RS 2.5 Inductor Question

If I were to replace the tweeter and midrange inductors with larger gauge wire inductors, should I also replace the woofer inductors with the same gauge inductors?

From what I have been reading the larger inductors would have a lower DCR causing the speaker to be more efficient. It would make sense to do all the inductors and have them be equally efficient. I believe that the stock inductors are all the same gauge wire.

I was going to get some 12 gauge foil inductors, but can't get foil ones for the 20mh choke on the 2 ohm side of the Watkins woofer.

Larry D.

North Creek Music Coils
These guys supply the best components.
Here's a info link to their inductors:
http://www.northcreekmusic.com/Inductors/inductors.html

Yeah, I saw North Creeks' page of inductors just before I posted my original question. They're the only ones I found with a 20mh choke and the price is enough to make you choke. Makes me want to finish my inductor winder project and do these myself in 10 gauge. I have a 10 pound spool of new magnet wire and the instructions/calculations to do this right, but I'm not sure I could do the 20mh inductor. That's one huge hunk of copper. I'd probably need a second (or third) spool to do all the inductors on the 2.5s.

I was looking to just buy the smaller ones in 12 gauge foil (much easier) until I figured that I might need to do the woofer inductors too. That's why I posted the original question of whether I should replace them all with the same gauge.

Larry D.

ERSE...makes a 20 mh

I'm looking for a foil or air core type.

Larry

I would be a little concerned myself that lowering the DCR of the inductors will change the crossover characteristics in other ways. The RS 2.5 crossover is fairly complicated, and I wouldn't be surprised if inductor DCR was taken into account as a design parameter. Changing that parameter could detune the circuit, so to speak. You might like the results, but it's a bunch of money if you don't.

Have you seen/heard any RS 2.5's with the kind of modifications you are considering?

anything you do thats unproven just do to 1 speaker at a time so you can compare...

Yes, from what I've read the change in DCR resistance will alter the original design.
Kind of an expensive experiment going air/foil.
I've too have also read the large iron core Erse is probably a good choice.

Mchaz said:

I would be a little concerned myself that lowering the DCR of the inductors will change the crossover characteristics in other ways. The RS 2.5 crossover is fairly complicated, and I wouldn't be surprised if inductor DCR was taken into account as a design parameter. Changing that parameter could detune the circuit, so to speak. You might like the results, but it's a bunch of money if you don't.

Have you seen/heard any RS 2.5's with the kind of modifications you are considering?

Click to expand...

No, I have not heard or heard of any 2.5's with an inductor upgrade. I have heard and heard of other brands of speakers with inductor upgrades and so far they have always had a noticeable improvement in the quality of the sound, especially if the inductors were wound with a 20-something gauge wire. I believe the 2.5s use 18 and 16 gauge wire in their inductors. There probably wouldn't be any audible improvement unless you used 12 gauge or larger wire.

There should be enough leeway with the midrange pot and the tweeter adjustment to compensate for any change in those two circuits. I'm probably not going to do anything with this for a while yet, but I do like to pursue an idea to the point that I know whether it is actually going to work or not (if I can find an answer). I hate wondering about stuff for years and years.

Larry D.

tubed said:

Yes, from what I've read the change in DCR resistance will alter the original design.
Kind of an expensive experiment going air/foil.
I've too have also read the large iron core Erse is probably a good choice.

Click to expand...

I'm thinking that if all inductors get changed to the same gauge, then the 'alteration' should be equal across the board. The others I've read about that have put in the large gauge inductors throughout their crossovers have reported that their speakers have been altered for the better and that the sound was much improved.

Finding some better poly/film caps for the woofers (that are affordable and fit) is probably the next goal, before I go after the inductor upgrade project. These damn good sounding speakers always have me wondering what 'better' might sound like.

Larry D.

The purported problem with the original is due to the supposed saturation level of the inductor reached at high power/volumes the speaker is being driven.
The Erse inductors can be driven high power without saturation, according to the company info.
Much less costly.
Yes, I think replacing all would be ideal.
http://www.parts-express.com/erse-super-q-20mh-16-awg-500w-inductor-crossover-coil--266-960

PS: As to the woofer caps, perhaps electrolytics with poly bypass would work fine.
Measure the originals because could be very much fine.