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Active vs passive crossovers.

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:04 pm
by subharmonic
So I have been jumping around to other forums and trying to wrap my head around upgraded caps and such. Why would going to a active x-over like a DCX/DEQ or Protea or similar not produce better results than $300 crossovers? Is there something else I am missing? Please try and refrain from the usual audiophile bashing, etc.

I am already a believer in speaker wire not making sonic difference to my ears. Interconnects were so minor it is not worth the price difference (Tributary silver vs copper).

Re: Active vs passive crossovers.

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:24 pm
by Bill Fitzmaurice
subharmonic wrote:Why would going to a active x-over like a DCX/DEQ or Protea or similar not produce better results than $300 crossovers?
It would. High priced caps and coils are just as effective in improving your sound as high priced wire, which is to say not at all.
If you really want to bust their balls post this link:
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/91-audio- ... -test.html

Re: Active vs passive crossovers.

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 8:09 pm
by escapemcp
subharmonic wrote:Why would going to a active x-over like a DCX/DEQ or Protea or similar not produce better results than $300 crossovers?
Can't work out the question (the 'not' is throwing me!), but a DCX for xover will give you a fixed xover frequency - done.
A passive XO (even with $300 caps) will change in the short term as the voice coil heats up and in the long term with ageing of the components. The ageing is mainly due to the caps drying out, which maybe the 'better' ones could avoid (or at least delay). However, the VC temperature (which affects resistance, and thus the XO frequency) is a much bigger influence and starts having an effect every time you put more than a few tenths of a watt through your speakers.