow the tweeter. Some manufactures place a capacitor near the tweeter for DC protection, do not remove it or you may kill your speakers. Car speakers usually have a 'Fourth order crossover' network, it will probably located close to the amps. The crossover will be designed for the speakers in your car, not the ones you have. I'm going on holiday tomorrow for a couple of weeks, if you send me the details of your new speakers i will design you a new crossover as long as you can find the original to replace it. You will need to be handy with a soldering iron. I can guide you through the process when i return.

 

[bolide]

The easiest way to find out would be to pull the existing speakers & tape up the wires so they don't short. Then fire up the stereo and connect a full-range speaker (doesn't matter what - a desktop PC speaker would do) to the tweeter wiring then to the mid/woofer wiring. Your ears (should) tell you if there's a crossover in the wiring

If the feed to the tweeters has the bass filtered out ignore it

If the feed to the mid/woofer is full-range (ie no roll-off of the top end) then wire that to the new crossover and feed the outputs to your new speakers

If both feeds are filtered then you'll need to think again

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[ROBB]

There will be a crossover somewhere, if you connect as you describe you will blow the tweeter.

I wont do that then
The outcoming set are MB originals, the tweeter capacitor being integral to the unit, and as far as i am aware - there is no amp: just the Audio 10
The new speakers are Vibe SEK60's and there is a crossover supplied - just not sure how to wire it up/if i need it . . .
rob

 

[ROBB]

The easiest way to find out would be to pull the existing speakers & tape up the wires so they don't short. Then fire up the stereo and connect a full-range speaker (doesn't matter what - a desktop PC speaker would do) to the tweeter wiring then to the mid/woofer wiring. Your ears (should) tell you if there's a crossover in the wiring

If the feed to the tweeters has the bass filtered out ignore it

If the feed to the mid/woofer is full-range (ie no roll-off of the top end) then wire that to the new crossover and feed the outputs to your new speakers

If both feeds are filtered then you'll need to think again

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

Thanks nick - i'll give it a try tonight
nothing's simple with a merc is it??

rob

 

[ROBB]

The easiest way to find out would be to pull the existing speakers & tape up the wires so they don't short. Then fire up the stereo and connect a full-range speaker (doesn't matter what - a desktop PC speaker would do) to the tweeter wiring then to the mid/woofer wiring. Your ears (should) tell you if there's a crossover in the wiring

If the feed to the tweeters has the bass filtered out ignore it

If the feed to the mid/woofer is full-range (ie no roll-off of the top end) then wire that to the new crossover and feed the outputs to your new speakers

If both feeds are filtered then you'll need to think again

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

Tried this am (twas raining last night ) using the 2 way unit from the rear: both outputs sounded the same

Fitted crossover to rhs and it sounds wicked!! The tweeter crackling at high volume is gone as well

Have a banana:bannana:

Cheers
rob

[Now for the LHS]

 

[Voltman]

Great, glad it works.

 

[ROBB]

Great, glad it works.

Thanks 4 ur help :bannana: :bannana:

bring on the noise

 

[Smatt]

Hi,
I'm left a little confused over this thread. I would like to upgrade the system in my C-coupe which has bog standard audio 10 & basic spkrs. (Not decided yet whether to go for comand or aftermarket double DIN nav/dvd)
Should I just do a straight swop of the drivers for better ones (?Infinity/Kef), or should I sort the crossover too.
If 'straight swop' & if there is a capacitor on the tweeter, but none on new tweeter, should this be swopped over, or does it need one specific for it, or none at all?
Also wondering about a discrete powered sub- possibly in spare wheel. How would one connect this- should the wiring be spliced into the door wiring, or is there a more elegant solution- are there even wires in place in readyness for the bose option in the boot?
Many thanks

 

[Smatt]

Hi,
I'm left a little confused over this thread. I would like to upgrade the system in my C-coupe which has bog standard audio 10 & basic spkrs. (Not decided yet whether to go for comand or aftermarket double DIN nav/dvd)
Should I just do a straight swop of the drivers for better ones (?Infinity/Kef), or should I sort the crossover too.
If 'straight swop' & if there is a capacitor on the tweeter, but none on new tweeter, should this be swopped over, or does it need one specific for it, or none at all?
Also wondering about a discrete powered sub- possibly in spare wheel. How would one connect this- should the wiring be spliced into the door wiring, or is there a more elegant solution- are there even wires in place in readyness for the bose option in the boot?
Many thanks

Can anyone help with this?
Many thanks

 

[jobela]

A capacitor on the tweeter means the full signal is going to the tweeter, but the capacitor is draining the low frequencies to gnd. This is the basic form of high frequency pass crossover, passive 6dB/octave. This does not mean it can not have a crossover, but it wouldn't make much sense, at least for me. What I would do is connect the woofer to the tweeter terminal and see if it gives you the bass. If it does, then the tweeter is the only filter there and you should install an upgrade set of speakers, woofer + tweeter + crossover. If it does give ONLY high frequencies, then you should look for the preinstalled crossover, and you may need to replace the head unit, in the case that crossover is built in.
Hope this helps.