Mandolin Speaker Build

[aeelements]

Somewhat new to the DIY speaker scene here. I just finished my first Mandolin build using the SB Acoustics drivers. Had a friend build the cabinets using birth ply. They look fantastic! Speakers are nearly broken in, sounding better with time. Trouble I'm having is in the upper-midrange/lower-treble region. Things sound almost harsh here. It's usually a common thing for my ears to hear this section as too loud and somewhat fatiguing. Trying to find/build a pair of small room speakers that can deliver detailed, musical sweetness and not cause pain to my ears has been the journey here! Any recommendations, perhaps, as to the crossover for this kit? Based on my limited knowledge and what I'm hearing, I feel as though the tweeter is working too low to sound good at its bottom end. I imagine the tweeter crossing over a wee bit higher so that it's a bit more rolled off when meeting up with the mid/bass driver. One would think this would create a "hole" in the sound, but it sounds as though frequencies may be overlapping too much here, causing peaks in the 2-4k region as it is. I don't know. Speakers are in a small (12x10) room with hardwood floors. Bass is fairly controlled (definitely extended). Lower midrange is great! Top end air is not quote as present as I'd like, but not too lacking if everything can sound right. Long post, I know. Help would be very much appreciated!

[speekerbldr]

I've used that tweeter (and other versions of it) several times and nobody's ever mentioned harshness in it's lower end. It's usually very smooth and easy going. I'm just stabbing in the dark here. I've had similar issues to yours when I've had a hard, reflective floor and a speaker with a good wide dispersion power response. That tweeter is certainly going to have a nice, wide dispersion pattern in the 2-4k region you mention. Maybe you are getting some floor reflections??

[aeelements]

speekerbldr: After much time has been spent listening to and comparing these speakers with many other speakers, I believe you are right about the wide dispersion pattern - which must be contributing to some room reflections. These speakers sound fantastic outdoors! They also work well for near field monitoring in smallish rooms. Though it may be years later, thanks for your response.