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In the Forum: Horn-Loaded Speakers
In the Thread: The European Triode Festival’s horns
Post Subject: A crossover around active elements is another storyPosted by Romy the Cat on: 12/22/2007

 Markus wrote:
Very interesting discussion. I have taken a close look at Marco's horns and am thinking about using them in a horn installation. I plan to use the TAD 4003 from, say, 1 to 8 kHz, and a tweeter above that.

I would love to use horns below 1 kHz but will prbably have to do without for space reasons. I'm thinking about the TAD 1102 between 200 Hz and 1 kHz and the JBL 1500AL below that. Doing the 200 Hz crossover properly in passive is almost impossible, so I'm pretty sure I'll use an active crossover, but I haven't decided about the 1 kHz point. Anyone have experience with passive versus active at that frequency?

Be careful between that 200Hz-1kHz–it is VERY critical region. You might try also JBL LE8 - it is proven phenomenally sounding driver for your range.

About the crossover: I do not know what would mean “almost impossible”. I also do not understand why people question “passive versus active”. Active crossover implies multi-amplification and if so then the question should ne not passive versus active but multi-amping of not. If a person has selected to go multi-amping then there is no doubts in my mind that “proper” crossovering should be implemented at line-level passive. There is absolutely no need to introduce in signal chain another active element juts become you need to introduce a slope for a given channel. Any amplifier provides plenty opportunity to stick a filter in it: in input, in feedback, on plate, between stages and in many other locations… In many instances those filters improve the amp itself.

The crossover around active elements is another story. You need to make firstly as stage (buffer) or two that would be absolutely transparent for sound before you even think to use filter in that buffer. Have you seen too many absolutely transparent line stages? I do not think so…

The Cat

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