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zobel circuits necessary?

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=94421
Printed Date: May 14, 2024 at 3:53 AM


Topic: zobel circuits necessary?

Posted By: Sad, little man
Subject: zobel circuits necessary?
Date Posted: May 31, 2007 at 8:39 PM

So I was looking at building new crossovers as I'm going to change speaker impedances, so I kind of have to. Anyway, this go around I'm going to keep them simpler (2nd order, not 4th) but use better parts. So, each feature I add is going to add a lot more cost this time. My old ones had zobel circuits for the 7" woofers. Will I really notice the difference? Since they need some fairly large value caps to make them, it'll add something like $20-$40 in cost to the new crossovers. I'm really wondering if I should bother. Also, when I make the L-pads for the tweeters, what amount of attenuation should I be shooting for? This isn't my car, but same model, so this is what the speaker layout looks like (Tweeters are on the top section of the door panels. No, I can't move them closer to the woofers, would require a ton of custom work.)

posted_image

I think the last time I discussed this, someone suggested about 3db quieter than the woofers. Should I go for this? Problem is, if I end up not matching the levels right the first time, I have to wait on ordering a new pair of resistors to try some more settings, and then pop open the x-overs and re-solder them. So I'd like to get it right the first time.

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'96 Mazda Miata



Replies:

Posted By: Steven Kephart
Date Posted: May 31, 2007 at 9:18 PM

There are some things to keep in mind for your project.  First of all, the crossover is the most important part of any speaker system, so skimping on it will have a huge impact on the final sound.   The crossovers are generally the most expensive part of a component system for good reason.  There is no way to tell you how much attenuation, whether to use zobel networks, or what crossover slopes to use as it is dependant on the speakers being used and the installation.  You can crap shoot it if you want and hope you get it right.  And with many attempts you may get some ok results.  If you are really adamant on doing a custom speaker setup, then I really recommend getting some testing equipment so you can test the speakers in their intended environment.  Even better would be to have some electronic processing available to further enhance the results.  For more information, check out my stickies linked below:

https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp~TID~61864~PN~1

https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp~TID~78597~PN~1


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