Crossover and Subsonic

 

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difference and function of each?
 

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Unregistered guest
Zapco Crossover... limited freq response??

I read that audible hearing is around 20Hz to 20kHz..

now i am looking to get all zapco processors for my sound system.. but there crossovers (slx-2 in particular) has a freq. response of only 50Hz - 10kHz. If zapco is a high end company why only the limited range? I see cheaper crossovers with ranges up to 20kHz.

I know i am probably missing something about that model or how a crossover works in general so please explain.. I want a very good mid/high response from my amp and if im spending the money i want to know im getting that.
 

Silver Member
Username: Mikechec9

Chicago/atlanta

Post Number: 626
Registered: May-05
subsonic filters block frequencies below which will be audibly heard. low frequencies that could potentially damage the speaker if reproduced. these are often used for ported enclosures. sealed enclosures use the air sealed inside as a spring/cushion to keep it from being damaged. so you don't typically use filters for sealed boxes (unless you overpower your drivers like i do).

xovers prohibit frequencies above a certain frequency from being reproduced. unless it is a bandpass in which case it prohibits above and below a certain frequency.

i believe zapco reference amps include subsonic filters which are nondefeatable.
 

Gold Member
Username: Invain

Michigan United States

Post Number: 3419
Registered: Aug-04
Crossovers to not only prohibit frequencies above the set point. I think people get confused between subsonic filters, and crossovers, when they are actaully the same thing. There are 2 different kinds of crossovers, passive (with caps and inductors), and active (digital). No matter which kind of crossover you are using, there are 3 different modes: Low Pass, blocks higher frequencies, "let's low frequencies pass". High pass, blocks lower frequencies, "let's high frequencies pass". Bandpass: Lets the spaker play in a range, think of it as a hp and a lp together, a bandpass will have two frequency points, one the lowest, and one the highest.

A subsonic filter is nothing more than a highpass filter. When a highpass filter is set low, such as 30 hz, and used on a subwoofer, people tend to call them subsonic filters.
 

Silver Member
Username: Mikechec9

Chicago/atlanta

Post Number: 627
Registered: May-05
true. but i believe the distinction was asked to be made regarding subs since subsonic filters are only used in such applications. i.e., sound below frequencies you can hear (subsonic). thus, any xovers for subs (such as the ones on amps) are only going to prohibit frequencies above a certain point from being reproduced. the other filter (subsonic) is going to prevent frequencies below a given xover point.
 

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ok... subsonic cuts off freq below a tuning point and crossover above..

next question.. my amp in its specs states freq. response 10Hz - 20kHz.. but the crossover on the amp says 50Hz - 6kHz.. does that mean if im using it as a mids/high amp the highest i can play is up to 6kHz.? (it also has LPF, Full, HPF switch)
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

Wisteria, Lane USA

Post Number: 8958
Registered: Dec-03
on a crossover, there's no real need msot times to cross anything over higher than 10KHz, or lower than 50Hz. Below 50Hz you'd lose the useful range of most subs, taking into account the enclosure and cabin gain.. and most tweeters, aside from a few hard dome supertweeters, won't need to be XOed any higher than 10,000Hz. Certainly nothing on a dedicated amplifier will need to be. Those hard domes are ultra sensitive and usually get wired in series with larger, soft dome tweeters just to cover ultra-high freqyuency ranges if they're used.

anyway it's just a matter of useful range. Nothing to do with the ability to make a crossover that could go wider for freq ranges.
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

Wisteria, Lane USA

Post Number: 8959
Registered: Dec-03
oh and the subsonic filter is used to prevent unloading with a ported subwoofer, or just to prevent a waste of power trying to produce unheard frequencies in a sealed sub.
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