DSP vs. active analog crossover vs. passive analog crossover. What is your take?

It will depend on the quality of the electronics that you use as well as the portion of the frequency spectrum you are processing (e.g. just bass frequencies or full spectrum).

Personally, I can always tell when a full frequency signal has been run through DSP and have tried high end solutions like the Legacy Wavelet and DEQX, as well as cheaper soluions like MiniDSP. Especially with tube equipment, DSP tends to null a certain sense of breath and decay, resulting in just a slightly more mechanical sound, even if just in the "nth" degree. For this reason, I will always avoid full-frequency DSP moving forward.

I don't mind DSP to improve bass integration and response, say for 150hz and below. I believe DSP is more effective for the bass than a passive crossover as DSP can be more finely tuned, through phasing / time alignment, parametric EQ, crossover slope, etc. where an analog crossover is more limited.

I like the tone of analog crossovers, but have found them harder to integrate, and if they can't be properly integrated, I couldn't care less for them. I currently integrate my subs with DSP, but I run my speakers throught the full frequency. I guess one more step I could take would be to run the signal going to my speakers through a high-pass filter or analog crossover to possibly make for even better efficiency and control, but I haven't felt the impact would be worth adding another step in the chain. Maybe one day I'll try.

no simple answer to this question.

the crossover should compliment the media, and the degree of room acoustical work that has been done. dsp fixes room<->speaker integration issues. but it’s not the only way to do that. at lower price points and integrated systems dsp does result in a more listenable performance. but past a certain price point it starts to get in the way of signal path purity for 2 channel.

so no absolutes in this question.

it depends....

personally i play at the upper performance levels for 2 channel and home theater. but dsp still has value to me.

i own the ultimate dsp processor, the Trinnov Altitude 16. i use it with my 9.6.3 surround sound system for my home theater. it uses ’object based’ dsp to create soundscapes that do make movies more real. horses for courses, and it’s the ideal solution for those type movie or concert recordings.

for traditional 2 channel i prefer an analog crossover since i’m a big analog recording guy, as well as have no intention of ’double’ converting my digital files with dsp for my 2 channel listening. that would suck the life out of the music. but i do have a separate dedicated 2 channel room. my 2 channel room is purpose built and highly tuned to avoid the need for any dsp. i’ve fixed the room, and retained the purity of my analog signal path.

my 2 channel room speakers have 2 towers per side; each tower is 7 foot tall and 750 pounds (3000 pounds total). one tower per side is passive, from 35hz and up, the other tower is active and powered for under 40hz, (on paper) -3db at 7hz and -6db at 3hz. so serious bass capability. the passive tower rolls off at the bottom and cannot be used as a stand alone speaker. the bass tower uses analog adjustments and gets it’s signal from the passive tower speaker terminal so it’s signal mimics the sound of the main amplifier. the crossover can be adjusted from 50hz down to 20hz for best room integration.

i get awesome performance, considering the years of work i’ve put into the room.

i think many situations can benefit from dsp, but at the tip top of the 2 channel music reproduction food chain it’s a penalty.

There’s not a passive crossover that can do what DSP crossovers can no matter the price. One of the most fascinating speakers around and I would love to hear it is the Genelec W371a. Paired with the 8351b’s or 8361a using GLM 4.2 calibration. Not to mention a complete immersive system. If money was no object this is world class.

https://www.genelec.com/immersive-hub

I agree with @phusis, when I horizontally bi-amped my speakers with an analog active crossover design by the same manufacturer (of the speakers) it brought my speakers three notches above the passive crossover in sound quality. 😎

Mike

See Active Vs. Passive Crossovers (sound-au.com)

i think many situations can benefit from dsp, but at the tip top of the 2 channel music reproduction food chain it’s a penalty.

I agree!

Mike