Those with CDT Ex550i crossover or upstage set/imiging

[Tbonem3]

From what I've gathered, the woofer selection changes the frequency of the lpf to match the woofer's ability based on size.

The image tweeter attenuation is VL - very low - L - low M -mid - H high which is maybe -4, -2, 0 +2, +4 or, -3 +3 in a range.

But I'm wondering is the main tweeter is a band pass? I heard that the image tweeter plays the highest frequencies. I'm also wondering if the main tweeter is -3 or 0 with the woofer volume. I don't know why you don't get any main tweeter attenuation. I read though, that you could plug a main tweeter into the image tweeter terminal and then get adjustability of the tweeter that way (no imaging, then), but I don't know if the woofer and main twt are level with each other to begin with. Hoping the twt is -3 from the woofer, for my situation.

I know I can wire in an L-pad if need be.

Any experience is helpful, thanks.

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[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

From what I've gathered, the woofer selection changes the frequency of the lpf to match the woofer's ability based on size.
The image tweeter attenuation is VL - very low - L - low M -mid - H high which is maybe -4, -2, 0 +2, +4 or, -3 +3 in a range.

But I'm wondering is the main tweeter is a band pass? I heard that the image tweeter plays the highest frequencies. I'm also wondering if the main tweeter is -3 or 0 with the woofer volume. I don't know why you don't get any main tweeter attenuation. I read though, that you could plug a main tweeter into the image tweeter terminal and then get adjustability of the tweeter that way (no imaging, then), but I don't know if the woofer and main twt are level with each other to begin with. Hoping the twt is -3 from the woofer, for my situation.

I know I can wire in an L-pad if need be.

Any experience is helpful, thanks.

EX-550i doesn't have the "full" UpStage crossover design in it. It has the main and image tweeters in parallel, both on the same high pass filter. CDT wants the main tweeter mounted near the mid-woofer, always. If you're going to mount the tweeters in a way that makes good recordings stage above the dash then you don't need imaging tweeters. You would need attenuation, so that's why you can wire them to the image tweeter terminals. They do sell L-pads, but those are very rarely needed. I think I've sold less than 10 of them in 5 years.

 

[Tbonem3]

Are you saying that, unless my main tweeters are mounted near the woofer, the image tweeter is unnecessary? I really like the idea of playing the highs down the windshield to raise the image. I'm worried about my mains then being too loud and close to my ear - that's why I'm think I would reverse polarity and attenuate them down. So woofers and image tweeters standard polarity with image twtrs -3bd, then main tweeters (just below ear level on door) reverse polarity (at least the driver side because it's close to my head) and -3 or -6db. Appreciate your help.

With my current setup (sat net 456s, 6.5 CL-6e, 1" tw), I the sound stage is pretty low. I don't know how to raise it without a second set of tweeters. I also attenuate the tweeter -3db to help with it being too close to me. Haven't reversed polarity yet on the tweeter - need to try that to help.

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

I'm worried about my mains then being too loud and close to my ear - that's why I'm think I would reverse polarity and attenuate them down.

Reversing polarity will not make the tweeters less loud. Leave it wired with + to + and - to - if that's how it is now. Sometimes reversing the polarity on tweeters will help if the crossover is a 12 dB/octave 2nd order design. That's why some crossovers have a tweeter phase switch. You set it to the position that sounds better. This does not have anything to do with attenuation.

then main tweeters (just below ear level on door)With my current setup (sat net 456s, 6.5 CL-6e, 1" tw), I the sound stage is pretty low. I don't know how to raise it without a second set of tweeters.

A different crossover frequency for the mid/tweeter transition may help solve your problem. With tweeters on the upper area of the doors you should have a lot of sound seeming to come from above the dash. I don't know the crossover frequency of Satnet 456, but I suspect it's 4.5 kHz. EX-550i crosses the tweeter at 2.5 kHz with a 6.5" woofer. That change in crossovers would help raise the sound stage without changing or adding speakers.

An add-on to the EX-550i crossovers to consider is IEK-100i. You will get the imaging tweeters and the L-pad, all for $99. A better sounding upgrade would be UP-2100i or UP-5100i as these offer separate add-on crossovers to give you a lot more control over the tweeters.