Hard dome disappointment
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=51566
Printed Date: May 06, 2024 at 8:56 AM
Topic: Hard dome disappointment
Posted By: dwarren
Subject: Hard dome disappointment
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 6:55 PM
Last night I finished installing a set of Rainbow Audio pro-fi vanadium series 6.5"s and boy am I disappointed in those damn tweeters. They do feel like daggers in the back of my eyeballs, I think auex stated that one. I chose the hard domes because I thought they would fit my listening habits, but now I don't know anyones listening habits they could possibley satisfy! I tried a number of different settings on my deck and amp, and of course set the x-over at 0 db, oddly enough there was no -3 db, but a +3db instead, I shudder at what they might sound like at that setting. Fortunately I will be able to swap out the hard dome tweeters for some soft dome tweeters, but this means taking the door panels off. The mid bass drivers are absolutely wonderful...next I will need to upgrade my alpine to Brax or Helix, but thats a long way away. -------------
Replies:
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 7:06 PM
You could try treating them with tweeter softener. j/k
Posted By: kfr01
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 7:10 PM
They may warm up some with some listening.
Also, where are the tweeters installed?
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New Project: 2003 Pathfinder
Posted By: Poormanq45
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 7:13 PM
I think you don't like the fact that hard dome tweeters don't enter their first break up mode until ~41Khz. Soft dome tweeters start their first break up mode around 17kHz which tends to gives them that "skrill/screaming" characteristic.
Hard dome tweeters are usually "smoother" through their frequency range compared to soft dome tweeters.
Anyway, you just found out that you can't just go on other's recommenadtions. YOu have to listen to speakers before you buy them
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Posted By: dwarren
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 8:20 PM
As for mounting them, I am limited. They are located on my door panel, about a foot away from the mid bass. If break is possible I might reconsider, however I notice at lower lsitening levels they seem a bit muted. I am undecided now as I cannot listen to the soft ones without install... -------------
Posted By: kfr01
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 8:24 PM
This could be an installation problem rather than a straight material problem.
Also, how off-axis are the midrange drivers and tweeters?
Basically you could have a combination of things going on causing complex radiation patterns that are exaggerating any peaks that are present in the system.
I think the install here needs work first and foremost. Bring both the tweeter and midrange more on-axis. Move the tweeter much closer to the midrange driver.... THEN decide whether you need to replace your rather expensive drivers. The most expensive drivers in the world can't fix installation problems.
Incidentally, the ability to fine tune the gain is one huge benefit of bi-amping. Have you considered this option?
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New Project: 2003 Pathfinder
Posted By: dwarren
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 9:13 PM
I am with you on the most expensive equipment NOT fixing the problem As far as relocating the tweeter, I don't really see any way for that. It is 94 accord and the mid bass is in the door panel down low, the tweeter is up near ther door handle, close to the vent if you can visual that. The door has really unusable contours that limit the mounting capability for the tweeters. and pods are questionable as i have a mnaual and they come pretty far on the drivers side and I have big feet. Bi amping is not out of the question becasue at this point my rear speakers are pretty much shot. I might mention that I have an EQL sitting under my seat it is un hooked, but I would be willing to try that if it might help ( i have to remove both seats for that) -------------
Posted By: kfr01
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 10:08 PM
Yes. I am willing to bet a large portion of your problem is driver location.
Are the tweeters at least aimed at your ears?
Bi-amping might help. EQing might help too. For your problem you'll need to be able to adjust BOTH the left and right channels INDEPENDENTLY.
I'd look into redoing your door if there isn't a kick solution in your future.... or go the processing / bi-amping route.
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New Project: 2003 Pathfinder
Posted By: dwarren
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 11:02 PM
The tweeters are aimed at my ears, and that seems alright. I am not sure that relocating these tweeters is going solve the harshness issue of them. I have listened reapeatedly to your Quarts, and the Quarts didn't seem nearly as bright as these. You say bi-amping and eq-ing them MIGHT help, and that throws me off as to putting effort in these "maybe" solutions, and I know that you will respond with "try it." I am more prone to the eq-ing effort as it is almost ready to go, though. I see you are fan of the hard domes, I thought I was too, my previous vehicle had all ADS componets and all soft dome tweeters, which I was wasn't satisfied with, so I was considering just swapping tweeters with the soft Rainbows and trying them. -------------
Posted By: dwarren
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 11:05 PM
Kfr you mentioned they might warm up , well how long before that might happen? (Generally) -------------
Posted By: kfr01
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 11:07 PM
I've heard different amounts. I think the most change will happen in the first few hours of play.
I doubt that is the root of your problem though, unfortunately. :(
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New Project: 2003 Pathfinder
Posted By: dwarren
Date Posted: March 08, 2005 at 11:17 PM
damn! you just can't win with car audio....I aksed becasue as of driving for a few hours today and yesterday, either I got a little more accustomed to them or they actually broke in so to speak because they seemed to be a little smoother but not where I like them, I know that mid bass needs about 10hrs though. -------------
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