Sound crossover what. Crossover for speakers: types and choice. Video: What is an audio crossover for?

What is crossover car audio?- the most significant elements in the composition of high-quality car acoustics It is considered to be a crossover and an audio power amplifier. Also, one of the most important factors for creating an ideal sound picture inside a car is the correct choice and qualified installation of these devices in the car, otherwise you will get high quality sound it will be very difficult.

Crossover

Basically, the device board, which consists of various filters to separate the incoming audio signal into frequencies, is housed in a small housing. For high frequencies, when tuning, they usually take a unit from 80 to 100 Hz, and for low frequencies, the bandpass RC filter is set from 2 to 6 kHz. There are two types of such devices - active and passive. p>

What is crossover car audio?— they differ from each other in that the active module is made of electronic elements, such as operational amplifiers, microcontrollers and others, which require supply voltage. A passive frequency separation device is assembled using components that do not require a power source. In addition, there is some peculiarity in the installation, for example: the active crossover is installed only in the input circuit of the amplifier, and the passive ones are located anywhere, both in front of the amplifier and after it, that is, in front of the dynamic radiator.

It is worth noting an important advantage of passive crossovers, such as its ability to differentiate sound signals for a three-way loudspeaker, using only two channels of the power amplifier. A negative point is the impossibility of setting up the device without modifying the circuit. The opposite is true for crossovers. active use, its controls and settings are located on the outside of the case, so this design solution provides maximum convenience when operating the device.

The disadvantage of an active frequency separation device is its relatively high price, the need for a power amplifier for each channel, as well as the existing possibility of distortion emanating from active components. What is crossover car audio?— crossover selection is made based on the parameters speaker system and the number of bands it has. As for the choice when purchasing and choosing the installation location, as well as fine-tuning it, in this case it would be more advisable to invite an experienced specialist so that there are no problems in the future.

Amplifier

There are times when, after purchasing even an expensive car radio, the amplifier in it turns out to be not of sufficient quality. Why does this happen? One of the important reasons is the small amount of space intended to accommodate the radio and, as a result, the inability to implement an amplifier with higher power in the system. Therefore, car owners who want to get a high-quality sound picture install an additional amplifier.

Amplifiers installed in a car come with one amplification channel (monoblock), two-channel (stereo), three-channel (stereo + another channel for a subwoofer), there are also four-channel ones designed to amplify sound in the front and rear speaker system. There are also amplifiers for five and six channels.

What criteria should you use to choose a car amplifier?

What is crossover car audio?— the first thing you need to pay attention to when buying a device is the rated power, which should be approximately 15% less than the power of the speakers. If this dependence is ignored, the acoustics may simply “burn out” soon. Another important parameter is the total load resistance with which the device can effectively operate.

A complex of several amplifiers creates the conditions for their inclusion in a bridge circuit, in which the total output power increases in proportion to the connected amplifiers. Basically, this connection scheme is used for use in a subwoofer. Industry produces a large number of amplifier equipment with already integrated crossovers, however, the use of external devices greatly simplifies the setup and maintenance of car acoustics.

Installation specifics

The relatively small dimensions of the car amplifier allow it to be installed in various places in the cabin. One of these options is the lower part of the rear shelf, which can be secured there using self-tapping screws or in the space of the wing. At self-assembly subwoofer or its production to order creates an excellent opportunity to immediately install an amplifier inside the housing. But it must be taken into account that it gets quite hot during operation, and therefore it is necessary to provide the amplifier with sufficient cooling.

In order to install an acoustic system in your car without incurring very high costs, the smartest thing to do would be to take coaxial or broadband speakers, installing them in regular places in the car, and use amplifier built into the car radio. In the future, if necessary, the installed audio system can be upgraded by adding an active subwoofer made in its own housing.

When installing a modern stereo system in a vehicle, the owner needs to choose the right crossover. This is not difficult to do if you first become familiar with what it is, what it is intended for, and as part of which speaker system it will work.

Purpose

A crossover is a special device in the structure of the speaker system, designed to prepare the required private range for each of the installed sound speakers. The latter are designed for operation within certain frequency ranges. If the frequency of the signal supplied to the speaker goes beyond the range, it can lead, at a minimum, to distortion of the reproduced sound, for example:

1. if the frequency is applied too low, the sound picture will be distorted;
2. when applying too high a frequency, the owner of a stereo system will face not only sound distortion, but also failure of the tweeter (high-frequency speaker). It may simply not withstand this operating mode.

