Strata mini improvement - No res\GR Tweeters

murphy11 · « **Reply #80 on:** 20 Jan 2014, 03:48 pm »

Got a pm from Peter J that the cut down GR face plate is on the way and should arrive soon. Hopefully will be able to solder and post more later this week. Can't wait

murphy11 · « **Reply #81 on:** 23 Jan 2014, 04:29 pm »

Wow that's better compared to measurement on page 2 with blown tweeters!

Also, this is with left ONIX mini speaker not properly placed and with wires not soldered to the tweeter. The wires are simply resting against the tweeter terminals. Danny, no worries but you forgot to put a small amount of solder in the package. I can grab some at Radio Shack or any other retail store if anyone can make a recommendation.

VERY happy right now.

murphy11 · « **Reply #82 on:** 23 Jan 2014, 04:40 pm »

Also, huge thanks to Peter J for cutting down the stock GR tweeter faceplates so they fit in the tweeter openings. The cut down plate fits and mounts perfectly!

I have the ninja modded crossover version without no-rez and I'm sure the speaker has never sounded better.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #83 on:** 23 Jan 2014, 05:11 pm »

Quote

Also, huge thanks to Peter J for cutting down the stock GR tweeter faceplates so they fit in the tweeter openings.

Yeah, Thanks Peter!

And Peter sent me the rest of them. So I can send them to another else that needs to replace their tweeters on these.

murphy11 · « **Reply #84 on:** 23 Jan 2014, 05:39 pm »

Would this Radio Shack silver bearing solder be fine or is there another RS that is better or should I wait and order something else better online?
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062725

Captainhemo · « **Reply #85 on:** 23 Jan 2014, 06:18 pm »

That stuff will work fine

(oops, cap lock edit)

murphy11 · « **Reply #86 on:** 23 Jan 2014, 06:22 pm »

Quote from: Captainhemo on 23 Jan 2014, 06:18 pm

tHAT STUFF WILL WORK FINE
[/quote
Thanks

Captainhemo · « **Reply #87 on:** 23 Jan 2014, 07:06 pm »

Think it may have been mentioned earlier in the thread, but ...
Might want to practive a bit on your old tweeters, get the iron good and hot and get on and off the terminal as fast as you can

-jay

murphy11 · « **Reply #88 on:** 25 Jan 2014, 08:47 pm »

Left Right and Both

murphy11 · « **Reply #89 on:** 25 Jan 2014, 09:12 pm »

What a journey it's been. Along the way I was frustrated and was thinking I never should have started tweaking but in the end it has been worth it.

Measuring the room showed blown tweeters which I never would have found otherwise and the Strata mini speakers have crossover, phase and level settings that all interact with each other. After learning to solder and replacing with GR tweeters, I can now 'see' via REW and Dayton UMM-6USB mike how the mini settings interact with each other. Placement more out in the room has smoothed peaks and valleys and remaining anomalies are further improved by tweaking phase, crossover and level settings.

I now have an ohmeter, measuring mike, and soldering iron and was originally going to sell all of the stuff when done, but I think I'm gonna hang on to the equipment.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #90 on:** 25 Jan 2014, 09:33 pm »

Well done.

murphy11 · « **Reply #91 on:** 27 Jan 2014, 08:36 pm »

Thanks Danny, my system has never sounded better. Any ideas on why the combined measurement of L and R is lower around 4-5K than either speaker measured individually? I would have expected combined to be at least as high as the lowest indidually measured speaker.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #92 on:** 27 Jan 2014, 08:48 pm »

Quote from: murphy11 on 27 Jan 2014, 08:36 pm

Thanks Danny, my system has never sounded better. Any ideas on why the combined measurement of L and R is lower around 4-5K than either speaker measured individually? I would have expected combined to be at least as high as the lowest indidually measured speaker.

Sure, that is what happens when you measure a mono signal from two different speakers. It's called comb filtering. It's a cancellation effect of wavelengths being delayed enough to be out of phase from each other. If you weren't using such an aggressive smoothing then you'd be seeing it happen in multiple places. That's why you only measure one speaker at a time to do room measurements.

murphy11 · « **Reply #93 on:** 27 Jan 2014, 09:01 pm »

Gotcha, so if I understand correctly in reality when playing a stereo signal there really isn't a roll off as shown in the combined measurement? The left is playing as measured and right is playing as measured. Goal is to measure left and right independently and get them to measure as close to each as as possible (flat or whatever sound is preferred?)

Danny Richie · « **Reply #94 on:** 27 Jan 2014, 09:38 pm »

Quote from: murphy11 on 27 Jan 2014, 09:01 pm

Gotcha, so if I understand correctly in reality when playing a stereo signal there really isn't a roll off as shown in the combined measurement? The left is playing as measured and right is playing as measured. Goal is to measure left and right independently and get them to measure as close to each as as possible (flat or whatever sound is preferred?)

Yep.

johnzm · « **Reply #95 on:** 30 Jan 2014, 05:54 am »

im gonna keep an eye on this thread. i think theres a few mini owners that are a little worried about having junk if the tweeters go (me included)

I cant wait to hear from emac about his experience with the changed tweeters (im also ninja, no rez, but havent done the platinum mod on the tweeter yet)

murphy11 · « **Reply #96 on:** 30 Jan 2014, 10:04 pm »

I would strongly recommend a mike and REW with the minis - best $100 I've ever spent on audio. It's also pretty simple to learn enough of the basics of REW to get much better sound than unmeasured\guessing at placement. If anyone needs help with the Dayton UMM6-USB and REW I went through the learning curve and could help with basics.

The minis in my experience (via measurement) are sensitive to placement and the phase/crossover/level settings all interact with\offset each other. My lower frequency measurements change a lot even in the same spot based on the amp settings.

In my basement, tipping the speakers forward make the highs measure flatter and more in sync with the lows. Without measurement I would not have nearly as good sound as I have now. Sounds huge, clean and enveloping even at lower volumes when sitting somewhat nearfield.

murphy11 · « **Reply #97 on:** 12 Feb 2014, 03:48 pm »

It keeps getting better

I've measured probably a couple hundred times over the last couple of weeks tweaking placement, forward tilt and tweaking room treatments. A pretty big dip was bugging me so I took down the plasma on wall behind speakers and patched the hole in wall- much better but not good enough. Placed two 2x4 ceiling tiles behind equipment rack as treatment to minimize effects of equipment rack. Picture below is the best measurement so far by far. Objectively - how does the measurement look? I've never measured before so not sure if this is good, great, could be better etc. Larger pic of graph can be viewed in my gallery.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #98 on:** 12 Feb 2014, 03:59 pm »

That looks pretty good.

I use some diffusers that I got from P.I. Audio in the center of my sound stage. It works great to remove that reflection and deepen the sound stage. You are on a good path.

johnzm · « **Reply #99 on:** 16 Apr 2014, 01:48 pm »

Danny,

Do you know what the impedance is on the stock mini tweeter?

also i was wondering (im guessing you are the guy who designed the crossover in it) what the crossover points and slopes are?

when you design for a speaker, do you normally do frequency sweeps of each speaker individually? if so you do have the charts from the tweeter and mid panel by themselves? im curious what the tweeter does at lower crossovers

Thanks!