Lanman's MG3.6 Crossover Project

Thanks to the help of fellow inmates, I've completed the external crossovers for my 3.6’s. I am a total electronics novice, so it took a little while to digest the procedures, but I‘m very happy with the results.

I utilized the recommendations and design modifications of North Creek Music Systems. I went with 10 gauge inductor coils and Zen, Crescendo and Harmony caps. It was recommended that I add some additional bypass caps to the 200uF cap of the midrange / tweeter section. So, in addition to the 200.0uF cap, a 10.0uF Zen, 3.0uF Crescendo, 1.0uf Crescendo and .10 Crescendo were added, for a total of 214.10uF. Everything was neatly secured in place with some nice brass compression fittings that I found at Home Depot. No solder was used. I also used WBT Topline speaker posts, which also have screw down compression type connections. The parts were mounted on peg board and installed in an acrylic enclosure (actually an acrylic football display). Hookup wire is Cardas 15 gauge copper. Double sided tape also came in handy!

Upon installation, I do notice a slightly deeper and tighter bass level. Midrange and tweeter sound about the same, but I haven't yet touched the internal crossovers. I'm still waiting for some additional parts for the internal crossovers.

I'm still trying to decide if I should keep the fuses or eliminate them entirely. It makes me a little nervous to crank up the volume with no fuses in place. My system consists of :

• Accuphase CD55v
• Pass X1 Pre
• Pass X250 amp
• Acoustic Zen cables
• Maggie 3.6’s (obviously)

For those of you that were observant enough to notice, the speaker cables are attached out of phase because my CD55v, inverts phase through the balanced outputs…

It's now a month later and I've completed my crossover project for the Maggie 3.6 crossovers, both internal and external, and redesigned the whole thing. Everything now fits in one medium density fiberboard (MDF) box behind the speakers. I covered the box with black speaker grill fabric, to avoid having to paint them. They look really good!

Overall, to be honest, it's a big expense for a subtle improvement in sound quality. Slightly better low frequency, and a little more clarity and brilliance in the mids and highs. Almost too much of a good thing, because I'm now hearing some occasional sibilance that I don't think was there before. Maybe some break in is still needed? I experimented with and without the fuses, but decided to keep the fuses because I'm just plain chicken to blow a tweeter! I'm using the Jenna Labs Cryo'ed fuse holders, for what it's worth...

If you are looking for that last few percent improvement in musicality, and don't mind spending a grand or more to do it, then go for it!

Here are some pictures.