Active Crossover Recommendations

I am presently running a B&K PT-5, it has an 80hz low pass output, and a 100hz high pass output, and dual mono outputs, it works very well. However, certain amplifiers can tax this units power supply, and hence, it's output abilities, the sound however, is very good.

Wednsday I will recieve my Van Alstien Super Pas 3 tube preamp, it will be interesting to "hear" how tubes compare. I am running a pair of Cerwin Vega 15's for the low end, and Dynaudio/Vifa for the upper registers in a 14x28 room- spl has been mesured at over 140db at full power (given the source). Presently, amplification is two Proton D1200's, and an Audio refinement CD player.

I have experimented with a Crown 3-way active and it was very good, but the more you add the less you get (so to speak) this is why I chose the B&K, simple and yet, good sound for not much money.

Peter, I didn't go quite far enough in my comments. I believe that in a subwoofered system, one needs to run the main system as full-range as it and you can stand. With your 988s, I believe you'd increase their power-handling capacity substantially merely by removing most of the low bass from their signal. That can be done with a 40- or 50Hz hi-pass filter point; I'd start with a 50. Then set the woofers' crossover points and levels wherever you want that SOUNDS good. The point is to keep your fine-sounding main system doing about 90% of the work, and sounding GREAT at it, of course, while increasing power-handling a bit AND adding lo-bass capability. The trick will be to find PLACES for the woofers to blend well with the main system.

I've done something similar in biamping my Eminent Technology 8s. Initially I duplicated ET's c. 40Hz MR hi-pass filter point with an active filter in the amps. I then eliminated the hi-pass filter and have been running the MR panels wide open. I THINK it sounds better. At least I've eliminated the sound of one cap and its inherent phase errors.

If those 'Cary EL34 triode amps' are Rocket 88s, their 150K-Ohm input impedance would create a 48Hz filter with a 0.022µF cap.

Good luck. Pls let us know what you do.
.

Peter,

Try Bryston 10B sub ccrossover with following settings..
High Pass 100 - 110Hz 18 DB slope
Low Pass 50Hz 18DB slope
+3 DB sub volume

or

just run quads full range and use crossover to roll off sub only around 40hz....volume maybe down 1-2db
Dan

Go to the ACI website they have some passive filters in 2 flavors ($30-40) that I am going to try 1st. before I start on the electronic path. I am trying to bi-amp w/ ML-9s.
MMM

Whoops - I guess I've been offline for a couple of days. Jeffreybehr - thanks for your suggestions. In about a month I'll have a preamp that has 2 sets of RCA outputs: 1 with caps that are selected to roll off at 80hz into my 100kohm Cary SLM70 monoblocks, and one without any filters. I will try it both ways: 1) passive filter on the high frequencies and active filter built into the subs, and 2) active filter (Bryston) on both. For now, I can only work with the Bryston, until I get my other preamp.

The sub options include: 1) a pair of TBI Magellan VII's, and 2) a single ACI Titan. The TBI's only have phase reverse whereas the Titan has fully adjustable phase. I'm not looking forward to moving the subs around, but it has to happen! The TBI is very fast, which is why I bought them (to keep up with the Quads). I needed 2 because they aren't that powerful, plus I believe in stereo subs. If the single ACI works, I would likely buy a second.

Thanks all for your comments. Check back on this thread in about a month for a summary of my results (I hope).