I've just rebuilt the crossovers and rewired some Matrix 802s3 speakers. They sound clearer and more dynamic now, although my main reason for doing it was that the original crossovers were built in 1993 and so were probably getting a bit old. Also some of the original components and wiring really wasn't what you'd expect from a good quality speaker like this.
I had heard people say that changing components (especially the inductors) can change the crossover behaviour, even affecting the crossover frequencies. I haven't found that to be the case, although maybe because I stayed with cored inductors. If I'd gone with air cored inductors then the resistances might have been very different (and I'd also have run out of space inside the cabinets!) The speakers now sound basically the same as they did before but with more detail.
The downside was that it took a long time and cost about US$250 in parts. I'd probably have to say that if I were paying somebody by the hour to do the job then it wouldn't be cost effective from the sound improvement point of view, but if you are into DIY and looking for a new project then it's certainly worth giving it a go.
More info and some photos are on my web page: B&W crossover
The rest of the system: DIYhifiSupply "ELLA" amplifier with "Django" Transformer Volume Control and an Ayre CX-7e CD player. The amp is only 50W with KT88 tubes - another good reason for not trying air cored inductors.
I had heard people say that changing components (especially the inductors) can change the crossover behaviour, even affecting the crossover frequencies. I haven't found that to be the case, although maybe because I stayed with cored inductors. If I'd gone with air cored inductors then the resistances might have been very different (and I'd also have run out of space inside the cabinets!) The speakers now sound basically the same as they did before but with more detail.
The downside was that it took a long time and cost about US$250 in parts. I'd probably have to say that if I were paying somebody by the hour to do the job then it wouldn't be cost effective from the sound improvement point of view, but if you are into DIY and looking for a new project then it's certainly worth giving it a go.
More info and some photos are on my web page: B&W crossover
The rest of the system: DIYhifiSupply "ELLA" amplifier with "Django" Transformer Volume Control and an Ayre CX-7e CD player. The amp is only 50W with KT88 tubes - another good reason for not trying air cored inductors.
