treble attenuator for fullrange speakers?

[puddlefish]

I keep coming across really nice looking alnico full/wide range speakers and was wondering if there exists any product,or DIY schemtic,for a device that bumps down some of the 5-6 K treble frequencies so as to make it more usable for guitars.

I know guitar speakers have responses tailored for guitar but linear response speakers don't offend me...just the excess "air" and fizz you get when overdriving your amp.

[gtrnstuff]

You're basically describing what a speaker simulator does with the excess highs.
But it sounds like you're asking for a passive filter between amp and speaker. Don't know of any with the surgical precision you'd need.

Why not just buy guitar speakers? It's how it's been done for decades :-)

[puddlefish]

Why not just buy guitar speakers

I'm coming across some sweet looking speakers for tempting prices...that plus I'm not a big fan of the upper mid hump common to guitar speakers AND if you can toggle the attenuator out you can plug an acoustic in too for some alnico goodness.

[pdf64]

You could try fitting acoustic foam behind the grille in front of it - that will attenuate frequencies above about 1 to 3 kHz, depending on the density and thickness. See the 'speaker directivity' thread started by Jay Mitchell. Pete.

[Screamin Willie]

Seems like it would be easy enough to build and install a passive filter (tone control) in the speaker cabinet. No?

[SatelliteAmps]

There are a lot of ways to do it. Look into old hifi speaker cab design books for info on how to create the stuff to do this with. Google is your friend.

The issue, though, is that even with a treble cut, you aren't going to be getting "alnico goodness" as much as you might think you are. True, the speakers will be alnico, but there is a lot more to why a speaker sounds good than just the magnet. Most hifi type speakers do not sound great for guitar, even with passive tone controls to try and get the speaker into the right tonal range.

Trust me, if this was something that would get great "alnico goodness" type guitar tones, it would have been done many many many times already. The good news is that these kinds of speakers are almost always inexpensive, and are great to mess around with, because there is not a huge financial investment.

[puddlefish]

Seems like it would be easy enough to build and install a passive filter (tone control) in the speaker cabinet. No?

I would think so.That's what I'm hoping to do so I can experiment a little with the alnico full range speaker I do have.

Look into old hifi speaker cab design books for info

Thanks,I will do that and read up online.I justdug up an old passive Radioshack crossover network and will try the chokes out for experimentation.

you aren't going to be getting "alnico goodness" as much as you might think you are. True, the speakers will be alnico, but there is a lot more to why a speaker sounds good than just the magnet.

Sure,there's speaker break up,response curves (although that is partly modifiable with cabinet design),etc.That said my favorite speakers are of the alnico variety so it is a factor too.I should also mention that I play using alternate tunings with some really deep notes at times...down into the low A range.

[Jerry Glass]

Originally Posted by puddlefish

I just dug up an old passive Radioshack crossover network and will try the chokes out for experimentation.

I would stick with working with the capacitors on this board. The only choke that is on this board that would get you in the ballpark would be one in the midrange driver circuit and it would be questionable if it could handle the output of a guitar amp.

I'd start with somewhere between a 1uf and a 2.2uF cap in series with a rheostat, across the speaker terminals to attenuate high frequencies.

A "Zobel" network might be worth looking into as well.

[puddlefish]

Hey thanks Jerry!

Thanks to all but especially to you Jerry.