Vifa xt25 replacement?

[kravi4ka]

Hi guys,

I did try to find it but with no success-what tweeters are interchangeable with the xt25? Relatively interchangeable of course... TIA

[kravi4ka]

I am still searching and I found the posts in which Jon says the 9800 might be almost a drop-in replacement, the Heil tweeter too. Is there anything else that I might try?

[Face]

Without a crossover change, nothing that I'm aware of.

[Jonasz]

The rumour says RS28 is supposed to be a near perfect replacement.

[kravi4ka]

Many thanks, appreciated... I was indeed looking for a quick and dirty exchange, I got the message.

[JonMarsh]

So is the SS 98000, but that's a much rarer and pricer item. RS28A is the best bang for buck choice I know of.

[benchtester]

Along the same lines, the ScanSpeak 6600 AirCirc is very similar to the XT25 only much better. Admittedly it's SPL is 2 dB higher; but the impedence is very similar.


BTW, you didn't mention if you are replacing the single magnet (XT25TG30-04) or double magnet version (XT25BG60-04). The double magnet version is available (at mad.. but the single is back-ordered), but at a glance the 6600 may be closer to the single magnet version than even the double magnet version.

When the double magnet version came out, Jed liked it a lot.

[kravi4ka]

Thanks again everybody, I did intentionally ask a silly question because otherwise I was supposed to tell what I have in my head and I am not quite sure what that is. But here it is.

I have a pair of Zaph's ZD5s but also two 18W/8531 revealtors sitting unused. I was looking for a tweeter that could be tried in the place of the XT25TG30-04 and if it did not work well to use it in a design with the 18W. So I had to admit to being very cheap and trying to get away with just swapping tweeters around... ops:

If you can suggest a good design with the 18W revelator I will really appreciate it, the ZRT of course being a good candidate, especially if the 6600 could be tried in the ZD5( I know, I know, NOTHING is supposed to be touched there...)

BTW the ZD5 is quite a nice design, not in the league of my favorite NeoDcc but much better suited to the 14m2 I am inhabiting at the moment. TIA

[benchtester]

.....especially if the 6600 could be tried in the ZD5( I know, I know, NOTHING is supposed to be touched there...) ....

Funny you should mention that. I have been thinking about applying the 6600 to the ZD5 as an upgrade. I'll bet that it can be popped in and the tweeter resistor change (R0 - maybe from 5 to 7 ohms, but should be measured). It's on my project list, but at the limbo level.

My "ZD5" is relatively stock :W except it used the 6600 in a waveguide with ladder delay removed and small tweaks to the woofer crossover to match the waveguide tweeter.

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/blog.php?b=57

and more interestingly:

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/blog.php?b=58

[kravi4ka]

I knew it... Now I want to build a ZD5 with a waveguide and a 6600... Looks gorgeous and probably sounds gorgeous, congrats. I promised my wife the ZD5 is the laaaaast pair fo speakers I will build till 2020 and now you show me this,auuuu.

All that happens because I do like the ZD5 and it is one great speaker that lets me enjoy music in a wonderful way. Just as everyone that has built speakers I always have that voice in my head that an "easy" swapping of something might improve it a little bit, it all started with the discovery of the Discovery ( ) version of the XT25 30-04, the r2604. I lost sleep, I tried to find a post by someone that has comapred the two versions, then I decided that I will find a friend to make me some metal copies of the faceplates but then they are glued and then I decided to play it an idiot and ask if there is a simple drop-in replacement of the XT25, with "better" sound... I am addicted and I cannot stop, please guys, you are my family, give me a sober advice ops:

Should I buy the Discovery r2604? Should I try the 6600? Looking at Zaph's measurements it indeed looks like the differences are minor, may be the tolerances of the components are even larger!?!?! What I like about the ZD5 is the slim front that is important at the moment(WAF), then I am "sure" goods things about it are connected to the 6db electrical filter and the other reason I decided on them was that I cannot tweak the delay network, I know enough to be tempted to change values but I am aware of my profound ignorance and the delay network was expecially chosen to prevent me from thinking about doing something with the values. Or trying different tweeters... HEEEELP

[benchtester]

I promised my wife the ZD5 is the laaaaast pair fo speakers I will build till 2020 and now you show me this,auuuu.