Under normal conditions, the task of a tweeter is to reproduce only high-frequency sound, and low-frequency sound, respectively, low-frequency sound. The mid-frequency band is fed to the midwoofer - the speaker responsible for the sound of mid-frequencies.
Based on the above, in order to reproduce car audio with high quality, you need to select the appropriate frequency bands and feed them to specific speakers. To solve this problem, a crossover is used.

Crossover device

Structurally, the crossover includes a pair of frequency filters that operate as follows: for example, if the crossover frequency is set to 1000 Hz, one of the filters will highlight frequencies below this indicator. And the second is to process only the frequency band exceeding a given mark. Filters have their own names: low pass - for processing frequencies below a thousand hertz; high pass – for processing frequencies above a thousand hertz.

So, the principle by which a two-way crossover works was presented above. There are also three-way products on the market. The main difference, as the name implies, is the third filter, which processes the mid-frequency band, from six hundred to five thousand hertz.

Essentially, increasing the sound band filtering channels and then feeding them to the appropriate speakers leads to higher quality and natural sound reproduction inside the car.

Technical features

Most modern crossovers contain inductors and capacitors. Depending on the quantity and quality of manufacturing of these reactive elements, the cost of the finished product is determined.
Why are coils and capacitors included in a bandpass crossover? The reason is that these are the simplest reactive elements. They process different frequencies of the audio signal without much difficulty.

Capacitors can isolate and process high frequencies, while coils are needed to regulate the lows. By using these properties wisely, the result can be the simplest frequency filter. There is no point in delving into the complex laws of physics and citing formulas as examples. Anyone who wants to learn more about theoretical foundations, can easily find information in textbooks or the Internet. It is enough for specialized specialists to refresh their memory about the operating principle of LC-CL type networks.

The number of reactive elements affects the crossover capacity. The number 1 denotes one element, 2 - respectively, two. Depending on the number and connection diagram of elements, the system filters inappropriate frequencies for a particular channel in different ways.

It makes sense to assume that the greater number of reactive elements used makes the filtration process better. The filtering circuit for unnecessary frequencies for a specific channel has its own characteristic called slope.

Filters have the inherent property of cutting off unnecessary frequencies gradually, rather than instantly.

It's called sensitivity. Depending on this indicator, products are divided into four categories:

• first order models;
• second order models;
• third order models;
• fourth order models.

Differences between active and passive crossovers

Let's start the comparison with a passive crossover. It is known from practice that the passive crossover is the most common and most often found type on the market. Based on the name, you can understand that passive ones do not require additional power. Accordingly, the owner vehicle It’s easier and faster to install the equipment in your car. But, unfortunately, speed does not always guarantee quality.

Due to the passive principle of the circuit, the system needs to take part of the energy from the filter to ensure its operation. In this case, reactive elements tend to change the phase shift. Of course, this is not the most serious drawback, but the owner will not be able to fine-tune the frequencies.

They are rarely found as separate equipment, but any car amplifier contains an active filter as an integral part. Due to the passive principle of the circuit, the system needs to take part of the energy from the filter to ensure its operation. In this case, reactive elements tend to change the phase shift. Of course, this is not the most serious drawback, but the owner will not be able to fine-tune the frequencies.

Active crossovers allow you to get rid of this disadvantage. The fact is that, although they are much more complicated than passive ones, the audio stream in them is filtered much better. Thanks to the presence of not only coils and capacitors, but also additional semiconductor elements, the developers were able to significantly reduce the size of the device.

They are rarely found as separate equipment, but any car amplifier contains an active filter as an integral part.

We also suggest that you familiarize yourself with the accompanying topic “”.

Settings Features

In order to get high-quality car audio as a result, you need to choose the right cutoff frequency. When using an active three-way crossover, two cutoff frequencies must be determined. The first point will mark the line between low and medium frequencies, the second - the line between medium and high. Before connecting a crossover, the car owner must always remember that it is necessary to select the right frequency characteristics dynamics.

In no case should you apply frequencies to them at which they simply cannot operate normally. Otherwise, this will not only lead to deterioration in sound quality, but also to a reduction in service life.

Passive crossover connection diagram

Video: What is an audio crossover for?

