I have 2 sets of componets with ext.crossovers being wired to a 5ch amp I want to run the tweets to ch1/2,the mids to ch3/4.The amp has int crossovers.Do I need to use the crossovers supplied with the speakers? If yes,what goes where???Should I just bridge ch1/2 and ch3/4 then go to the ext xover? What's the easiest way??? (besides only using 1 pair of components) Thanks
If you're going to use the xover that came with the components, then you can't separate the tweeters from the mids. The xovers were designed with all of it's components attached, so if you omit one, then you're basically creating 0 ohms in the circuit. Eventually, it'll blow your xover. Most of the xovers built in the amps aren't suitable. If you want to separate the components, then get active xover. That will let you do it properly.
If you're going to use the xover that came with the components, then you can't separate the tweeters from the mids.
Yeah thats the case with most components, but some of the higher end stuff have passive biamping capabilities. My Q's crossovers have both high and low inputs and a lil jumper you can set to isolate the low and high pass filters.
I really don't see a lot of advantages in going the passive biamping route other than a bit more headroom and added tweeter level control. Going active can help more as most passive crossover networks suck a bit of power. You just have to be careful not to fry your tweets. Without the protection of a passive high pass filter low frequencies can damage your tweeters. Improper crossover settings or turn-on thumps can do a number on them.
Adding to the above, you can have an open load on a crossover IF and ONLY IF it is a 6db/oct (1st order) crossover. 2nd order (12db/oct) and above will damage the amplifier. The reason is that with a 1st order crossover, you only have an inductor in series with the speaker, and if the speaker is disconnected, you disconnect the load fully from the amplifier. With 12db/oct and above, you have a capacitor in parallel with the circuit, so even with the speaker disconnected, the amplifier still sees a load.
So if I blow a midrange or tweet on my components I can damage my amp?
I'm confused. If you have a number of paralleled components, taking one out(blown speaker) should raise the equivalent impedance(load). How is that bad for a solid state amp?
Does it have something to do with removing a resistive component of the impedance(power dissipating driver) yet keeping a reactive one(cap)?
If it were to blow and create a short (or low resistance, anyway), then yes you risk damaging your amp due to the load presented.
"I'm confused. If you have a number of paralleled components, taking one out(blown speaker) should raise the equivalent impedance(load). How is that bad for a solid state amp?"
"Does it have something to do with removing a resistive component of the impedance(power dissipating driver) yet keeping a reactive one(cap)?"
Your second paragraph is hitting the nail. Since you are removing a resistive (ideally resistive, but a speaker isn't totally resistive) component and only relying on inductors and capacitors (being reactive), their reactance changes with frequency as you already know. At frequencies below or above the crossover point, depending on the component, the impedance would be very low and not acceptable in terms of what the amplifier is stable to. With an inductor, anywhere below the crossover frequency, you would have a no load (almost) situation, and with capacitors, as frequency is above the crossover point, you have a no load situation. Without the speakers impedance present, you are reducing impedance to almost a dead short at frequencies where the inductor or capacitor doesn't have it's own reactance.
Ahhh.... I was thinking a of a no-load situation being one with infinite resistance(broken voice coil, open circuit).
I get it now. At certain frequencies(high for caps, low for inductors) reactive loads appear as shorts, but wait that doesn't make sense either. If that were the case wouldn't a cap in parallel with a resistive load short out the circuit at higher frequencies regardless of whether the resistive load was present? or are the paralleled components of higher order filters placed in a such a way that these higher frequencies are already filtered out. In other words does that paralleled cap come before or after an inductor? I would assume after.
There used to be a time when I understood how a 12dB/oct filter worked. I think I need a 2nd order filter diagram.
Regardless I guess its not wise to utilize only half of a typical 2 order crossover network, but with my Q's I should be fine using the high pass alone as long as I have it set to the biamp configuration, right?
Lol, I just checked the calender. Looks like its "Lets Pick Jonathan's Brain Day".
"Lol, I just checked the calender. Looks like its "Lets Pick Jonathan's Brain Day"."
I'm finally starting to catch back up on my electronics again, 6 years in sales will do that to you ;)
With a LPF, the inductor is first, in series, followed by the capacitor. So yes, you've got it right, they are placed so that any information will have already been filtered out. In the case of the LPF, the capacitor is used solely because it acts as a short at higher frequencies and diverts higher frequencies to ground, effectively helping the inductor reject unwanted frequencies. And vice versa for the HPF.
1 more question on this,so if I the components are 4ohm,and I use the xover supplied with them,I'm assuming the amp will see 4ohms.Is there a way to wire them so the amp sees 2 ohms?
Yeah, but you'd only be able to utilize 2 channels, wouldn't gain any power, and probably would add a touch more distortion by running your amp at a 2 ohm load.
What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?
A list of your exact equipment along with speaker locations would help us make better suggestions.
I have a 2004 Chevy Avalanche with stock speakers in both the front and rear doors.want to replace them with components.Running a Hifonics 5ch amp that puts out 110w x 4 @2ohms,plus 300 x 1 for the sub.Just want better sound on a tight budget