Oops...

I knew it... Now I want to build a ZD5 with a waveguide and a 6600.... give me a sober advice ops:

Should I buy the Discovery r2604? ...

I haven't heard the R2604, but I would guess that it is very similar to what you have, and the 6600 is better. Like you, I need to moderate the number of changes, so go big once. Visually "just" swapping the tweeter may be more acceptable to the wife.

While I can (and do) argue the advantages of a waveguide; I think if one has an existing ZD5, then going with a flush-mount 6600 and using a delay network gets most of the (time alignment) advantages. I am hoping that Zaph's ladder delay will work as-is with the 6600 (because it is so close electrically to the XT25).

(Other background info: Where are you located and do you have access/skills for machining waveguides?)

[kravi4ka]

Well, my wife is an angel* and I have never had problems with her regarding speakers, even I find the ZD5 more suited to the new room compared to the NeoDcc and that's why I built them. The NeoDcc had "something" though that I am trying to bring into the ZD5 but my spare time is very limited and I was trying to cheat by just swapping the tweeters, I know impedance and FR curves are not everything in speaker design.

I live in Bulgaria and I do have ideas how to make the waveguides, I can even have them cast from aluminum, machined, CNCed or whatever and I quite prefer waveguides to ladder delay networks, that's why I reacted that way...

*P.S. A cruel joke but not intended to be offensive...

Two guys are talking:
-My wife is an angel...
-Lucky you, mine is still alive...

[craigk]

you might want to look on http://sites.google.com/site/undefinition/diy site before you buy any parts. look under designs with drivers no longer available, the project known as untitled. paul designed this project for me. you can use the hiq 1 tweeter instead of the 3, a few small changes to crossover. this is a very good 2 way design. the hiq tweeters just sound right, very natural, good decay on cymbals with just enough splash. bass is very good, tight and low for a 5 inch driver. overall just a good, solid design. sometimes you get what you pay for, the drivers are not cheap, but in this case they were worth the cost. used clarity mr and esa caps, goertz foil ind, and mills res.

best

craig

[kravi4ka]

Hi Craig,

Many thanks for the suggestion, I have been in love with the Hiquphons already, I had a pair of Ellis 1801s and this indeed is a magnificent tweeter. No other manufacturer that I know of has consistency in quality as his, my only worry is that the flange is 94 mm and I was looking at the options to keep the original box of the ZD5-I used the highest quality BB there and want to keep the looks... Advice much appreciated though, these two drivers probably mate wonderful, the Hiq is almost ruler flat in response too...

[kravi4ka]

The more I think about it, the more the question is getting close to a simple one-what might go wrong if I try the 6600 Aircirc in the place of the XT without making changes to the crossover? 450USd is not insignificant amount of money, to put it politely... Anything will be much appreciated, I am usually objective when it comes to hearing that more expensive stuff that I already bought sounds better, I don't listen for 5 mins and proclaim it the best ever.

I am hoping that people with much more expereince can share their thoughts before I do something brave and childish. One of the things I like about the ZD5 is that it is a well designed speaker beyond the usual DIY stuff but if the 6600 might work there and sound better I might sell some of stash of goods and risk it. I know I tend to use a lot of words but people here have always been open and ready to help and I need advice for sure. Thanks everybody.

[benchtester]

(I am traveling, so I can't be very responsive.)

My current plan is to work on a ScanSpeak HDS D2608/913000 tweeter in a modified waveguide (Pyle H61 a.k.a. MCM waveguide) with a 15W Revelator. It is a well regarded tweeter and significant less expensive than the 6600. I should have something in about a month.

After that I will compare it to my 6600/15w. If it compares well, I might try the ZD5 conversion to the 6600. If I do, I will certainly publish it, but that could be 3 to 6 months.

[kravi4ka]

Sounds like a great idea! And I happen to have a the MCM guide Keeps us posted please!