Speaker mod advice needed

Hi Guys,
I have been reading lately about the benefit of using a single driver speaker to reference mixes, and I would like to give it a go, but being a DIY'er I want to do it at a low cost with whats available to me.
I have 2x Tannoy reveal active monitors which I no loner use because the tweeters have gone.
These simply consist of a 6.5" driver, a dome tweeter, a crossover set at 3000Hz and an amp circuit.
My idea is to disconnect the tweaters, by pass the corss over and plug the post to give me a powered single driver speaker in a sealed cabinet. I know this will sound diferent from an Auratone, but I just want to go down the single driver no crossover, sealed cabinet route.

I have some questions:
1: Is it safe to just bypass the cross over and feed the full frequency range to the driver?
2: Am I right to assume the driver will be able to handle frequencies higher than 3000Hz without being damaged? (I understand it wont go anywhere near 20khz without the tweeeter, but thats what im after really)

Is there anything I have missed that I sohuld look into?

Thanks

Shame about the tweeters!

I would say the answers to both your questions is yes.

Cheers

Ian

Thanks for the reply ian,
ill open them up tonight and give it a go.
im really hoping that the crossover and amp are on seperate boards, so it would litereally just be a case of unplugging the crossover and feeding the amp straight to the main driver.

I'm interigued as to how this will affect my mixing technique, but the more i read on Auratones and other simple speakers of that ilk , the more i am convinced of the logic in using them, even if its just for reference against my main monitors. The simplified signal path and lack of crossover with their inherit distortion really does make sense to me.

I remember when the Auratones first became popular back in the 70s. They had a reasonable HF response but the bass was definitely lacking. I suspect your Tannoys will still have a much better bass response than the Auratones.

Cheers

Ian

Well the speaker supposedly goes down to 62hz, but I sustect some of that extension may come from the port, so plugging it will definately reduces the lowest range of the speaker.

I know this is a "How long's a peice of string" type question, could you speculate how much more top end i will get out of this driver when I take the 3khz crossover out? I know the Tannoy driver isnt specifically classed as a full range driver, but its got to be able to produced upto 7khz at least? and then roll off down to say 16Khz right? or Am I expecting too much?
I have tried googling the response of the driver, but it only yeilds the frequency response of the the speaker as a whole.

Trouble is, today's drivers can be designed for a very specific purpose so I guess the response can be tailored quite a lot. That said, to minimize phase errors it makes sense for the bass driver to have a 3dB point at least twice the crossover frequency and Tannoy are no slouches when it comes to that sort of detail. Best thing s to trust your ears.

Cheers

Ian

Thanks for the advice Ian, I'll update you once I've done the mod, and a mix.
Its a non destructive process anyway, so worst case scenario: I just undoe what I did and I learnt a little something
Best case scenario: I get a nice pair of grotboxes which get regular use on my mixdowns.

This isn't the question you are asking, so I will apologize in advance. I have concerns in general and specifically.

In general a reference monitor chain, by definition needs to be accurate to some normal or standard. The concept is to listen to your mix through this standard playback chain so you can hear the same thing as other mix engineers.

Specifically, Auratones are (were?) popular as a secondary or alternate monitor, and the lack of a crossover, was only one reason and perhaps not the dominant one for their popularity. The reduced bandwidth from both ends of the frequency range, allows you to check if the mix still works for lower fidelity playback channels. The playback will sound more natural if it is lacking similar amounts of both high and low end. Removing the tweeter from a full range box will end up bass heavy. Listening to the mix on that will probably not steer you toward a well balanced mix.

Yes, it will be a learning experience, and it seems making auratone-like speakers is not very difficult. Just source a comparable driver and throw it in a similar dimensioned box. 

JR

JohnRoberts said:

Yes, it will be a learning experience, and it seems making auratone-like speakers is not very difficult. Just source a comparable driver and throw it in a similar dimensioned box. 

JR

Click to expand...

I knew I had seen it somewhere before:

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=43086.msg536560#msg536560

Cheers

Ian

The HF response of those Tanny drivers really isn't very good.  You may find yourself unhappy with the results.  Replacement tweeters for the Reveals are fairly inexpensive, and can be purchased through Tannoy directly.  If you're looking for full range drivers, check out Madisound and Parts Express.

thanks for the responses guys.
On closer inspection the amp & x-over are on the same board, so its not worth the trouble to bypass really. I think I'll havea  go at DaveP's DIY auratones.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/j6rut275xdsgpkf/pnqYPLes_X

Maybe it's a little offtop, but in good intensions 
Look for the KEF Q1 (old series - not iQ1) from second hand, they are selled sometimes really for cheap.
Those are truly great monitors (as many other kef speakers) with true dual concentric speaker - UNI-Q.
Those speaker types (manufactured by tannoy also) are excelent for mixing etc.
Stereophonic is incredible.
You can always calculate and make new crossovers (more for studio usage) or make a external active circuit.
For me, they in original state, with good power amp (and truly not powerfull) especially bi-amped -  leave behind tannoy reveal  (active and passive) and all other cheap "studio" monitors.
If you find them cheap - believe me - worth to try!

ln76d said:

Maybe it's a little offtop, but in good intensions 
Look for the KEF Q1 (old series - not iQ1) from second hand, they are selled sometimes really for cheap.

Click to expand...

Is this what you mean:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEF-Q1-Main-Stereo-Speakers-Cherry-/170923292419?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item27cbd27703

Cheers

Ian

Hello Ian,

Yes, this is the Q1.
They have "not the best on the world" crossovers, but for diy-ers it isn't problem i think

Cheers

Piotr

Autophase,

JR was right about the need to lose both top and bass for a balanced sound.  Making an infinite baffle will lose the bass.  Its impossible to damage a bass speaker by putting full range audio through it.  As a rough check, look up the frequency response of similar 6.5" speakers, try Visaton and monacor sites:

http://www.visaton.de/en/chassis_zubehoer/tiefton/al170_8.html

http://monacor.co.uk/products/speakerbuilding-hifi6-9/

This will give you a ballpark idea of the response.  In any case both tweeter and bass units must have a response that extends 2 octaves past the crossover point for it to work satisfactorily, so your bass unit probably extends to 12kHz ok

best
DaveP

Thanks for the info dave, I think I am just going to make my self a pair your DIY Auratones, great little project that mate.