Is there anyone on here who could help me figure out high-pass and low-pass filters? I was considering asking the Cables, Power, Tweaks, Speakers, Accessories (DBT-Free Forum) but I figured this was the proper place to ask, or rather the better place to ask.
To simplify things, I'm building my own speakers and individually amplifying them so instead of using crossovers/filters within the speakers wiring I figured I'd filter them prior to amplification (i.e. from source to amp, in-line with the RCA cables) but quite frankly I know nothing about filters and the like and everything I've read online is fairly confusing with my limited engineering and physics knowledge. Is there anyone who's willing to help me figure this out? Thanks if you take the time to consider my problem.
You want to use an equalizer, no? But if every speaker is different, then you would need to EQ individually for each speaker. How many channels are you going to need?
Can I ask why you decided not to just use a crossover?
You want to use an equalizer, no? But if every speaker is different, then you would need to EQ individually for each speaker. How many channels are you going to need?
Can I ask why you decided not to just use a crossover?
I'm using 2 drivers per side, the low frequency drivers share an amp and the high frequency drivers share an amp so crossovers don't quite work. EQ isn't useable because I'm using a single source going to both amps. I want to use a filter in line so as to not waste amp power, it's a bit complicated but I figured it's the method that'd have the best results.
The Mini DSP is quite nice looking but I'm trying not to spend money. I'm trying to find information on in-line filters that I could put between RCA connections with a little luck, not a ton of info though. Those links look they'll come in handy when I'm building a bigger build and have more money to spend on it.
I'd have to look at it, but it doesn't seem like what I'm looking for. I found this http://www.t-linespeakers.org/tech/filters/passiveHLxo.html which seems pretty close to what I want, I'd have to figure out how to figure out what caps and resistors I need but I think I can discern this from reading a bit more. Your link seems pretty good and informational so I'll save it for future use. I do have a soldering iron and multimeters, but other than that no test equipment.
If you have variable gain on your amps you should be able to get the passive line level crossover to work without much trouble if you don't you might have to come up with a passive level control. Test everything at low levels so you don't blow the tweeters.
You can get much better results (frequency response, relative levels between drivers, better isolation of each driver from the other ones, lower IM distortion, lower amp power requirements, and better electrical damping of the drivers) with an active/electronic crossover than a passive one. Separately amping each driver in a speaker and handling the crossover electronically really is the most ideal solution for a multi-driver speaker, since you aren't handicapped by the limitations of component availability when designing the crossover and are only limited by the drivers themselves. Ideally, you'd want a DSP based setup tuned for your specific speaker and enclosure design. Of course, as with anything, it isn't a cure-all, and doesn't guarantee great results, but if done right, it can be a real improvement over a purely passive crossover.
To simplify things, I'm building my own speakers and individually amplifying them so instead of using crossovers/filters within the speakers wiring I figured I'd filter them prior to amplification (i.e. from source to amp, in-line with the RCA cables) but quite frankly I know nothing about filters and the like and everything I've read online is fairly confusing with my limited engineering and physics knowledge. Is there anyone who's willing to help me figure this out? Thanks if you take the time to consider my problem.
I think the easiest way to do all this is to just get a car audio processor that can do 3-way active systems (tweeter, midwoofer, sub) and then run it off a 12v power supply. Those have variable settings but of course not infinitely adjustable. Note that if you do the crossovers prior to the amplification you've already split the signal and therefore will need 4channels of amplification to drive the 2 tweeters and 2 midwoofers. The DSP, whether its own unit or built into a receiver, has a real 3-way output for High, Midrange, and Sub-Low (note that others don't - they just have the same number of six RCA sockets as Front, Rear, and Subwoofer); others are ready for 3-way front+subwoofer set-ups (tweeter, midrange, midbass, subwoofer). Some separate DSPs now are designed for integration or fully custom set-ups, and take either amplified speaker inputs (then run them through an ADC, then its own DSP and maybe an analyzer with automatic EQ correction) or RCA line inputs (usually used with regular aftermarket receivers or tablet+USB DAC set-ups, then through the same ADC but usuallywith a different hardware circuit since it's not an amplified signal).
