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Topic: How do you wire a tweeter with a subwoofer without blowing the tweeter (Read 40671 times) previous topic - next topic
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How do you wire a tweeter with a subwoofer without blowing the tweeter

I am sort of new at this if you know the answer to this question PLEASE email me at dash4nier@comcast.net im tring to go big and create my own stereo, the sub i have has higher watts than my tweeter. How would i be able to link them up and not blow my tweeter
 

How do you wire a tweeter with a subwoofer without blowing the tweeter

Reply #2 –
You need a crossover network[/u][/b].

Even if you have a 100W tweeter, you still need a crossover!!!!  A 100W tweeter is rated for the high-frequency part of a 100W music signal.  If you actually send 100 watts into it, you will burn it out!

Even if you don't burn-out the tweeter, you'll get distortion if you run bass into it.

It's common to use a tweeter with a lower power rating than the woofer.  It wouldn't be unusual to use a 100W woofer with a 20W tweeter.

A 2-way crossover network sends high frequencies to the tweeter and low frequencies to the woofer.  (It also blocks high frequencies from the woofer, and blocks low frequencies from the tweeter.)  A 3-way crossover sends middle-frequencies to the midrange.  Some very cheap speaker systems simply use a capacitor to block bass from going to the tweeter.  But with this cheap setup, the high frequencies are not blocked from the woofer and this puts an additional load on the amplifier.

You don't use a subwoofer and tweeter alone!  (Some small computer speakers claim to have a subwoofer, when it's really just a small woofer.)  A subwoofer is for very low bass, and a tweeter is for the highs.  You have to cover the "regular" bass and the midrange too. 

A 2-way system has a woofer and a tweeter.  A 3-way system has a woofer, midrange, and tweeter.  You can add a subwoofer to a 2-way or 3-way system.    You can have a 2-way or 3-way system where the woofer also covers the very-low bass...  For example, some 3-way systems use 12" or 15" woofers.  You don't need a subwoofer to get bass!  ...You just need a woofer.

Driver Terminology -

- Subwoofer - Very Low Frequencies (optonal except for home theater where it's the "point 1" LFE channel)
- Woofer - Low Frequencies (may include very-low bass)
- Midrange - Middle Frequencies (not used in 2-way systems)
- Tweeter - High frequencies (normally includes very-high frequencies)
- Super Tweeter - Very High Frequencies (optional & rarely used))

I agree that a speaker building book is a good idea.  And, here  are a couple of websites:

DIYsubwoofers.org[/u]
ePanorama.net[/u]

If you are building a woofer or subwoofer cabinet, download a copy of WinISD[/u] (FREE speaker design software).  The software will allow you to plug-in the Theile/Small parameters[/u] to design an optimum box and predict the performance.


NOTE - Most subwoofers use an active crossover and a separate power amplifier for the sub.  In a "powered" or "active" subwoofer, the amp is built into the speaker cabinet.  If you are building your own subwoofer, you can buy a "plate amplifier" and install it in the box.

Piezo Tweeters[/color] can be used without a crossover.  Since they have capacitor-like characteristics, you get very little current (low power) through them at low frequencies.

P.S.
It's generally a bad idea to publish your email where the spambots can find it!  ...There are programs that scan the Internet for anything that looks like email.  You can set-up your account so that other HydrogenAudio members can email you, and we can all exchange private messages through the forum.  But, it's usually better to keep the discussion public so we can all learn from and inspire each other!