x-statik Ninja Elite Upgrade

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Home > Crossover Upgrades > AV123 > x-statik >

x-statik Ninja Elite Upgrade

x-statik Ninja Elite

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All pricing assumes one pair of speakers. If upgrades for a single speaker are needed, please contact us.

Our Price: $286.00

Availability: Custom - ETA will be emailed to you

Build Options...

Cabinet Upgrade...

Grill Dampening...

Binding Post Upgrade...

Binding Post Plate...

Bypass Capacitors...

Diffraction Removal...

Internal Wiring...

Fun Stuff...

Qty:

Description

Customizations

Specs/Guides/Etc

Customize! Use the options in the blue box above to fully customize your upgrade. Click the (?) next to each item for a short description. For detailed information on each item, click the 'Customizations' tab directly above.

Ninja Notes

Ninja Elite allows you to experience what a crossover network upgrade can do for your system with a very reasonable price tag.

With Ninja Elite, we have removed the two most costly components of our Ninja Master networks: inductors and custom substrate. By re-using the factory inductors and Printed Circuit Board, materials and labor costs drop dramatically.

Sure you won't get quite the same performance level of a Ninja Master but Ninja Elite is an upgrade worthly of its name. Sonicap Capacitors and Mills resistors are still used - the same as in our Ninja Master networks!

We consider Ninja Elite to be our best value upgrade (performance increase per dollar spent).

Upgrade Creation
The Skiing Ninja™ Elite network is based on the original x-statik crossover network. The excellent circuit design means we have not changed any part values.

When you have drive components of this caliber, the improvments you can expect shine through to their fullest.

If it's so great, you may be asking yourself, why didn't the original manufacturer equip the speakers similarly? We thought you might ask that. Here is your answer.

Crossover Upgrade Benefits

Overall you will notice a higher level of detail, texture, focus, superior sound stage, dynamics, musicality, and transparency. What does that mean? Read on...

Texture – All of the ‘inner’ details of each instrument comes across clearly. The ‘live’ feel comes across so well because the subtleties that are normally lost are finally present. The more revealing the overall presentation is, the more convincing it is.

Focus – We tightly match our components. While most components are 5 or even 10% tolerance, we use only 5% or less tolerance components and then we hand match them so that each pair of networks is 500 to 1000% better than the stock crossover.

Sound stage – Moves the sound stage from being within the confines of the speaker and moves it out, up, and behind the speaker. This helps recreate the sense of space and volume of the original performance.

Dynamics – Our networks use high quality Mills resistors. This means no masking of top end detail and no muddled midrange. There is a lot of techno mumbo jumbo about the why’s of this but essentially, Sand Cast resistors exhibit a rising resistance as temperature increases. This means your speaker's sound is altered the hotter the component gets. Contact Us if you want more info!

Transparency – The ability for the speakers to remove themselves from the performance. Our networks enhance this ability due to their magnetically correct layout, point to point build and superior quality components. Sit down, close your eyes, and listen... the performance comes alive as your speakers sonically disappear.

Musicality – The best part and why we are all here. Everything your speakers used to do they will do better with Ninja Elite networks and upgrades.

Features and Components
Ninja Elite networks utilize the very best components available. If you want more in-depth information on these components, visit our components section.

	Sonicap Capacitors These have become known as one of the best caps available with a sonic signature that you won't hear. Super clean and detailed. We match all our Sonicaps for superior focus. For capacitor values above 30uF, we use Erse PulseX capacitors.
	Mills Resistors Mills resistors offer superior sonic performance in all passive crossover circuits. Most resistors have a higher resistance to loud sounds than they do to quiet sounds. The result is an uneven mess. Bring the top to bottom presentation into sharp focus!
	Vampire Silver Solder 4% silver solder designed for easy flow and use. Eutectic solder with a water soluble, mildly active flux.
	Ninja SSC Wiring You can choose from a variety of options to wire up your networks. From full internal wire replacement to completely solderless installs, we can tailor your kit to your experience and comfort level.
	Copper Connectors and Wire Nuts Optional - When installing your new networks, we understand that there are situations where you just don't want (or can't) solder a wire-wire connection. We offer pure copper connectors to allow you to crimp those connections. We even throw in some color-coded pre-cut heat shrink tubing to make it professional. Alternatively, we also offer wire nuts for the easiest install possible.

