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Avatar B212 Neo Tweeter Distortion

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by bottomfeeder, Nov 18, 2005.

  1. Nov 18, 2005 #1
    bottomfeeder

    bottomfeeder Guest

    Dec 24, 2001
    Chicago
    I have an Avatar B212 Neo that has produces distortion when the tweeter is on. If I roll the attenuator all the way off, the distortion goes away, so I assumed there was something wrong with the tweeter. I replaced the voice coil in the tweeter last night, and still get the distortion with the tweeter on. I guess this points to a problem with the crossover. Any suggestions on how to fix this problem?
     
  2. Nov 18, 2005 #2
    Ray-man

    Ray-man Guest

    Sep 10, 2005
    Get a new crossover? I don't think they're all that expensive. If it's a NEO, that means you got it relatively recently (since July or so). Give Dave a shout and tell him what you just told us. It may be under warranty.
     
  3. Nov 18, 2005 #3
    billfitzmaurice

    billfitzmaurice Guest Commercial User

    Sep 15, 2004
    New Hampshire
    Owner, Bill Fitzmaurice Loudspeaker Design
    Even the new 12dB slope crossover is marginal. Search the old threads, lovethatbass I believe is the handle of someone who'll build you a 4th order HP filter that really works well.
     
  4. Nov 18, 2005 #4
    DeadRBassistNJ

    DeadRBassistNJ Guest

    Nov 22, 2004
    Central Jersey Shore
    The 4th order crossover is awesome. I built one and put it in my 212 and it sounds a lot more musical and blends better. There's no distortion and it was cheap to make (or buy) too.
     
  5. Nov 18, 2005 #5
    Ray-man

    Ray-man Guest

    Sep 10, 2005
    Hang on a second. I use the one that Dave put in when he built it a few months ago, and I don't get any distortion. Yes, I've heard oodles of great stuff about the 4th order crossover, but mine works just fine and gives me what I want.

    If a new 4th order is the route bottomfeeder wants to go, by all means, have at it. I didn't detect that he was dissatisfied with what he had before the distortion started, however.
     
  6. Nov 18, 2005 #6
    bottomfeeder

    bottomfeeder Guest

    Dec 24, 2001
    Chicago
    Actually, its been distorting since I first got it. The combination on needing to use it/being lazy has thus far prevented me from engaging Dave on a replacement. If the 4th order option is relatively inexpensive, I wouldnt mind trying that, if nothing else but to learn/try something new.
    Is the crossover integrated with the input plate? Would the 4th order crossover fit on the current input plate?
     
  7. Nov 18, 2005 #7
    bottomfeeder

    bottomfeeder Guest

    Dec 24, 2001
    Chicago
    I read throught the old crossover discussion, and think I can pull that off myself. I am curious to know what the problem is though. The distortion is present at all volumes when the tweeter is on. It is a crackly, somewhat intermittant distortion that is emphasized more when I play certain notes (open A for example). Could this be a bad cap, inductor, wiring, pot?
     
  8. Nov 18, 2005 #8
    billfitzmaurice

    billfitzmaurice Guest Commercial User

    Sep 15, 2004
    New Hampshire
    Owner, Bill Fitzmaurice Loudspeaker Design
    If you have a 6dB crossover there's barely enough filtering of the low frequencies from the tweeter to keep it from burning out, let alone sound good. The new 12dB design is better, but still doesn't measure up to the prosound standard of at least 18dB/octave high-pass filtering. The 4th order design not only works infinitely better but also allows lowering the crossover frequency to help fill the response hole between where the woofer cuts out and the tweeter kicks in.
     
  9. Nov 18, 2005 #9
    Ray-man

    Ray-man Guest

    Sep 10, 2005
    I'm pretty sure Dave put the 12db crossover in all of the B212 Neo cabinets.
     
  10. Nov 18, 2005 #10
    AndrewShirley

    AndrewShirley Guest

    Sep 26, 2004
    Barrie, Ontario
    I did the 24db version that LoveThatBass popularized and it works like a charm. I PM'd him for the specs and he was very gracious to provide all the proper values, including the part numbers from Parts Express!

    - Andrew