Why do you need a speaker crossover - discuss

**Macca** · 06-07-2011, 12:04

IME - No crossover is best, a simple one (one capacitor and maybe one inductor)is second best - yes you may get a little cone break up but with a decent driver it is not really an issue and what you lose on the swings you more than make back on the roundabouts. Every speaker is a trade off somehow.

**aquapiranha** · 06-07-2011, 12:10

I think you will find Richard that most would assume a crossover is not really wanted, but is needed. I personally have used an active crossover to good effect and would recommend that route to all who will listen, as I feel it is FAR better both in terms of sound and modus operandi than a conventional passive crossover. However, unless someone comes up with a sinle driver that covers the entire rangoe of human hearing, with equal sensitivity in all areas then I doubt you will be seeing the demise of the passive crossover anytime soon. as for BBC, I am not sure what relevance that has here unless you are saying that the crossovers used there are more complex / problematic?

**Stratmangler** · 06-07-2011, 12:16

I agree with Martin.
Unfortunately the number of wide band drives that cut the mustard with high frequency playback are few and far between IME.

My speakers are FH3s, using the Mark Audio CHP-70 driver, and they were just a bit too cuddly sounding http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-...-horn-mk3.html
They now have higher frequency assistance http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-...r-tweeter.html

**Dr Bunsen Honeydew** · 06-07-2011, 12:21

Originally Posted by aquapiranha

I think you will find Richard that most would assume a crossover is not really wanted, but is needed. I personally have used an active crossover to good effect and would recommend that route to all who will listen, as I feel it is FAR better both in terms of sound and modus operandi than a conventional passive crossover. However, unless someone comes up with a sinle driver that covers the entire rangoe of human hearing, with equal sensitivity in all areas then I doubt you will be seeing the demise of the passive crossover anytime soon. as for BBC, I am not sure what relevance that has here unless you are saying that the crossovers used there are more complex / problematic?

IMO an active crossover is even worse that a passive one, not only do you get the phase problems associated with all filters, but you get the noise of an active circuit (transistor thermal noise) but also you get all the associated power supply problems. It is just more gumf sitting in the signal (music) path to mess it up.

I will put up a statement and see if anyone can knock it down - There is only one thing better than the best component you can buy, and that is no component at all.

**aquapiranha** · 06-07-2011, 12:58

Originally Posted by Dr Bunsen Honeydew

IMO an active crossover is even worse that a passive one, not only do you get the phase problems associated with all filters, but you get the noise of an active circuit (transistor thermal noise) but also you get all the associated power supply problems. It is just more gumf sitting in the signal (music) path to mess it up.

I will put up a statement and see if anyone can knock it down - There is only one thing better than the best component you can buy, and that is no component at all.

You might be right richard, but I felt that using the active crossover (a Rane AC22B) gave more 'life' to the music and certainly does not mask any detail etc. Passive crossovers are very lossy and also offer an unusual load to the amplifier in most cases, whereas with an active, the frequency sent to each amplifier is commensurate with its corresponding driver. You know all this already so I wont go on about it.

Of course there is no better component than none, that much is obvious, but unless you are willing to put up with deficiencies at the frequency extremes by using a single driver then you have no choice really. I have used both and can live with either so long as the music sounds great.

**Marco** · 06-07-2011, 13:06

How do I use my TRULY WONDERFUL (never heard better speakers in my life) Tannoy Monitor Golds, without any crossovers? Discuss....

Marco.

P.S Richard, you have email!

**Dr Bunsen Honeydew** · 06-07-2011, 13:12

Originally Posted by aquapiranha

as for BBC, I am not sure what relevance that has here unless you are saying that the crossovers used there are more complex / problematic?

Yes I am.

**aquapiranha** · 06-07-2011, 13:12

Originally Posted by Marco

TRULY WONDERFUL

Careful there, the Hyperbole Police have spies everywhere...

**aquapiranha** · 06-07-2011, 13:14

Originally Posted by Dr Bunsen Honeydew

Yes I am.

I thought so. did you post something else recently about BBC style speakers being a bit old hat and not up to the job? I don't think I have ever heard any 'BBC' style speakers if you are referring to the small stand mount type though I have heard Marco's old Spendor S100's, do they fall into that catergory?

**Dr Bunsen Honeydew** · 06-07-2011, 13:16

Originally Posted by Marco

How do I use my TRULY WONDERFUL (never heard better speakers in my life) Tannoy Monitor Golds, without any crossovers? Discuss....

Marco.

P.S Richard, you have email!

With difficulty, you have to tell me what the crossover is doing what part of the frequency range it is tailoring. You could then apply damping to the Tannoy cone to mechanically change that.

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