Tweeter elevation

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10-14-2019, 09:10 AM
David24x7

Tweeter elevation

Hi. I'm wondering if elevating the tweeter - outside and above the cabinet - will improve my listening experience?

I know that it's ideal to have the tweeters at ear level but I can't raise the cabinets due to furniture constraints. I have JBL 4333 3-way speakers (2235 woofers, 2420 mid-range horn, 2505 slot tweeter). My idea was to remove the 2405 and elevate it to the shelf above the cabinet which would place it closer to ear level. However, the 2420 horn is still in the cab and it doesn't crossover until about 8000Hz. Given the high crossover frequency, would moving the super-tweeter alone make that much of an improvement?

Height measurements (center of driver)
- 16" woofer
- 27" mid-horn
- 28" slot tweeter
- 39" slot tweeter if I moved it to the shelf
- 48" upright listening position
- 40" reclined listening position

Thoughts? Have you tried this before and did you find a noticable difference?
10-14-2019, 10:23 AM
ivica

Quote:

Originally Posted by David24x7

Hi. I'm wondering if elevating the tweeter - outside and above the cabinet - will improve my listening experience?

I know that it's ideal to have the tweeters at ear level but I can't raise the cabinets due to furniture constraints. I have JBL 4333 3-way speakers (2235 woofers, 2420 mid-range horn, 2505 slot tweeter). My idea was to remove the 2405 and elevate it to the shelf above the cabinet which would place it closer to ear level. However, the 2420 horn is still in the cab and it doesn't crossover until about 8000Hz. Given the high crossover frequency, would moving the super-tweeter alone make that much of an improvement?

Height measurements (center of driver)
- 16" woofer
- 27" mid-horn
- 28" slot tweeter
- 39" slot tweeter if I moved it to the shelf
- 48" upright listening position
- 40" reclined listening position

Thoughts? Have you tried this before and did you find a noticeable difference?

Hi David24x7,

May be I am wrong, but if You are about 120" away from the speakers at 40" listening height position, the the angle off-axis in vertical plane for 2405 would be about 5.7 deg, so almost not a problem for UHF frequency dispersion.

reagrds
ivica
10-14-2019, 10:56 AM
David24x7

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivica

Hi David24x7,

May be I am wrong, but if You are about 120" away from the speakers at 40" listening height position, the the angle off-axis in vertical plane for 2405 would be about 5.7 deg, so almost not a problem for UHF frequency dispersion.

reagrds
ivica

Thanks Ivica. I'm about 90" from the speaker but if the difference is minimal, then it would be a whole lot easier to just keep the 2405 in the cab.

Appreciate the math and the feedback.
10-14-2019, 11:41 AM
toddalin

Probably better to just elevate and/or tilt the cabinet so the tweets face your head.
10-14-2019, 12:23 PM
rusty jefferson

Agreed. Can you tilt them back?
10-14-2019, 01:34 PM
David24x7

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rusty jefferson

Agreed. Can you tilt them back?

It's a tight fit underneath the shelf but I can try and maybe get and extra 3/4" under the front.

Attachment 85150
10-14-2019, 03:59 PM
jmpsmash

it will image better if you have the 2405 directly above the 2420. However, that requires cutting a hole.
10-14-2019, 07:21 PM
David24x7

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmpsmash

it will image better if you have the 2405 directly above the 2420. However, that requires cutting a hole.

I know. And it would raise it a couple of inches higher. I wish I had done that before I painted them. I have the hole saw. I just don't want to mess up the paint (though I still have some left over for touchups - just in case).