That or use a 4ch car amplifier that has a multiplier function on its crossovers that allows it to get to the range of hi/low-pass filter needed between tweets and mids.
The thing is, the reason why there is such a feature on car audio gear is primarily, back in the analog days, many speakers didn't come with passive crossovers; even when they did, you still had to cut between the midwoofer and the subwoofer. By now they persist for one other reason: time alignment. Most people don't drive Maclaren F1s, and even if they did, there's no point in installing speakers in it when you have a racer V12 behind you, so the main problem is that everyone sits off-center and tweets and midwoofers aren't smack next to each other in fixed cabinets. There was a need to apply time alignment to all channels and synchronize them with the nearest tweeter and the (usually farthest) subwoofer, which means you needed to send analog signals out to delay all tweeters and midwoofers for the subwoofer while delaying the passenger side tweeter and both midwoofers to sync with the driver's side tweeter. All that necessitated the crossovers and separate amplification. And yes, before you ask, properly installed speakers (like angled tweeter mounts) plus this kind of DSP trick can have a nice soundstage presentation all along the dash (I've even listened in one Toyota Vios/Yaris sedan with the drums seemingly coming from the hood) but only from the driver's seat - every other seat gets the sound even more screwed up.
If you have variable gain on your amps you should be able to get the passive line level crossover to work without much trouble if you don't you might have to come up with a passive level control. Test everything at low levels so you don't blow the tweeters.
I think the easiest way to do all this is to just get a car audio processor that can do 3-way active systems (tweeter, midwoofer, sub) and then run it off a 12v power supply. Those have variable settings but of course not infinitely adjustable. Note that if you do the crossovers prior to the amplification you've already split the signal and therefore will need 4channels of amplification to drive the 2 tweeters and 2 midwoofers. The DSP, whether its own unit or built into a receiver, has a real 3-way output for High, Midrange, and Sub-Low (note that others don't - they just have the same number of six RCA sockets as Front, Rear, and Subwoofer); others are ready for 3-way front+subwoofer set-ups (tweeter, midrange, midbass, subwoofer). Some separate DSPs now are designed for integration or fully custom set-ups, and take either amplified speaker inputs (then run them through an ADC, then its own DSP and maybe an analyzer with automatic EQ correction) or RCA line inputs (usually used with regular aftermarket receivers or tablet+USB DAC set-ups, then through the same ADC but usuallywith a different hardware circuit since it's not an amplified signal).
That or use a 4ch car amplifier that has a multiplier function on its crossovers that allows it to get to the range of hi/low-pass filter needed between tweets and mids.
The thing is, the reason why there is such a feature on car audio gear is primarily, back in the analog days, many speakers didn't come with passive crossovers; even when they did, you still had to cut between the midwoofer and the subwoofer. By now they persist for one other reason: time alignment. Most people don't drive Maclaren F1s, and even if they did, there's no point in installing speakers in it when you have a racer V12 behind you, so the main problem is that everyone sits off-center and tweets and midwoofers aren't smack next to each other in fixed cabinets. There was a need to apply time alignment to all channels and synchronize them with the nearest tweeter and the (usually farthest) subwoofer, which means you needed to send analog signals out to delay all tweeters and midwoofers for the subwoofer while delaying the passenger side tweeter and both midwoofers to sync with the driver's side tweeter. All that necessitated the crossovers and separate amplification. And yes, before you ask, properly installed speakers (like angled tweeter mounts) plus this kind of DSP trick can have a nice soundstage presentation all along the dash (I've even listened in one Toyota Vios/Yaris sedan with the drums seemingly coming from the hood) but only from the driver's seat - every other seat gets the sound even more screwed up.
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