Active vs passive SDA's

[ben62670]

Active kills passive in all ways period.

[Ender]

You're talking crossover, right?

[ben62670]

Yes.

[Face]

You mean you don't like power robbing and coloring passive components? Say it ain't so? :)

[GV#27]

Active kills passive in all ways period.

I'm calling BS on that one.;):D

[zingo]

But that requires more amps... :(

[Conradicles]

Sure they do sound better, but in reality hardly anybody will do that. Glad to hear yours sound great.

What kind of active Xover do you use...a DIY?

[ben62670]

Guys it is about the SQ. I have tried many caps. Inductors suck. Read about them. Big deal the extra amp for the highs cost less than the upgrade parts some of you pay for. You don't need 200wpc on the highs!
Also If I had the coin I could run tubes on the highs.

[ben62670]

Sure they do sound better, but in reality hardly anybody will do that. Glad to hear yours sound great.

What kind of active Xover do you use...a DIY?

Come down.

[ShinAce]

Not only do the coils and caps color the sound, they also create unneccessary loads on the amplifier.

Actively crossed over electrostatics? *drool* Now that would be a treat.

[Face]

When I can afford 4 or 6 channels of quality tube amplification, I'm in.

[zingo]

When I can afford 4 or 6 channels of quality tube amplification, I'm in.

You should just build one!

[zingo]

With availability and size of chip amps, wouldn't it be easy to just install a few in a speaker and make them a true powered design? Then all you would have to do is run ICs from your electronic XO to the speakers.

[Face]

You should just build one!

If I found a kit that I knew would sound as good as what I'm currently using, I would consider it. Otherwise, too much time and $$$ to take a chance.

[GV#27]

With availability and size of chip amps, wouldn't it be easy to just install a few in a speaker and make them a true powered design? Then all you would have to do is run ICs from your electronic XO to the speakers.

PE sells a 2way active xover/ amp combo that can be mounted into the back of an enclosure.( like a plate amp on a sub).It uses a pair LM3886's for amplification.Mated with a decent woofer and tweet could make for a nice little monitor or PC speaker.

[ben62670]

I will never go back!

[GV#27]

Are you still using the XM1 modules?

[Ender]

Couple questions:

1) Is an active crossover external?
2) If speakers already have their own internal passive crossover, there's no way to bypass them, right? So that means you can only use active crossover on speakers without a crossover network?

[GV#27]

Couple questions:

1) Is an active crossover external?

Yes it's electronically similar to a preamp but with specalized filters for the crossover functions.

2) If speakers already have their own internal passive crossover, there's no way to bypass them, right? So that means you can only use active crossover on speakers without a crossover network?

There are a few DIY designs that combine active and passive xovers but the big benifits of actives are achieved when passive components are removed allowing for a direct connection between the amplifier and drivers.The down side is complexity as an amplifier channel is required for each individual driver.

[zingo]

2) If speakers already have their own internal passive crossover, there's no way to bypass them, right? So that means you can only use active crossover on speakers without a crossover network?

It would be pretty easy to bypass or remove an internal XO if you wanted to use an external electric. The only down side is you would have to add binding posts for each driver or set of drivers; although this would be ideal if you have a speaker that is a two way design and bi-amp binding posts.