Electronic Crossover vs High End Passive Crossover

**OneTwoThreeFour** · July 13th, 2008 00:40

I don't have nearly enough money to buy a high end speaker, but after some readings here I was really just curious how the two compared.

For instance,

Dynaudio Evidence Temptation with its original crossover vs Dynaudio Evidence Temptation with a really nice electronic crossover(bypassing original crossovers).

Would there even be that much of a difference??? Thanks!

http://dynaudio.com/eng/systems/lines/evidence/temptation.php

While I'm at it, how big of a difference is there between various RCA/XLR cables? And is there any truth to speaker break in? I might as well ask the experts what I've been confused by!!! :-)

Message Edited by OneTwoThreeFour on 07-13-2008 01:29 AM

**IrritateGuy** · July 13th, 2008 01:49

There are inherent "distortions" in all passive crossovers which can be completely eliminated with a good active crossover. Also, there are things which can be easily accomplished in active crossovers which cannot be done effectively, or at all, with passive crossovers. So, in general, a properly designed and setup active crossover system should always vastly outperform a passive crossover made with the same care and loving attention.

That doesn't mean that grabbing a $75 active crossover off the shelf at the local pro-audio store is going to blow away a perfectly engineered passive crossover, but when the same amount care, design effort, testing, and listening go into a proper active system, it is usually the best you can get.

**Altec** · July 13th, 2008 10:26

As IG mentioned, there is no contest, especially when you take into consideration that you can tailor the power amp choice to each driver. For instance you could use a nice tube amp for the tweeter, which needs much less power, and a solid state amplifier for the woofer, which needs more control.

There are basically no really good electronic crossovers available unless you go the DIY route, in which case you can use the best parts you can afford. Just about all the electronic crossovers out there are designed for sound reinforcement work.

Here is a link to one of the crossover kits available.

**OneTwoThreeFour** · July 13th, 2008 18:44

Currently living in fantasy land still, but you'd take a tube amp over a really nice class A amp??

Message Edited by OneTwoThreeFour on 07-13-2008 06:45 PM

**Altec** · July 13th, 2008 20:23

OneTwoThreeFour wrote:
Currently living in fantasy land still, but you'd take a tube amp over a really nice class A amp??

Message Edited by OneTwoThreeFour on 07-13-2008 06:45 PM

Tubes lend themselves to class A far better than solid state does. Single ended triode amplifiers are not only class A, they have only one output tube (usually 300B or 2A3) and typically one input tube, and use absolutely no global negative feedback. The simpler the circuit, the better the sound.

Transistors can be class A, but they must have very extensive heatsinking and large power supplies. Even at that, transistors are not nearly as linear an amplification device as a triode tube. Tube amps can get away very easily without using any global feedback.

Yes, I'd take a tube amp any day.

**DIYer** · July 14th, 2008 00:40

OneTwoThreeFour wrote:
Currently living in fantasy land still, but you'd take a tube amp over a really nice class A amp??

If you go with DIY route, you can get yourself a nice tube single ended amp at reasonalbe cost. That is unless you have a deep pocket, then you can look into something like Cary Audio.

**MDRiggs** · July 14th, 2008 17:34

Except in rare circumstances, a well-designed Class-AB amplifier (never mind Class-A) will do at least as well as anything else, even in a multiamp setup.

**Altec** · July 14th, 2008 17:40

MDRiggs wrote:
Except in rare circumstances, a well-designed Class-AB amplifier (never mind Class-A) will do at least as well as anything else, even in a multiamp setup.

Thank you Mr Riggs for perpetuating the "everything sounds the same" dogma. I would expect no less from you.

**Yesfan70** · July 14th, 2008 19:16

Getting back to the topic, I have to admit I was really floored at how well the Dynaudio speakers me and the other members at the ATL meet compared to my Mackies. The Mackie HR824 is a powered biamped speaker with active crossovers (correct me if I'm wrong).

Sure the Dyns are more expensive and are a better sounding speaker, but what impressed me was all the models of Dyns we listened to had only a single pair of binding posts. To my knowledge, unless you ripped the insides out, you can't biwire/biamp them. Even with the Mackie's biamping and active crossovers, they did not even compare to the Dyns, and the Dyns were powered by a $300 Behringer amp!

**Altec** · July 14th, 2008 19:38

Remember however, the Mackies are a studio monitor, not a home speaker, and one designed for the near field at that. They are voiced in the manner of a studio monitor, and will sound quite different than a speaker voiced specifically for the home market. Many people will like the sound of home-specific speakers rather than the voicing of a studio monitor, and I would lay bets that very few people on the forum have spent much time with speakers other than those voiced for the home.

I would bet that the Mackies are less colored and more "literal" overall than the Dynaudio.

In many ways, you are comparing apples and oranges. Active crossovers in and of themselves have nothing to do with voicing choices of the designers. I would be very interested is seeing a listening position and 1 meter graph of the frequency response of the Dynaudios.

Message Edited by Altec on 07-14-2008 04:43 PM