[YEEEEGZ]

Hey guys, I've been using these forums as a resource for my NX Studio build, it has helped me with most everything, but I am wondering what is happening here:



Edit- Oh, my b.

The top is an image from jlucas and was a great help to me for figuring out how things should be positioned on the board, the bottom image is the state of my crossover currently. I've been seeing those Miflex KPCU-01 capacitors on a lot of the builds on here, but mine came with this itty bitty JPX capacitor. I was wondering what was up with that, did people decide to upgrade that section of the crossover with a larger capacitor?

I have noticed people have green markings out over their components on images here which also makes it difficult for me to sometimes tell what things are. Does anyone know what Miflex capacitors those are and why/if/what's up with them being the choice across most builds? I guess I'm just wondering if I should pursue picking two of them up in place of the JPX cap before I start soldering stuff together.

Any help is appreciated, I had trouble finding information on here about that specifically. Sorry if it has been covered before!

[jmimac351]

I have an NX-Studio kit as well and the crossovers are just getting finished up.  They are "modular", so I can swap parts in and out... which is handy for what you're asking about.

Those caps are being used as "bypass caps"... the leads of those piggyback caps attached to the input / output leads of the cap they are being used in "bypass" function for.  They are normally 0.1uF in value, but some use other values.  As I understand it, the thinking is that they help the larger cap RELEASE its energy faster... more dynamic.  It's also thought they can help with tone, and as such - many pick that bypass cap function for a really high end cap... like a copper foil cap.  That's what that Miflex cap is.  So, you can use a high quality cap and then bypass it with a copper foil cap to get some copper foil magic.  To use an actual copper foil cap in the normal value needed can be extremely expensive... $500 to $1,000+ PER CAP.  Popular options are the Duelund CAST PIO Copper Foil cap, and Duelund JDM copper foil cap, both in 0.1uF.  I have several of the CAST PIO and have used the JDM as well. I also have some of those JB cap JPX.  Visual examples are below and you will find many others in .1uF.  Note: Miflex is going thru bankruptcy reorg and may or may not continue as a going concern, so you'll see more limited values available. 

It's recommended to use bypass caps on caps that really can impact the sound, rather than caps in a notch filter, for instance.  For your Studio crossovers, you would need 4 "bypass caps" for the pair of crossovers - 1 bypass cap for each of the caps in the crossovers. 

Are you planning to put the crossovers inside the cabinets?  If not, what many do (I do) is clip the bypass caps in with copper alligator clips, so they can be swapped in / out, try different bypass caps, etc.

If you don't want to play with caps and want it permanent, I would order 4 of either below and be done with it.  I have heard each of these used in bypass on 2 separate sets of crossovers for my Wilson Duette (1 set for me, one set for a friend / owner). I heard both sets of crossovers from brand new to "broken in".  I gave him his pair of crossovers broken in then start fresh again with the same crossovers / parts on the same speaker.  THAT was an education.  Capacitor break in is very real, and I regretted giving him those burned in crossovers.  And then, things just kept getting better until "the magic is back".  It's visceral.  In fact, I'm so "happy" that I will attempt to fix what isn't broken by building another set of crossovers with even "higher end" parts - but the Duette speakers are very unique and are a keeper.

I can't prove that the bypass caps work, but I have the best sound I've ever had, so I'm not altering course for the "bypass cap" question. Some use bypass caps, some don't.  As for me, I'm a Duelund Man, and the answer is "Absolutely".

[Hobbsmeerkat]

In the past, we use to offer 0.1uF Miflex bypass caps as standard with this kit, which is what those Brown bypass caps are. (Miflex KPCU02 in this picture, but we've also offered KPCU01 and KPCU03 varieties depending on availability)

However, for about the last year, Miflex has been undergoing bankruptcy, and we haven't been able to source or supply them for over 6 months now, so we have since swapped to the JB JPX cap for the time being. We also had the black Gen 3 (Stage 3) Sonicaps for a while also, but we have long since sold through all of the 0.1uF caps that were available.
If we find another 0.1uF cap we really like and isn't crazy expensive, AND we can buy them in bulk, then we will swap to those going forward, but we haven't really found anything like that.

Miflex was the standard as they were often cheaper and more readily available in bulk than Jupiter or Duelund varieties.
you can use any sort of bypass cap floats your fancy, silver, copper, etc. depending on the sort of sound you're looking for.

Values are typically covered as we ask that they not be posted or be hidden, otherwise people could just build the kit without buying from us.
Think of as getting a friends great dessert recipe, but instead of buying the fresh ingredients called for, you decide swap out the fresh, hand prepared ingredients for "cheaper" or "good enough" alternatives, then wonder why it just doesn't taste quite right, but all the while, still telling people it's your friend's great recipe, when it's not.


If you have any specific questions you can always email us at info@gr-research.com

[YEEEEGZ]

Values are typically covered as we ask that they not be posted or be hidden, otherwise people could just build the kit without buying from us.
Think of as getting a friends great dessert recipe, but instead of buying the fresh ingredients called for, you decide swap out the fresh, hand prepared ingredients for "cheaper" or "good enough" alternatives, then wonder why it just doesn't taste quite right, but all the while, still telling people it's your friend's great recipe, when it's not.

HOBBS! That thought didn't even enter my brain! Ok, that makes sense, my mistake. I edited the picture. 

Thank you both for all the great information. I especially learned a lot from your post, jmimac351.

I have more questions but I will email instead.

[johnss]

If a person cannot source the Miflex coppers, the Jupiter copper foil 0.1uf caps are a good sub.

