Crossover

Crossovers
Manual Reference Pages 222 227
What is a Crossover?
Audio crossovers are a class of

electronic filters designed
specifically for use in audio
applications
Crossovers serve the purpose of
splitting an audio signal into
separate frequency bands which can
be handled by individual loudspeaker
drivers optimized for those bands.
2
What is a Crossover?
They are generally described

according to the number of
frequency bands available (twoway, three-way and four-way).
How it works
It uses bandwidth limiting filters

to separate the input signal into
multiple outputs, each of which
has a steep cut-off below and/or
above its range (24dB/octave is
typical). In some, the cut-off
slope (and in some of those, even
the type of filter:
Bessel/Butterworth/LinkwitzRiley, etc.) is user-determined.
4
3 types of crossover
filters
High-pass
Low-pass
Band-pass
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A high-pass filter will block low

frequencies
A low-pass will block high
frequencies
A band-pass will block low and
high frequencies below and
above crossover points.
Slope
Slope is expressed as decibels per octave.

The rate of attenuation for every octave
away from the crossover frequency
Crossovers do not block undesired
frequencies completely (unless you are
using digital crossovers)
Crossovers cut frequencies progressively
A crossover "slope" describes how
effective a crossover is in blocking
frequencies
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Slope
A 6dB per octave crossover

reduces signal level by 6dB in
every octave starting at the
crossover point.
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15
16
17
18
6db
20
6db
12d
b
21
6db
12d
b
18d
b
22
6db
12d
b
18d
b
24d
b
23
1st order filters have a 6 dB/octave

slope
2nd order filters have a 12 dB/octave
slope
3rd order filters have an 18 dB/octave
slope
4th order filters have a 24 dB/octave
slope
5th order filters have a 48 dB/octave
slope
24
- 6db
12db
18db
24db
48db
63hz
125hz
250Khz
25
500hz
1Khz
Crossover Point
The nominal dividing line between

frequencies sent to two different speaker
drivers.
In a crossover network, the frequency at
which the audio signal is directed to the
appropriate driver (low frequencies to the
woofer, high frequencies to the tweeter).
The single frequency at which both filters
of a crossover network are down 3dB.
The frequency at which an audio signal is
divided.
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There is 1 crossover point in a 2

way crossover
There are 2 crossover points in a
3 way crossover
There are 3 crossover points in a
4 way crossover
Types of Filters
Butterworth filter
Chebyshev filter
Linkwitz-Riley (L-R) filter
Elliptic filter
Bessel filter
Legendre filter
Gaussian filter
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Butterworth filter
It is designed to have a
frequency response which is as
flat as mathematically possible in
the passband
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Linkwitz-Riley filter
2 Types of
Crossovers
Active
Passive
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Passive
Passive crossovers are usually built

into speaker cabinets (typically in the
form of a printed circuit board with
one or more capacitors and/or resistors
and/or inductors mounted on it)
A passive crossover appears in the
circuit after the amplifiers, and divides
the signal that then goes to your
speakers.
A passive crossover has no power,
ground, or turn-on leads and are rather
inexpensive. But, they tend to be
inefficient and can even add some
39
distortion.
Advantages of Passive
Crossovers
Less Amplification needed
compared to active
Less Expensive
No ac power required to operate
nothing to turn on.
44
Disadvantages of Passive
Crossovers
Less Efficient
More Distortion
Fixed crossover point
No level control for individual
frequency ranges
45
Active Crossover
Active crossovers usually come in

the form of a 19" 1U rackmounted box with knobs or
buttons and some sort of menu
display on the front. Some usually with system-specific EQ
settings, delay and limiting
functions - are described as
controllers.
46
Active Crossover
Most active crossovers allow

adjustment of the crossover points,
as well as independent control of the
output level of each frequency band.
An active, or electronic, crossover
does its job pre-amp (taking the
signal directly from the mixer before
it gets to the amplifier)
Needs an external power source.
47
Active Crossover
Active crossovers give you control

over which frequencies you want to
use as the crossover points for bass
mid and treble
Some active crossovers allow you to
customize the crossover slope as well
as the crossover point
Because they filter frequencies before
the signal is amplified, active
crossovers ensure that the amp gives
its full attention to the filtered signal,
48
which is very efficient
BSS
ASHLY
RANE
54
Advantages of Active
Crossovers
Selectable
Crossover Points
Level Control of each band

Better system efficiency
Driver Delay control
Less Distortion
Signal is not affected as much as
with passive crossovers, since
everything is done at low
voltages.
55
Disadvantages of Active
Crossovers
Need separate amps for each

band of frequencies
Increasing systems expense
dramatically
More complex setup
56
57
Active & Passive
58
How To Choose
Crossover
Choose
your crossover Points
points and
crossover slopes by consulting the

frequency response measurement on
your speaker specs.
The frequency response is the range of
frequencies that the speaker can
successfully reproduce.
The frequency response of two
separate speakers (woofer and
midrange, for example) must overlap a
little, or you will hear a "gap" in the
sound.
The crossover point appears within
60
this overlap
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63
18 Driver
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12 Driver
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1" Line Array High

Frequency Driver
Freq. Range - 500Hz to 20kHz
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DSP
Digital Signal Processor
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Digital Crosovers
Also known as loudspeaker

management systems
Give us complete control of all
elements of loud speaker system
including: EQ, Crossover points,
Delay, Compression, Limiting, all in
one unit.
Storable programs and setups ie:
stereo 4 way or 4 x 2way etc.
BSS Omni Drive is one example of
this type of unit
70
Behinger DCX2496
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XTA Loudspeaker
Management
74
XTA Loudspeaker
Management
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LAKE PROCESSOR
LAKE PROCESSOR
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Crossover

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What is a crossover?

What is a crossover?

What are the different types of crossover filters?

What are the different types of crossover filters?

Crossovers

Manual Reference Pages 222 227

Audio crossovers are a class of

They are generally described

It uses bandwidth limiting filters

A high-pass filter will block low

Slope is expressed as decibels per octave.

A 6dB per octave crossover

1st order filters have a 6 dB/octave

The nominal dividing line between

There is 1 crossover point in a 2

Passive crossovers are usually built

Active crossovers usually come in

Most active crossovers allow

Active crossovers give you control

Level Control of each band

Need separate amps for each

Active & Passive

crossover slopes by consulting the

1" Line Array High

Freq. Range - 500Hz to 20kHz

Digital Signal Processor

Also known as loudspeaker

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