Customizations
We don't stop with crossover network upgrades. A speaker's final sound quality is very much a sum of its parts. The crossover network design, the crossover network parts quality, the cabinet, internal wiring, drive units and binding posts. All of these items contribute to the end product - of which the goal is to simulate a live event with as close to perfect accuracy as possible.

Build Options
We offer kits that are professionally assembled by the Ninja and his minions. This way you know every component is correctly installed. These are our easiest to install kits.

If you are even slightly adventurous and can solder (or are willing to learn on YouTube), we recommend our DIY (Do It Yourself) kits. These kits come with all of the parts you need to upgrade your exising crossover networks. For DIY kits, you will need a soldering iron (the solder is included with your kit), heat gun or hair dryer with high setting (optional), needle nose pliers, hot glue gun or Liquid Nails and wire cutters.

If you are not sure, let us build it for you!

Upgrade your Cabinet
Your speaker cabinet should never 'talk' along with the music. NoRez will quiet down your cabinet to wonderful effect. Tighter bass, cleaner mid-bass and midrange.

All of our cabinet upgrade kits come pre-cut with instructions. Simply place each numbered piece into the cabinet as per the diagram and you are set. Price listed is for one pair of speakers (unless it is a center channel speaker).

Read all about the benefits of upgrading your speaker cabinet with NoRez and Black Hole 5 as well as find out why your cabinet needs to shut its trap!

NoRez	Black Hole 5

Metal Grill Dampening
The metal grills included with the x-statik tend to resonate or vibrate along with the music - especially at spirited volume levels.

With our simple grill dampeing kit, you can reduce those vibrations by a huge amount thus cleaning up the overall presentation of the speaker. This simple and inexpensive tweak is high recommened!

Each kit comes with enough grill dampers to
upgrade all grills on one pair of speakers.

Binding Posts
Ditch those brass binding posts or even worse, that binding post cup.

Vampire #BP-1.5 binding posts are gold plated and made from one piece of hard brass, including the top nut. They are then copper plated, silver plated, and finally gold plated. This 1/4” post includes all mounting hardware and is priced per set. If you want a bi-amp or tri-amp option, be sure to order 2 sets for bi-amp and 3 sets for tri-amp.

1 set = two posts per speaker / 4 posts total
(most common)
2 set = four posts per speaker / 8 posts total
(for bi-amping)
3 set = six posts per speaker / 12 posts total
(for tri-amping)

Expect a cleaner overall sound with this upgrade.

Binding Post Plates
A Binding Post Plate adds some serious bling to your speakers as well as enabling speakers with 'binding post cups' to accept the Vampire post upgrade.

Binding Post Plates are available in single (correct option for most speakers), bi-amp and tri-amp configurations.

For bi and tri amp plates, we include custom jumpers so you can run single connections if so desired.

A note regarding speakers with separate posts:
Not all speakers utilize the same hole spacing and thus some drilling or adjustment by us may be required. If you are unsure about your own speakers, you can order this item and we will contact you if any adjustment is needed. If so and you do not wish to perform the adjustment, we will credit your card and cancel this portion of your order. Alternatively, simply contact us for more information.

All configurations are available in all colors shown...

Bypass Capacitors
Why use a 'by-pass cap'? Think of a capacitor as an energy storage device. Capacitors will store and release energy and are often used for that very reason.

In loudspeaker applications we use them for the capacitive effects and not their energy storage capabilities. The larger the cap the more energy it can store. Also larger caps take longer to charge and to discharge this stored energy. Different types of caps store and release energy at different rates too.

For a wealth of information on the usage of bypass capacitors in loudspeakers, click here.

