Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Replacement tweeters again

Hi Graham,

Remember, there is a calibration mode on the DSP speakers, which will allow you to boost or cut the tweeter output (it is explained on page 58 of the DSP5500.1 user manual). You'll need to retype again afterwards to get out of calibration mode!

It is worth checking what that is set to, and possibly increasing it by a dB if you feel the HF output is below par. If you're running black-domed tweeters, they can take the extra output, whereas the silver-domes would eventually fail.

You could (if you're OK with a soldering iron), temporarily swap the suspect tweeters into your DSP5000s that sound OK and check to see if they still give the same HF output.

I would recommend sticking with the official Meridian tweeters if possible, as the response curves are carefully matched into the DSP code. If you change them for other types, they will sound different.

Good luck,

Steve

What Steve says is true (as always)!

However, as the original tweeters for your DSP6000's are no longer manufactured, any alternative replacement will probably 'sound' different, even the 'black domed' Meridians, acknowledged by Meridian to require different cal. settings to accomodate sensitivity/impedence changes and even after that, still has a different upper end response......whether you like it (or even hear it!) is largely up to each individual.

It seems unlikely (highly so!) that Meridian will issue a firmware to 'tailor in' these new tweeters to the older speakers that may now have to use them and that just has to be accepted.......where would that end!!

What is most important is that whatever steps you take, the end result is pleasurable, don't be afraid to experiment a little, you may find your perfection.

Paul.

Hi Steve
Just checking before I change anything
I have powered on the speakers while pressing repeat.
I now have 1L 65 on the display with hissing noise with a bit of crackling
Pressed the west & east buttons and see t 0.0 and now with no noise
Are you suggesting that I set it to t 1.0?
Thanks
Graham

The silver domed H539 and black domed H1054 tweeters both used the same DSP curves so apart from the difference in sensitivity should sound the same acording to Meridian . The H1612 has a differnt response curve above 10KHz

When I did my ferrofluid replacement on one H539 and a H1054 only the H1054 was sucessful see thread

https://www.meridianunplugged.com/u...;Main=34882&Number=313231#Post313231

Rgds
Stuart

Hi Graham,

Yes - set t to 1.0 (or higher, if that gives the desired results).
That increases the output to the tweeter in increments of 0.5dB

If you did install the later H1612 tweeter, you would need to lower the tweeter output, as the tweeter has a different impedance (as well as frequency response), and will sound louder and unbalanced unless attenuated.

Cheers,

Steve

Hi Steve
The speaker I looked at yesterday was set to t0.0 /b0.0 so going to 2.0 or 2.5 on the treble isn’t going to far?
Would you expect this to have any long term negative effects like reducing the life of the tweeters?
Also just looked at the other speaker and that one is set to -0.5 on both the bass and treble.
My speakers started life as d6000s but after I had the panels repaired a few times i gave up on them and I bought a full set of 18bt electronics of eBay that just happened to come up at the right time.
If you recall I sent them to you for a full recap then back to you for a 24bt upgrade.
The reason for the quick history lesson was to ask if you know, would the -0.5 setting be to calibrate for differences in drivers or panel electronics?
If it’s the electronics then I should keep the difference between them, if it’s the drivers then I will make them both the same, would you agree?
Graham

Hi Graham,

As I only ever worked on the panels and did not have the complete speaker, I would not have run any calibration. If I remember correctly, the 24/96 comms boards were sourced separately, and the speaker panels updated together. Unless I have the entire speakers, each panel would be tested separately in my test rig, and I probably wouldn't have spotted a -0.5 dB decrease in levels.

I would set both panels to the same settings, so you're starting from level settings. Then increase the treble in 1dB increments until you're happy with the results. I probably wouldn't increase beyond 3db as if you need that much boost, the tweeters need attention.

Unless you're running the speakers at ear-splitting levels (over 84) with distorted treble, the black-domed tweeters should be fine. Silver-domed tweeters have a nasty habit of the voice coil separating from the dome (inferior glue used), the ferrofluid goes sticky, the voice coil detaches and sticks to the magnet when you try to extract the dome.

Let us know how you get on.

Cheers,

Steve

What Steve says about the issues with the tweeters is 100% accurate and I have unfortunately experienced this (not the 'black' ones, I've never owned those).

On a side note, many years ago during a visit to the 'M factory', I asked the man who performed the final check on the loudspeakers what sort of 'spread' he'd experienced with tweeters (I'd had a problem with one) and he informed me he didn't recall using any setting other than '0'!

Regards

Paul.

Hi,

Tried +1.0dB with not much of a difference, now set to +2.0dB which I think is a noticeable difference in the right direction.

I am surprised at how different this sounds with more at the top end especially at lower volumes.
I was previously listening +2 tilt and Roon filter to lift the high frequencies both of which are removed now.

Am I right in thinking that if I was listening to music at say 60 that I am now listening to base at 60 and treble at the equivalent of 62?

Graham

Hi,

I think you've pretty much reached the point where you need to substitute the 'suspect' tweeters in the DSP6000's with the good ones in the DSP5000's and see whether the 'fault' follows the tweeter or remains with the loudspeaker (don't forget to normalise any 'cal' settings altered).

If the DSP5000's seem OK then it's likely to be an 'electronics' problem with the DSP6000's, if the DSP5000's seem 'poor' then it's the tweeter and at least you have narrowed it down are no longer looking for a 'needle in a haystack'.

Good Luck

Paul.