..addition of a super tweeter to my VSA VR5 Anniversaries

es347

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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I have been reading everything I can get my hands on regarding adding super tweeters and just about all reviews are very positive. The two that I have pretty much zeroed in on are the Townshend Maximum:

http://www.townshendaudio.com/supertweeters/

..and the AudioSmile Super Tweeter (UK):

http://www.audiosmile.com/supertweeter-mkii.html

I would appreciate thoughts on adding a super tweeter in general and more specifically any experience with the two above. Thanks in advance..
 

cjfrbw

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
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I think the Townshend site explains things pretty well. The operation of supertweeters is kind of mysterious, but the subjective effect can be potent. That the bass and lower midrange enjoy enhancement with supertweeters must point to some kind of whole-ism at work with the perceptual apparatus.

I prefer active crossover with a separate amp for the tweeters. I use special custom thin foils that I installed myself in a pair of Aurum Cantus G1 crossed over at 3500Hz with a 45 DHT tube rectified 1.5 watt amp. The tweeters are better than 100db efficient, so the amp is overkill.

One might argue that the tubes do not afford absolute hypersonics, but the upper midrange is magical and the effect is good enough for me.
 

XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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I have a set of the Townsend super tweeters with my Maxx3's. I like what they do by adding a little airiness to the sound

Cheers
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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I have a set of the Townsend super tweeters with my Maxx3's. I like what they do by adding a little airiness to the sound

Cheers

no kidding...since when? What do they do to your sound exactly? My old Wilsons have 2 super tweeters on the top/back of each speaker, but nevertheless am curious to learn. Do they drive off the main amp?
 

XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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Sydney
no kidding...since when? What do they do to your sound exactly? My old Wilsons have 2 super tweeters on the top/back of each speaker, but nevertheless am curious to learn. Do they drive off the main amp?

Lloyd, I would love to have the rear firing tweeters of you X1, but I guess that is why you need to go up the linr?.

The Focal tweeter does not have the air or the extension of the relevator tweeter that was in the Strads. The Townsend adds a little air to the sound. Quite nice

Yes, driven directly from the main amps.

Cheers
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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I am a Townshend distribitor and a Von Schweikert distributor as well. The Max worked very well with the DB-99, VR-2, Vr-4 Jr, VR-4 SR as well as the LSA 2. We also loved them on various Quads and the Dahlquist DQ-8. It did not do much strangely enough for bandwidth limited speakers like our bookshelves LSA 1, VR-1, Unifield 1. It also did not play well with the VR-5s. There must have been some problem with the crossover slopes with the 5s. The 5s go up to 40kHz unlike the speakers mentioned. The Max starts to come in with a shallow slope at about 10kHz. Rather than add air, it made the sound hard. Perhaps a steeper slope would have worked. In any case, I couldn't find the goldilocks spot in level. I could either hear no difference then boom, it got hard. No go for he VR-5s IME, Gavin.
 

es347

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Midwest fly over state..
Thanks Jack. I was this close to pulling the trigger on the Townshends...whew!
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
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Lloyd, I would love to have the rear firing tweeters of you X1, but I guess that is why you need to go up the linr?.

The Focal tweeter does not have the air or the extension of the relevator tweeter that was in the Strads. The Townsend adds a little air to the sound. Quite nice

Yes, driven directly from the main amps.

Cheers

Thanks! Good to know...i will definitely keep that in mind.
 

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