[YEEEEGZ]

I'm about two months into my NX Studio build (has been a journey), but I'm ready to start my wiring. I finally finished the cabinets after a lot of education and the no-rez is cut and installed... I'm building my crossovers now, if anyone can take a look at this assembly before I start twisting, cutting and soldering stuff to see if this is correct that would be amazing... I'm pretty unconfident in my electrical knowledge so any help at all is super, super, super appreciated:



 

[nlitworld]

So long as those doubled up resistors are correct, everything else looks ok. If that pair of resistors need to be in series though (½ value + ½ value) then they'll need to be one followed by the other. Double check that and fire up your soldering iron. Also since you have the foil inductors, re-read the posts here on best practices for soldering wire to those. Really helps keep things clean and tidy when done right.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

So long as those doubled up resistors are correct, everything else looks ok. If that pair of resistors need to be in series though (½ value + ½ value) then they'll need to be one followed by the other. Double check that and fire up your soldering iron. Also since you have the foil inductors, re-read the posts here on best practices for soldering wire to those. Really helps keep things clean and tidy when done right.

Everything is correct.

We were out of stock on 4ohm resistors for a while, so we doubled up on 8 ohm resistors in parallel to get a 4 ohm value.

[jmimac351]

Soldering Foil Inductors... click this link and scroll down for pics / explanation: 

https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=83325.msg1958829#msg1958829

[nlitworld]

Everything is correct.

We were out of stock on 4ohm resistors for a while, so we doubled up on 8 ohm resistors in parallel to get a 4 ohm value.

I figured that was likely the case. When I built mine I split that as a 2+2. Coulda made things interesting to mix up series vs parallel... 

[YEEEEGZ]

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HELP, GUYS! Hell yeh.

I have soldered most of the first crossover, the foil soldering is a little tricky, I did what the above guide said and pooled the solder into a crease and did my best to feed the leads into it, crimping it all the while is a task, I need another arm and I think I would have it down.

I do have a question because I was using this picture guide to assemble the crossover and this bit that goes to the negative tweeter has me scratching my head:


It looks like the foil is soldered onto the resistor then soldered again onto the capacitor wire leading to the tweeter and the resistor is then wrapped and soldered again onto the capacitor. I'm having trouble emulating this on the board logistically, but is that how it is supposed to be? Kind of like this? The RED in the photo being the solder...

A:


Looking at the diagram that was included with the kit it seems like it would be something simpler like this though:

B:


I can't figure out why the reference photo has the foil soldered to the resistor wire... Is that how it's supposed to be, or is the B photo ok? I'm trying to make sure I do this right before I bungle it up.

Thank you again for all the help.

[nlitworld]

While it may not be a big deal for the end result, I'd recommend either a triple connection point, or the "B" configuration

[YEEEEGZ]

I'd recommend either a triple connection point

Triple connection like this? Just wrap it up like a big burrito?

[nlitworld]

Probably easier to connect securely if the resistor butts up directly to the side of the inductor rather than inside like a burrito. That would allow for least amount of solder used and maximum contact of components. You want mechanical connections that are secured with solder rather than the solder being the item to make the connections.

[YEEEEGZ]

Probably easier to connect securely if the resistor butts up directly to the side of the inductor rather than inside like a burrito. That would allow for least amount of solder used and maximum contact of components. You want mechanical connections that are secured with solder rather than the solder being the item to make the connections.

Ok, cool. That makes a lot of sense. Thank you, bro.

[YEEEEGZ]

I finished soldering the crossovers tonight after I had ripped one of the inductors at the root trying to fix something I had done... 



After I had soldered most of it, I went back and watched some of Danny's videos on wiring and believe I did not twist the wires together as well as I should have. The further along I go the more insecure I get about doing this properly, does this look ok? I realize I'm standing before many decades of audio gurus, I'm doing my best.

I'm trying to figure out how to do the positive/negative wiring, I'm visual so I had to draw it out for myself, please bare with me, it goes like this, right?



If that is correct, I'm hung up on how to terminate the bottom left here:



All three of those wires connect to that one place? Or is it two wires and I strip the middle out of the negative that runs to the woofer and in and use it for both ends?

Thank you for putting up with me, if I get any sound out of these by the end of this thing I will be very stoked. 

[nlitworld]

That looks correct. As to the 3 wire or 2 dilemma, I had a stripped part in a single wire for - and connect a + to it. Careful not to gouge the wire doing it though. Here is a pic of my crossover. No judgements here since this was the first one I ever soldered and I'll admit it's sloppy AF but effective. This one is wired up a mirror image to yours, but you'll get the gist of it.

[YEEEEGZ]

That looks correct. As to the 3 wire or 2 dilemma, I had a stripped part in a single wire for - and connect a + to it. Careful not to gouge the wire doing it though. Here is a pic of my crossover. No judgements here since this was the first one I ever soldered and I'll admit it's sloppy AF but effective. This one is wired up a mirror image to yours, but you'll get the gist of it.

It lives!!!!!! 

Thank you for all the help, nlit. You are the man.

[nlitworld]

There were a ton of super helpful people when I built my kit a few years back. Glad I could pass on some helpful information to the next guy.  Just wait til everything breaks in over the next few weeks. Oh man!

[YEEEEGZ]

There were a ton of super helpful people when I built my kit a few years back. Glad I could pass on some helpful information to the next guy.  Just wait til everything breaks in over the next few weeks. Oh man!

Realized just now that I know you from SBAF. 

They already sound really, really great. The acoustics are outstanding, on a level I haven't experienced before. Sat here for four hours with goosebumps listening to things I love. I'm using some monoblock Rekkrs right now, did notice they started clipping when I got a bit overzealous... I probably need some new amps, maybe a pair of Gjallarhorns or something when I find the dosh.