[drphoto]

As much as I like my current setup (Merlin TSM-MMe 2/ 2 GR-Research OB subs) I'm thinking I'd like to try the full OB experience. If I were to get the Hawthorne Silver Iris as an entry, could they be upgraded to the Sterling version later by changing the tweeter and xover?

[ebag4]

Not the 15", it uses different midbass driver and tweeter.  I believe the standard 10" could be upgraded by changing the tweeter and xover but I don't know if it is an official product yet. BTW, the tweeter is not dipole in any of the Hawthorne offerings, so just the bass and mids would be in dipole.  Beware, once you go OB you won't go back to the box!!

Best,
Ed

[Bob in St. Louis]

Not quite Doctor. Sorry.
The Sterling Silver Iris Coaxials mid-woofer is a cast frame as opposed to a stamped steel frame like the "regular" driver (technically called the 'Performance Grade Silver Iris', also known as the "PSI", usually called simply the "SI".

If you decide to take the leap and later wish to upgrade, your only option is to start all over with the new (better) midwoofer, tweeter, and crossover network as a "set".
If it's any consolation, a pair of PSI usually go for between $225(ish) and $250(ish).

Hope that helps Doc.

Bob

p.s. or...the next time you're in the neighborhood, you could drop by for a listen.

[Bob in St. Louis]

.....there might be a difference in thread size on the back of the PSI coaxial compared to SSI (Sterling Silver Iris) coaxial as well.
Don't hold me to that, I might be lying? 

Bob

Edit; Corrected bad information

[dweekie]

You'll probably get more specific answers on the Hawthorne forums.  There isn't any crossover offered by Hawthorne as a drop in replacement for only a compression driver change, though there as been atleast one person who went with an active setup with a drop-in Radeon compression driver (so I'm assuming thread size fits fine). 

[Bob in St. Louis]

For some reason I was thinking the person that swapped to the Radeon used a thread adapter.
Again, I might be making things up again, so don't quote me.

Bob

Edit; Corrected bad information

[evsentry3]

For some reason I was thinking the person that swapped to the Radeon used a thread adapter.
Again, I might be making things up again, so don't quote me.

Bob

Hey Bob,
I'm actually running the Radeon on the performance grade woofer.  It's a significant upgrade in quality (and price) and it sure does screw right in!  You are on your own for the crossover in some ways, though with all the good support on the Hawthorne forum, you aren't too alone!

The original, original crossover sounds ok, revising it to match the current version sounds better though.  But to really get all the Radian can do, it's well worth going to really good components!!  I just got some resistors in the other day, and hopefully before long I'll be able to report in on a really different and simple, high performance design.

Mark

[Bob in St. Louis]

Good post Mark, thank you for the accurate information. I stand corrected. 

For a few months I've been wanting to get a pair of Radeons since I'm going full active and quad amped.
The price tag of the Radeons stopped me in my tracks (for now) so I didn't do any further research about what all would be involved in the upgrade.

Thanks man! 

Bob

[sannax]

I have the PSI, but after a while changed the eminence for the Radian tweeter. This is indeed an upgrade although I just changed tweeters right into the PSI XO. You can use the Sterling XO with only a minor change in one of the resistors I believe (?) Sterling midwoofer is 1,5db up or down from SI so you just have to try it out.
I am thinking of either going active or buying the Mundorf parts that the Sterling has (really expensive though!)
Either way its possible.

Chris

[hurdy_gurdyman]

The crossover for the 15 PSI with Eminence compression driver and the 15 SSI with the Radian compression driver are way different from each other. Although it will do no harm to use the wrong crossover, it won't be even close to what it would sound like with the right crossover. Now, since there is no crossover being made for a PSI mid-woofer and Radian compression driver, neither crossover will be quite accurate, but the SSI crossover should be much closer to correct, as the two mid-woofers are similar in sound and specs (the SSI mid-woofer is a bit more efficient).

Dave

[sannax]

The crossover for the 15 PSI with Eminence compression driver and the 15 SSI with the Radian compression driver are way different from each other. Although it will do no harm to use the wrong crossover, it won't be even close to what it would sound like with the right crossover. Now, since there is no crossover being made for a PSI mid-woofer and Radian compression driver, neither crossover will be quite accurate, but the SSI crossover should be much closer to correct, as the two mid-woofers are similar in sound and specs (the SSI mid-woofer is a bit more efficient).

Dave

No doubt that this is not the optimal solution! That is the reason why I want to either have a new XO (more like SSI) or go active. Thats what I was told: that the to midwoofers are pretty similar, and therefore the SSI XO would work ok with some small changes
Any of you guys have optional (cheaper) brands to the Mundorf Silver oil? Or are they really the best of the best and a huge difference to everything else?

Chris