Bass blockers

[JHZR2]

Hi,

My brother has a 94 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4. It has a pretty decent sound system with one exception. The system includes 3" dash speakers. They arent exactly tweeters, just midrange speakers.

The problem is that with time and sunlight, etc, the plastic portion of the speaker assembly (it is molded to the grille and is a kid of funny setup) tends to get cracks in it and start to come apart, causing rattling sounds.

This is a pretty common thing, and some folks find a replacement (there is only one speaker out there that can fit at all, the JBL GTO 220). I got my brother a set of stock replacements for his birthday, and want to set them up so that this wont happen again (not that 10+ years is that bad for speaker longevity).

We know what frequencies cause the rattling and breakdown of the speaker assembly. If we lower the 500 Hz and below frequencies, it sounds great, there is no rattle, and playing it from soft to loud has very good sound with no distortion. The thing is, there is no bass.

What Id like to do is install a bass blocker in the wiring for these speakers (8 ohm speakers), which cuts off somewhere around say, 300Hz and all lower frequencies.

Does anyone have a suggestion of what to buy? I could go to crutchfield and get something that is a 'bass blocker' and cuts off 300, 400, etc and lower, but I am not sure anything else, such as which wire to install it on (does it matter?), which brand is best, can any old capacitor be used, etc.

ANy advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

JMH

 

[427Z06]

Something as simple as a 100uF capacitor may work.

Go here for details: http://www.termpro.com/articles/xover2.html

 

[brianl703]

Bass blockers are non-polarized electrolytic capacitors and it does not matter what wire you connect them in series with.

The Crutchfield ones worked fine and I ordered them because they're not overly expensive ($10 for a set of two), no place around here sells non-polarized electrolytic capacitors, even if they did I'd still have to encase it in shrink tubing and solder terminals onto it..all of which are already done with the Crutchfield ones...oh, and I was already ordering speakers from Crutchfield anyway, so there wasn't any additional shipping charge unlike if I went and ordered a couple of capacitors.

By the way, the factory 3.5" dash speakers in my Mustang have a bass-blocking capacitor mounted in them. I replaced them with aftermarket 3.5" speakers and bass blockers because one of them was dead..no sound.

 

[slugsgomoo]

It's simply a crossover. In all reality, you should be crossing over your mains so that they don't get any lower frequencies, and then you cross over your subs so that they don't get any higher frequencies.

 

[427Z06]

Nothing like spending $5 for a 75 cent item.