Legitimate Tweak, or Worthless Gimmick?

[Larry Chanin]

Hi,

I just ran across this item called AIG Imagers (http://www.audio-ideas.com/tweaks.html) which are supposed to improve imaging by reducing tweeter frequencies reflecting off the speaker baffle.

Any opinions whether this will help or hurt the imaging of SDA's?

Thanks.

Larry

[shack]

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1690
You might want to check with the folks on this tread to see if they actually ordered and used them.

[dorokusai]

Worthless.

[nadams]

Is anyone noticing that Polk built this into the SL2500 tweeter? They have a foam ring right around the dome, presumably for imaging or to dampen the sound.

[Larry Chanin]

Thanks shack,

I would have never have thought to search the Clubhouse for a discussion on this.

It sounds like there are a lot of happy customers.

There was an interesting comment about the RT series having Anti-Diffraction Grilles (http://www.polkaudio.com/home/technology/antidiffraction.php?category=2&speaker=347) which presumably do the same thing as this neoprene device.

Nevertheless, one of the members with RT1000p's did a comparitive test and said he could hear an improvement.

In any event I doubt my SDA's have such an anti-diffraction grill, so maybe its worth a try.

Larry

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by nadams
Is anyone noticing that Polk built this into the SL2500 tweeter? They have a foam ring right around the dome, presumably for imaging or to dampen the sound.

Hi,

Thanks for the response.

My SDA's have SL2000 tweeters. They don't seem to have a foam ring. What about their replacement tweeters, the RD 0194-1? Do they have foam rings?

Thanks.

Larry

[F1nut]

I bought some awhile back to try and tame the sibilance on a pair of 2.3TL's. They did change the sound a bit, but I never did like it. I replaced the SL3000's with the new replacement tweeters and that solved the problem. I threw the rings away.

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by dorokusai
Worthless.

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the response.

Larry

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by F1nut
I bought some awhile back to try and tame the sibilance on a pair of 2.3TL's. They did change the sound a bit, but I never did like it. I replaced the SL3000's with the new replacement tweeters and that solved the problem. I threw the rings away.

Hi F1,

Thanks for the response.

Before you threw them away did you get a chance to try them with the new replacements?

Larry

[F1nut]

Larry,

No, I didn't as I didn't feel the need to. If I recall correctly, the rings seem to make some material sound better and other stuff worse. I got the best results using just one ring on the main tweeter. MadMax was playing around with a similar idea at about the same time as me, but with different materials. I remember him saying he could get large changes to the sound with different placements and I don't think he was ever happy with the results. He ended up buying the new tweeters also. Have you replaced yours?

Jesse

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by F1nut
Larry,

No, I didn't as I didn't feel the need to. If I recall correctly, the rings seem to make some material sound better and other stuff worse. I got the best results using just one ring on the main tweeter. MadMax was playing around with a similar idea at about the same time as me, but with different materials. I remember him saying he could get large changes to the sound with different placements and I don't think he was ever happy with the results. He ended up buying the new tweeters also. Have you replaced yours?

Jesse

Hi Jesse,

Thanks for the additional information.

No, I haven't changed the tweeters in either my SDA-1C's or SDA-CRS+'s. I haven't ruled the change out, but I haven't seen, or more accurately heard, the need to change them in my home theater setup.

I could be wrong, but I see the issue of the "harshness" of the SL2000's totally different than the issue of smearing the imaging via diffraction off the speaker baffles. It seems to me that IF these rings can serve to reduce diffraction, then they could improve the imaging of the replacement tweeters. In addition, the replacements tweeter no doubt have a smoother frequency response than the SL2000's.

Larry

[F1nut]

Larry,

In that case give the rings a try as they are not expensive and will be the only way for you to know for sure.

Jesse

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by F1nut
Larry,

In that case give the rings a try as they are not expensive and will be the only way for you to know for sure.

Jesse

Hi Jesse,

Yes, they're not going to break the bank so I'll try an experiment.

Chances are my hearing is not acute enough to hear the difference anyway. ;)

Larry

[madmax]

NOT THE RINGS AGAIN! THOSE DROVE ME FREAKIN NUTS FOR WEEKS BEFORE I GOT DONE CHANGING THEM AROUND. Sorry for all the yelling. I could make any given song sound better by moving the rings around, making them thinner, thicker etc but then other things sucked. With the new replacements I feel no need to even try.
madmax

[Kevinvb11]

Originally posted by dorokusai
Worthless.

That's funny. The samething could be said about spending hundreds and thousands of dollars on cables.

[dorokusai]

I agree.

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by madmax
NOT THE RINGS AGAIN! THOSE DROVE ME FREAKIN NUTS FOR WEEKS BEFORE I GOT DONE CHANGING THEM AROUND. Sorry for all the yelling. I could make any given song sound better by moving the rings around, making them thinner, thicker etc but then other things sucked. With the new replacements I feel no need to even try.
madmax

Hi Max,

Thanks for responding.

As I mentioned to Jesse, I'm wondering whether these rings might improve imaging without degrading the sound quality.

With all the glowing recommendations, no doubt I'll eventually get around to replacing the tweeters someday. That is, if I ever overcome my inherent fear of doing something wrong and screwing up my beloved SDA's. :(

Anyone care to briefly outline what's involved in making the switch?

Thanks.

Larry

[VR3]

A screw driver and yours hands..

Unplug (even use a perm. marker if your scared of mixing up the terminals, mark the positive with the marker)

Plug the new one back up...

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by Vr3MxStyler2k3
A screw driver and yours hands..

Unplug (even use a perm. marker if your scared of mixing up the terminals, mark the positive with the marker)

Plug the new one back up...

Hi Sid,

Thanks.

That easy huh?

Just unscrew the old driver from the front, unplug the terminals, pop the replacement in, and reconnect the terminals without soldering?

Larry

[F1nut]

Yep, as easy as 1,2,3.

[Whadyasay]

Some speakers by M&K incorporate a similar approach...little foam tabs. Actually, I think these are used for cutting down the vertical dispersion of the highs, as to reduce reflections from the floor and ceiling.

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by Whadyasay
Some speakers by M&K incorporate a similar approach...little foam tabs. Actually, I think these are used to for cutting down the vertical dispersion of the highs, as to reduce reflections from the floor and ceiling.

Hi,

Thanks for the response.

I'm wondering whether something like that would be a good idea for my center channel speakers. The upper speaker is very close to the ceiling and the lower speaker is very close to the floor. Perhaps I should cut the rings in half for the centers.

Larry

[Whadyasay]

Before doing that, try attaching a layer of thick cloth (like a towel or rug) to the adjacent surfaces (ceiling/floor) and take a listen both ways to see if early reflections are affecting things. This might not be directly comparable, though.

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by Whadyasay
Before doing that, try attaching a layer of thick cloth (like a towel or rug) to the adjacent surfaces (ceiling/floor) and take a listen both ways to see if early reflections are affecting things. This might not be directly comparable, though.

Hi,

Well, I already have padding and a wall to wall rug permanently installed, and I have a fairly thick wool rug throw over it at the center channel location. I was debating whether to acoustically treat the ceiling over the upper center channel, but I balked due to a concern over aesthetics. It seems that experimenting with the tweeter rings would be easier than ceiling mounted treatments, although admittedly perhaps not as effective.

Larry