Question boost highs on old school stereo setup

[Dougie]

...P.S.
Must just point out though that, unlike the very high impedance piezo tweeters I was on about, yours are 4 ohm.
That means you can't just connect them across your Altec terminals - without considering the effect on the impedance.

I was wondering abut that. Now the speakers have arrived. The brief instructions say that you must connect the condenser in the line. BUT NO CONDENSER IS INCLUDED. I connected the tweeters to the surround channel and zip!....help!....as I reread the description for the tweeters it sounds as if they are meant for home audio use, but their website is Pyramid car audio. the box says impedance 4/8 ohms. and "built-in capacitor crossover network and hardware"...I'm flummoxed

 

[Gray]

I was wondering abut that. Now the speakers have arrived. The brief instructions say that you must connect the condenser in the line. BUT NO CONDENSER IS INCLUDED. I connected the tweeters to the surround channel and zip!....help!....as I reread the description for the tweeters it sounds as if they are meant for home audio use, but their website is Pyramid car audio. the box says impedance 4/8 ohms. and "built-in capacitor crossover network and hardware"...I'm flummoxed

Yes, as pointed out earlier in the thread, surround channels often contain atmospheric, rather than normal audio, no surprise you heard nothing.

The idea of the condenser (another name for a capacitor) is to block lower frequencies from reaching the tweeter - strange they tell you to connect it and tell you it's built in??
(I bought a little Chinese amp. On the box it said that the PSU was built-in (I knew it wasn't)....by which they just meant it was enclosed in the box!.....so maybe don't take too much notice of their descriptions).

Remember that if you put the 4 ohm speaker in parallel with your Altecs, the result will mean that your amplifier will see less than 4 ohms as its load....this wouldn't be a good idea.

This is the sort of thing that would connect without problem:

Piezo horn tweeter, 7" x 3", 150W max. NEW | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Piezo horn tweeter, 7" x 3", 150W max. NEW at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

This is the same thing, in a different style:

Quality Square Piezo Horn Tweeter 150w High Impedance PA Audio Hi-fi Replacement for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Quality Square Piezo Horn Tweeter 150w High Impedance PA Audio Hi-fi Replacement at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

and here's a ready made cabinet that includes midrange:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16409282...cjFU5HszqA%3D%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBMqPbCk7Rf

 

[Dougie]

wow thanks for all the info, Gray.

back to my story. I opened the tweeter by removing 4 screws. the capacitor is already installed in the line as per the instructions and diagram that came with it. Also, tweeter is listed as 4/8 ohms. I figure that means 4 or 8 ohms?

I called Customer service which was a bad connection to the Phillipines. they said they would send me a diagram of how to hook the tweeter up to the Denon AVR3200. I'm waiting.

Thanks again for the comment, Gray. Regarding the ready made cabinet above, looks like what would work well for me. but they don't ship to my location. I'll keep looking

 

[nopiano]

You could connect the new tweeters instead of your Altecs, just to check they work. It’ll just sound tizzy, and don’t turn it up too much, but at least you’ll know they work. Even if the impedance is a bit low, there’s no current demand at HF so the amp won’t mind.

 

[Dougie]

good idea!

 

[Dougie]

Oh man this just goes from nuts to nutso....So I am temporarily putting tweeters on hold. BUT today I received my 31 band dual channel stereo EQ. brand new from a company called ART.

I can't figure out how to hook it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

on the back of my Denon I've got a tape monitor loop stereo inputs "in" and "out". BUT on the back of the new EQ, there are channel one input and output (red and white) and channel two input and output (red and white)

they are spaced separately in little boxes drawn on the back...I hooked up every combination and I can't get a signal through.......HELP

 

[MartinEvoke50]

Hi. Newbie here. I want to boost highs in old school speaker setup. I have Denon AV3200 surround system. I have Altec 10" 2-way speakers in L and R and a Polk Audio powered subwoofer. I want to hear clear highs and sounds of drums and cymbals are buried in the mix. I am thinking to buy enclosed tweeters and connect them to surround channel, Next, a stereo 31 band EQ.

Any advice or comment welcome

thanks

You could try super-tweeters or silver interconnects or silver speaker cables or a graphic equalizer or a combination of these items i have already mentioned

 

[Gray]

Oh man this just goes from nuts to nutso....So I am temporarily putting tweeters on hold. BUT today I received my 31 band dual channel stereo EQ. brand new from a company called ART.

