[HT1278]

Has anyone added a fuse to protect the speakers?

Just finished some LGK 2.0's and wanted to know if people add fuses with some speakers?

[corndog71]

Protect them from what?

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Has anyone added a fuse to protect the speakers?

Just finished some LGK 2.0's and wanted to know if people add fuses with some speakers?

Fuses only harm signal quality and are often only used to protect a tweeter from sudden spikes of high current or DC signal. A capacitor essentially does the same thing, but doesn't harm signal quality to near the same extent.

You'll only be harming performance in this case.
Wouldn't recommend them

[FullRangeMan]

Fuses are not a hi-fi device or a mid-fi device, not even pro-audio speakers use it, I have never seen a stage or PA loudspeaker that used a fuse.

[HT1278]

OK, Thank you.  Good to know.   I got a pair of LKG's fully assembled today.


They sound great!

[Woodsage]

I built a guy a pair of speakers many years ago using Focal T120K tweeters.  He kept frying the tweeters so I used thermistors to protect the tweeters. Worked like a charm; he never blew another tweeter. Not sure what he was doing to fry the tweeters but I never had anyone else blow those tweeters before or after him.

[Folsom]

You can use small lamps instead. They don't have a negative effect that is noticeable. If too much juice is sent to the tweeter they'll light up instead of burning the tweeter.

I can't see any of it working for woofers.

[HT1278]

Which of these types did you use?  About the fuses, I spoke to my Dad and he said he had some Bose speakers that my brother would play way too loud so he put fuses in line. 

I was playing some speakers today, and my friend thought they heard clipping then I considered perhaps I should add some protection.  The speaker only has one driver though. 

For the thermistors, or bulb which of them would be used, and where should they go?    I am assuming they would go on the crossover?

Just don't want to open the speakers up again. 

[corndog71]

It’s probably due to either not enough power or low quality amps being driven too hard.

[HT1278]

It is a Marantz NR1403, that has driven speakers that are rated for about 3x the power as the speakers I was testing out today.   

I had to have the volume instead of 40 for the same loudness had them at about 60 in the vulume dial in the Marantz NR1403. 

Was using Pure Direct on the receiver. 

[NoahH]

It is a Marantz NR1403, that has driven speakers that are rated for about 3x the power as the speakers I was testing out today.   

Power rating is not the thing that matters on the above. What you need to compare is sensitivity of the speakers - how much volume they can produce from 1 w of power.

[FullRangeMan]

I had to have the volume instead of 40 for the same loudness had them at about 60 in the vulume dial in the Marantz NR1403.

The sound presence of Transistors amps depemd much of the power supply size/capacity.  Some low power amps with big power supplies as Accuphase E-600 integrated rated at 30W/8Ω per channel and 25kg, can peak 120W/2Ω and 150W/1Ω have greater sound loudness than most average amps.

[HT1278]

What allows some amps to play less efficient speakers stronger, more volume, louder, clearer etc..

For example if you compare a PS Audio Sprout 100 versus an Emotiva TA1, or maybe a Cambridge or a Rotel if watts is not the critical factor and you speakers are less efficient not sure for what to look for.

Already purchased a TA1 but have not set it up yet, it is at my daughter's house in another state.   

If we knew all values and not just watts, would one then be able to truely determine which amplifier is "best" for less effiecent speakers?


From web
Amps (A) x Volts (V) x Power Factor = Watts (W)

[Woodsage]

Which of these types did you use?  About the fuses, I spoke to my Dad and he said he had some Bose speakers that my brother would play way too loud so he put fuses in line. 

I was playing some speakers today, and my friend thought they heard clipping then I considered perhaps I should add some protection.  The speaker only has one driver though. 

For the thermistors, or bulb which of them would be used, and where should they go?    I am assuming they would go on the crossover?

Just don't want to open the speakers up again. 

I used the round, flat, disc shaped one and wired it inline with the positive terminal of the tweeter. This was done after the crossover and up close to the tweeter.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

When the LGK over-exerts or clips as loud volumes, it's very obvious. It will often sound like a pop or rattling. The only way to really prevent that is to roll off the bass with an inline filter between amp and preamp or using EQ/DSP.

Using a thermister on a full range driver will cause more issues that it would solve. It can help to protect a tweeter, but the bass & mids frequencies will immediately raise it's resistance.

I was able to push the LGKs to rather loud levels without any clipping, the one real exceptions being songs with powerful sub bass or prominent kick drum dynamics.

Most music Ive played has no issues, even on some bass heavy tracks like Bela Fleck's Flight of the Cosmic Hippo I could push pretty far without clipping or distortion.

[HT1278]

Good to know, Thank you Hobbs.   I did not hear clipping myself, my friend was being overly sensitive and must have misheard something.   I was there too and I was like I did not hear anything.   

[Woodsage]

Using a thermister on a full range driver will cause more issues that it would solve. It can help to protect a tweeter, but the bass & mids frequencies will immediately raise it's resistance.

Agreed, I didn’t realize this was a full range driver. I would think you’d be hard pressed to damage this driver when using it for its intended purpose.

[WGH]

If you are concerned about blowing drivers then changing amps would give you peace of mind and, depending on what amp you are currently using, may improve the sound quality too.
Van Alstine amps have speaker output fuses. The manual says the fuses help protect the amps from accidents like shorted cables or defective speakers. The fuses also protect the speakers from accidents and playing too loud into distortion. The big amps are supplied with 5 ampere quick blow fuses, "many two way systems requite smaller fuses (2 amps or less) to insure good protection".

"For best protection, use smallest current rating fuses in your amp that do not blow often at your normal listening levels." - Frank VanAlstine

"I put 3 amp speaker fuses in my AVA amp to protect my speakers from the kids cranking things up while I was at work.  Sure enough one day I came home and there was no sound.  None of them said anything and I just put some new 3 amp fuses in the amp and they have never blown for me.   You may need higher amperage fuses if your speakers are lower impedance or if you listen at really high levels."
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=134877.msg1432630#msg1432630

The fuses work. My old preamp had a tube go bad at turn-on, I turned on the AVA amp after the preamp and there was a loud noise from the right speaker. I immediately turned everything off and after replacing the preamp tube the right amp channel was dead. A quick trip to Ace Hardware for a 5 amp fast blow fuse fixed the problem. It takes 200w into 8 ohms to blow a 5amp fuse so yea, it was pretty loud. Speaker was undamaged.