** Extreme-slope crossover networks **
Extreme-slope networks separate the sound into frequency bands appropriate to each of the drivers (woofer, squawker or tweeter) and sends them ONLY to that driver. There is only a very small overlap where two drivers are sounding together and can interact with each other. Eliminating driver interaction eliminates the need for "time alignment" resulting in a much wider sweet spot, a noticeably better stereo image and a smoother frequency response throughout the room.
The advantages of extreme-slope networks over conventional gentle-slope networks:
- Lower distortion: Extreme-slope woofer to squawker crossover networks almost completely remove the lows that can overload a squawker driver. Gentle-slope networks can't do that.
- Better stereo image: Overlap at the crossover allows two drivers at once to make the same sound. If the two are different distances from you (NOT time aligned) you hear everything twice, first from the driver closest to you, then again from the one farther away. Your brain perceives this to be an echo. At low volume, this sometimes is confused with "ambience". People often like that. The problem is that your brain can't figure out where the sound is supposed to be coming from!
- Better frequency response: Two sources of the same sound in two different places create "comb" distortion. That makes peaks and dips all over the room where the two identical sounds cancel out and add together.
An article describing crossover networks similar to those shown below having slopes on the order of 120 dB / octave in a Belle Klipsch is available. The article explains their benefits in more detail. The article also investigates such factors as filter ringing, group delay, driver interaction and time alignment. The article may be downloaded here.
Take a peek at some installations of the extreme-slope networks
The networks in a Belle Klipsch with an Altec 811b squawker horn+JBL driver and
a Beyma CP25 tweeter. These are early versions of the ES700 and the ES7500T.
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This a newer installation in the same speaker. It uses the ES500T and
ES5800 with Trachorn 400 and the same drivers.
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Here is a LaScala with the ES500T, ES5800 and the Trachorn.
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Some installations of the ES400T and ES5800 (ES-Khorn combination) networks
The network with the stock K400 horn and with the Trachorn.
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In Klipschorn with K55+Altec 511b squawker horn and a Beyma CP25 tweeter.
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Low frequency * Woofer / squawker networks
High frequency * Squawker / tweeter networks