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Can You Convert a 3-way Crossover to 2-way?

Ricky1

Ricky1

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This might be obvious to some, but I know nothing about electronics, so I decided to ask! :)

So, here's the deal. I have a set of 3-way crossovers from some old Kenwood JL-660s. I am trying to use the midranges and tweeters in a small Bluetooth speaker project (woofers are long gone, so this seemed like a good use for the drivers), and I'm really trying to avoid new crossovers, since they would basically double the cost of my project.

If it's impossible, just let me know. I'll figure out if I want to try something else or just try the mids without the tweeters.

Thanks in advance for any help!
 
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If the woofers are gone, then just omit using the low pass part of the crossover... but then you will also omit the low frequency.

More input....ricky1

you can build a very inexpensive 2 way passive... but if you are trying to use just the mid and tweet, then you already know the bass will be absent...
 
Some crossover circuits depend on correct loading of multiple outputs to work as designed. Some don't. Any chance you can post a JL-660 schematic?
 
You are just trying to use the tweeter and mid as a tweeter and bass?

Google speaker crossover and look at first order crossovers. Basically a 2-6uf bipolar capacitor on the driver wiring.

Or go to eBay and look for some 2-way crossovers someone is selling and pick them up.

As mentioned, proper crossover design incorporated a lot of variables including the drivers in the design. Since you are cobbling on the cheap, you will just get "something" so anything that works seems to be your goal.
 
I doubt the results will be satisfactory without the design. Perhaps you can obtain some woofers locally on the cheap? Wattage is additive.. watts plus watts = total watts. You'll likely drive the mid and tweeter too hard with no bass response. Just noting speaker coils or diaphragms heat up.
 
Wait, are you trying to get full range sound like as in a woofer and a tweeter but the crossover is designed to have a midrange ? Or do you want to use them for tops with subs ?

Makes a big difference.

If you want to use a three way crossover in a two way, full range system you are running into trouble. Not that it cannot be done, just a PITA. Have to change some of the components. And if they were running alot of inductance to the woofer to get a good low range and you want to try to get midrange out of that woofer, it is not likely to sound all that good.
 
Jurb; I believe I summarized same but noted added opinion is good. I thought of the sub idea as well. seen a few setups on the forums where incorporating similar mids and tweets with same

OP Side note; perhaps you have a local flea market or a speaker shop. My speaker guy will take good frames in trade. Also may consider parts express, their flyers frequently have sales.
 
JL-660 crosses over at 2,000 Hz and 5,000 Hz. Even assuming a gentle crossover slope, the 12" woofer contributed much of the midrange as well as carrying all of the bass.

It is likely possible to use just the mid/tweeter portion of the crossover with those 2 drivers (pics could help determine that) but more than half of the audio frequency range will be MIA.
 
stuart? think a typo? 5,000 hz? I do them (typo's) all the time.

Probably all on the same path but OP hasn't responded.
 
Binkman said:
stuart? think a typo? 5,000 hz? I do them (typo's) all the time.
Click to expand...

That's for real: JL-660, 670 and 680 all had essentially the same specs: 12" woofer crosses over to "midrange" at 2,000 Hz, then crosses over to tweeter at 5,000 Hz.

I woulda thought typo too if I hadn't researched the specs. Seems more like a tweeter and super tweeter to me. Which is why I stressed how much midrange is lost with the woofer out of the equation ...
 
Ricky, I get what you are doing, but it will not work. The lowest frequency you will hear is 2000 Hz, which is rather high. And, if you use the woofer to mid of the XO, then you will miss everything above 5000 Hz. Also, how low can that mid go? Difficult to know without measuring equipment, pretty sure it cannot go very low anyways, probably the minimum will be around 500 Hz, so not much help for a 2-Way project. If it was me, I would rethink the whole thing, and maybe scratch the project. If you still want to try, then just do a 1st order XO, crossed at 5K Hz; you will need a 4uF Cap for the tweeter, and a 0.25mH Inductor for the woofer, and it will make a 2-Way XO. But, still we don't know how low that mid will go as to provide any significant bass and/or mid-bass.
 
I perfectly understand trying to economize, and I practice it as much as possible. But this project is doomed to failure from the get go. Just go to Parts Express and pick up a couple of Tang Band W3-1053SC 3" full range drivers and put them in a .1 cu ft vented box. For $30 and a few pieces of wood you'll have a perfect set of Bluetooth speakers. http://www.parts-express.com/tang-band-w3-1053sc-3-full-range-driver--264-880

GeeDeeEmm
 
GDMOORE28 said it best...Here is a desktop enclosure, uFonken, I have used for 3" Tang Band Full Range drivers with great success. Just adjust the length of the piece behind the driver to fit the driver you are using.
 
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