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Ferrite Coils for passive crossovers?

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Norm Dresner

Jan 1, 1970
0
What would be the likely result of using a ferrite-core coil in a
loudspeaker passive crossover instead of an air-core? I'm interested in
both the theoretical and practical aspects of this and was hoping that
someone would know and save me the trouble of winding some coils just to
find out.

TIA
Norm
 
T

Tim Wescott

Jan 1, 1970
0
Norm said:
What would be the likely result of using a ferrite-core coil in a
loudspeaker passive crossover instead of an air-core? I'm interested in
both the theoretical and practical aspects of this and was hoping that
someone would know and save me the trouble of winding some coils just to
find out.

TIA
Norm
The obvious thought is that the ferrite would saturate and create weird
harmonics, or that you'd have problems with the repeatability of the
inductor value and inductance changes with temperature.
 
D

Dave VanHorn

Jan 1, 1970
0
The inductance varies with current, so you'll see your cutoff frequencies
dithering with the bass.
I don't know if that would be audible or not, but given what's claimed to be
audible in those circles, it wouldn't surprise me.
 
N

Norm Dresner

Jan 1, 1970
0
Dave VanHorn said:
The inductance varies with current, so you'll see your cutoff frequencies
dithering with the bass.
I don't know if that would be audible or not, but given what's claimed to be
audible in those circles, it wouldn't surprise me.

--

Nevertheless, even if it's not commercially viable, it might be good enough
for Q&D testing at low volume levels where the cores won't saturate. I
think I'll give it a try.

Norm
 
W

Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\

Jan 1, 1970
0
Norm Dresner said:
What would be the likely result of using a ferrite-core coil in a
loudspeaker passive crossover instead of an air-core? I'm interested in
both the theoretical and practical aspects of this and was hoping that
someone would know and save me the trouble of winding some coils just to
find out.

TIA
Norm

Coils with anything other than air core have to be very large to prevent
saturation, because of the high power. And then you you have to deal
with the nonlinearities of the B-H curve. Just use air core and forget
it.
 
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