I can't figure out how to hook it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

on the back of my Denon I've got a tape monitor loop stereo inputs "in" and "out". BUT on the back of the new EQ, there are channel one input and output (red and white) and channel two input and output (red and white)

they are spaced separately in little boxes drawn on the back...I hooked up every combination and I can't get a signal through.......HELP

Give the EQ model number Dougie, or post a good picture of its front panel.

 

[Dougie]

Give the EQ model number Dougie, or post a good picture of its front panel.

EQ355 made by ART


thanks for your reply

 

[Gray]

EQ355 made by ART

Nice. (I own the ART Phono Plus, seems quite an impressive company).

OK, so you will be using one channel (row of 31 sliders) for each of your L&R speakers.
To have left on top, use channel 2 for left, channel 1 for right (maybe stick L/R labels over the channel idents).

As you'll know from your Denon, stereo consumer RCA colour code is always white for left, red for right....but on your EQ they're using white for in and red for output of each single channel - so there's room for a bit of confusion there.

Follow this and you'll be well away
Before turning any power on:
Connect Denon tape out white (left) to EQ channel 2 white (input).
Connect Denon tape out red (right) to EQ channel 1 white (input).
Connect EQ channel 2 output (red) to Denon tape in white (left).
Connect EQ channel 1 output (red) to Denon tape in red (right).
So in 3 cases, you'll be connecting plugs to different colour sockets! But that's not wrong

Start with all sliders set flat (centre zero position)
Set the right hand EQ controls to range +/-6dB, bypass on, high pass fully anti-clockwise, low pass fully clockwise, level 5.
Then power up the equaliser.

Now select your input source on the Denon and switch the tape monitor on.
Power up the Denon.
You will then be listening to your selected Denon source via the (bypassed) output of the equaliser. Switch off the EQ bypasses.
Switch the Denon tape monitor on / off while listening to the source - using the level controls on the EQ, aim to get no volume difference as you switch the Denon tape monitor on / off - so that the 'tape'loop is unity gain (the equaliser is neither reducing nor boosting the loop, with all sliders set flat).
Set range to +/-12dB when you want silly levels of cut / boost.
Keep the 'clip' lights off on the equaliser.
Play around and have fun.

Edit:....but don't damage your speakers.
And try to remember the power up / down sequence;
On = equaliser first.
Off= Denon first.

 

[Dougie]

Wow! thank you a bunch, Gray! It took some concentration but I got it hooked up and sound came out! Not as malleable as I had hoped, but the night is young. I guess the external tweeters are in order. With 31 bands and two channels it's hard to hear what I'm doing, but after a spell I can hear some sound shading going on. But what I really want is to keep all the mids and bass and boost the highs. I can isolate the highs, but by then the mids and bass are cut way back....I guess now I should search for info on how to tweak the EQ!

renewed thanks for your patience and graciousness

 

[Gray]

Wow! thank you a bunch, Gray! It took some concentration but I got it hooked up and sound came out! Not as malleable as I had hoped, but the night is young. I guess the external tweeters are in order. With 31 bands and two channels it's hard to hear what I'm doing, but after a spell I can hear some sound shading going on. But what I really want to to keep all the mids and bass and boost the highs. I can isolate the highs, but by then the mids and bass are cut way back....I guess now I should search for info on how to tweak the EQ!

renewed thanks for your patience and graciousness

You're welcome Dougie.
People like you are why I take the time.
Hope you end up with the sound you desire 👍

 

[Dougie]

Progress report:

I finally got the tweeters hooked up...just wired them into the main stereo speakers. I got the EQ into the mix and started adjusting the bands. I've finally got the mix the way I like it! I did go to the audiologist about 3 years ago and though I am older(74) he said I had normal hearing, so my preference for bringing out the highs is not the result of a medical condition....I just love to hear the glistening sounds of triangles, tambourines, jingle bells, cymbals, crotales, orchestra bells, etc as they lift the spectrum to balance the rich mids of the Altecs and deep booms of the sub woofer.

Big bands and orchestral scores seem to offer the widest aural pallette. I just love Jimmy Smith, Lalo Schifrin, Dave Grusin, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Villa-Lobos. haven't found my CD of 2001 a space odyssey with the music of Ligeti...gonna blow off the roof of my apartment!

thanks again to all who offered their suggestions!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Gray]

....I just love to hear the glistening sounds of triangles, tambourines, jingle bells, cymbals, crotales, orchestra bells, etc

So do I
Glad your setup and hearing make it possible for you.
(I've learned never to take my hearing (such that it is) for granted).