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Tweeter/Horn/Crossover Questions...


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[b]Tweeter/Horn/Crossover Questions...[/b]

I wonder if someone with more technical knowledge than myself (pretty much everyone) can shed some like on this? I bought a cab recently which had a non-functioning tweeter and/or crossover, which I knew about, and this was reflected in the price. No bother as generally I don't use 'em and if I get a cab with a tweeter or horn I inevitably turn it down to minimum anyway, so no biggie.

However... from what I can glean from t'interwebz, minimising tweeter activity with the LPad (the big potentiometer-type thing on the back which varies the effect of the tweeter) can produce a resistance in the circuit which manifests itself as heat in said LPad - it is possible to burn out the LPad [i]and [/i]the crossover [i]and [/i]even damage the tweeter/horn in the process.

Firstly, is this really the case? And secondly if so, then should there not be a warning label on the cab to inform us of this fact? Thirdly, is it still a problem on those cabs that have an on/off switch for the tweeter/horn, or does that take it out of the circuit altogether?

I have read on TB and elsewhere that if you have a cab with a tweeter/horn you should run the cab with the tweeter ON and make subsequent necessary tone adjustments using your amp EQ. I have one cab with a horn and one with a tweeter and have recently started running them with the horn/tweeters up FULL as an experiment - and it [i]is [/i]indeed possible to make the necessary adjustments at the amp.

In fact - in my humble opinion, this actually improves the overall sound of the cab... so fourthly, is it just my imagination, or does the cab actually sound better overall with the tweeter running, as this is how the circuit was designed to be used?

Or fifthly, is it just silly bullplop? I thank you!! :)

Edited by discreet
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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1447522046' post='2908327']
[b]Tweeter/Horn/Crossover Questions...[/b]

I wonder if someone with more technical knowledge than myself (pretty much everyone) can shed some like on this?...
[/quote]

A rather wide question, but I'll try to answer at least in part...
You've evoked two differing scenarios here; a correctly-working cab with tweeter, and a cab with a fault. Any decent cab, correctly designed, would be safe to run in all of its designed parameter sets. If there's a switch to turn the tweeter off, it'll be safe to run with or without. If there's an adjuster for tweeter response, that, too, would be safe to operate throughout its range. Yes, there may be heat loss through components, but that's been taken into account in the design, and should cause no damage to the cab, the amp, the tweeter etc. If the cab is used beyond its rated power handling, all bets are off, whatever the tweeter controls. Too much is too much.
For the second case, it's also unfair to expect normal operation from something with a fault. Some faults will not cause problems; others could be dangerous. Any fault should be fixed, if normal conditions are to be relied upon. With some expertise, some faults may be tolerated in full recognition of the risks incurred, but only by competent, responsible folks.
In short, there's no problem running a healthy cab within its specification. Anything else is a risk.
Hope this helps, subject to completion, correction and/or contradiction from others.

Edited by Dad3353
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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1447525225' post='2908363']
...unfair to expect normal operation from something with a fault. Some faults will not cause problems; others could be dangerous. Any fault should be fixed, if normal conditions are to be relied upon...
[/quote]

In fact the fault did cause a problem and the tweeter, crossover and LPad have been taken out of the equation. All is good now, albeit a tweeterless good. Thanks for the comments, Dad.

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