Our networks typically come with the Sonicap Gen II bypassas standard (check the options above to confirm as this is on a per-network basis). We also offer additional types of bypass caps to suit your taste and budget:


Sonicap Gen II: The Gen II has a nice midrange bloom that produces a wonderful combination when bypassing larger values of Gen I with smaller values of Gen II. This excellent capacitor is standard on most networks.	Genuine Sprague VitaminQ P96: Slightly more expensive than the Sonicap Gen II, the Vitamin Q's provide a very lush sound, one that allows you to get lost in the music. If you're looking for the last bits of detail, you're better off sticking with the Sonicap Gen2 or looking at the Sonicap Platinum. Pairs excellently when powered by mid-fi receivers.	Sonicap Platinum: The Platinum posses the best combination of sonic characteristics available in a capacitor today. It is very fast, but full and rich. The presentation is ultra smooth without loss of detail, focus, or dynamics. The Platinum is the best bypass cap we offer and is ideal for high resolution systems.

Additional Thoughts on bypass capacitors...
If you are running your system with a mid-fi or lower receiver, you may want to try the VitaminQ's as that can tame the sometimes strident sound some receivers produce.

Sonicap Platinums are Teflon based whereas VitaminQ's are paper in oil. PIO is considered less accurate but many people love the sound.

Attention

For the x-statik, when Vitamin Q or Platinum bypass caps are chosen, the woofer section will still receive Sonicap Gen2's as those drivers see 200Hz and down only.

Diffraction Be Gone

$Reference 1 with Diffraction Be Gone$ Sound waveforms from your tweeters are shorter in length than the width of your speaker cabinets. These waveforms are being randomly reflected by your speaker baffles and edges to your listening position slightly out of time with the original event. Not a good thing!

These waveforms carry the first arrival and higher harmonics of your midrange along with all things high frequency.

Diffraction Be Gone removes this almost as if you had taken the boxes away. We had custom cut high density real wool felt (accept no substitute) tweeter surrounds or fascias made for these speakers that absorb and quiet this interaction. What you will get when this is removed is a clearer view into your stage and recordings. What the microphone captured is revealed in your room without the distortion to time (body) and phase (space) caused by early reflection. Space opens up, deepens. Vocals and instruments appear more truthfully in that space, rounder and more physically right.

The tweeter surrounds attach with Velcro tabs (included) and also eliminate the issues caused by grills - yes you can now run your grills installed!

Internal Wiring with Open Baffle Wire Sleeves
We offer several options to fit your skill/comfort level.

The full wire replacement option comes with black tech flex to cover all exposed wiring to give your x-statik's a professional, clean look.

Highest performance:

Solderless option:

No Replacement:

Ninja SSC Wire

Ninja SSC
Full internal wire replacement

Includes 82 feet of SSC wire plus tech flex plus heat shrink tubing.

The cabling is 15 guage high purity oxygen free solid core copper with a polyethylene jacket. This polyethylene (PE) jacket is superior to polyvinyl chloride (PVC - which is what you will find in 99% of speakers sold) by way of its dialectric constant (2.2-2.4 for PE versus 3.4 for PVC) and preserving qualities. We include Cardas Quad Eutectic solder for all connections.

Ninja SSC with pigtails and copper connectors

Your networks will be wired with 10" leads so you can tie into the existing wires coming from the drivers and binding posts. Simply crimp the copper connectors over the wires and heat the shrink tubing (included) for a professional finish.

Available only when the 'Ninja Built' option is selected.

Ninja SSC with pigtails and wire nuts

Your networks will be wired with 10" leads so you can tie into the existing wires coming from the drivers and binding posts. Screw the wire nut over the connection and you are done.

Available only when the 'Ninja Built' option is selected.

NO Wire Replacement

Simply desolder the wires from the exisiting crossover and resolder when you are ready to reinstall.

Difference between Copper Connectors and Wire Nuts:
Is there a sonic difference between the two? Technically yes however is it audible? Not likely. Our recommendations are listed left to right with full wire replacement being our #1 recommendation. If you can't solder, our solderless options are a very good alternative.

Fun Stuff
We've got a bunch of fun stuff for you to pimp out your music or theater room. T-Shirts, Limited Edition Pint Glasses and Limited Edition Posters. Click to go to our Skiing Ninja™ Fun Stuff section for more information (link opens in a new window).

Special Customizations
We offer an array of customization services from outboard networks to tailoring your new networks to fit you and your room. For example, if your room has a lot of glass and is sparsely furnished, you may find your speakers to be 'bright' - we can alter the response to compensate for this. Any custom changes are easily removed if your environment changes.

Simply contact us for more information on any of our customization options.

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