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For an ordinary person who is far from building speakers for playing music, the word “speaker crossover” means nothing. There is a lot of information on this subject on the Internet, including informational articles, as well as videos.

What is a crossover

This “box” is an essential part of the speaker system. This is due to the fact that there are no speakers in the world that can accurately reproduce the full range of frequencies. Therefore, two, three or more speakers are used to build speakers. However, do not forget about “pancakes”. This type of speaker consists of several parts, due to which it boasts a fairly smooth frequency response over the entire frequency range.

A crossover is designed to separate the incoming signal into different components and send them to different speakers of the speaker system. Thus, the tweeter plays only high frequencies, and the woofer plays mid and low frequencies. A crossover is also called a filter.

The following elements are considered its main components:

• capacitor;
• inductor.

Together, these electrical elements “cut off” unnecessary frequencies that are sent to the speakers. By the way, capacitors and coils have different prices. Thus, the more expensive these elements are, the better the speaker system will ultimately sound.

Filter order

From quantity electrical elements will depend on final result. Depending on the number of capacitors and inductors, the filter comes in different orders. If the crossover consists of one element, say a capacitor, then the filter will be of first order. To obtain a second-order filter, the number of elements must be twice as large. The quality of filtering of unnecessary frequencies depends on the order of the crossover. This parameter is called slope and is measured in DB per OCTAVE. The higher the filter order, the higher the slope.

Active and passive

Crossovers are divided into two groups:

• active;
• passive.

Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Active ones consist not only of capacitors and coils, but also of transistors. Thanks to this, the dimensions of the device were reduced. It is difficult to find an active crossover designed in the form individual element. They are basically an integral part of a car audio amplifier.

Passive ones are much more common. The main advantage of this type of crossover is that there is no need for additional power, so they are easy to install.

In addition, passive and active filters are divided into 3 more subtypes:

1. High-frequency, designed to pass a high-frequency signal, cutting off everything else. This subtype is intended for tweeters.
2. Low-frequency ones, on the contrary, cut off the upper frequencies and pass the low-frequency signal through themselves. Used for woofers.
3. Wideband filter, also called Band Pass. This subtype is necessary for cutting off frequencies beyond certain range. It is intended for midrange speakers.

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Crossovers are called frequency separation filters for car acoustics. These filters separate the signal in multi-band speakers into low, mid and high frequencies. It is necessary to take into account before repairing or replacing the built-in crossover in the radio that this is one of the key components of the car audio system, along with the amplifier.

What is it and how does it work?

Due to their design features, car radio speakers are not capable of reproducing the full spectrum of frequencies. Cars are equipped with several speakers, each of which operates within a limited range. Crossover in music is a fundamental component of a multi-way audio system. Thanks to this part, speakers designed to reproduce high frequencies receive the signal intended for them.

If such a device were not present, the tweeters could receive the signal that is intended for the subwoofer. The more channels a device supports, the more speakers you can install.

The speaker and subwoofer crossover is made of 2 main components: a capacitor and an inductor. These simplest reactive elements differentiate the signal.

Varieties and features

Crossovers that are part of car audio systems are divided into 2 main categories: active and passive. The passive element is a more common variety that is more often found on sale. The passive device does not require additional power; it is easier and faster for the car owner to install it.

The disadvantage of this element is low quality. Due to the passive principle of operation, the device takes part of the filter energy to maintain its functionality.

In this case, the reactive elements of the device operating at the limit change the phase shift, which is why the user of the audio system cannot adjust the frequencies as accurately as possible.

Active elements do not have this drawback. They have a more complex internal structure, and due to this, streaming audio is better filtered. In addition to coils and capacitors, such devices contain additional semiconductors, but at the same time have more compact dimensions. Active elements are rarely sold as separate equipment, but are always installed in car amplifiers.

Everyone who is at least somehow involved/involved/involved with audio equipment has wondered about crossovers. For many, this “box” remains a mystery, and it is not necessary to understand what it is, why and how it works. I note that this component is necessary to create a high-quality acoustic system. The thing is that no speaker can reproduce the entire spectrum of frequencies due to its characteristics. There are several workarounds: installing “pancakes”, but this option will not allow you to achieve excellent quality, and installing 2-3-way acoustics. For example, let's take strip 2. It consists of a mid-range and high-frequency speaker (tweeter). This allows each component to be responsible for a specific frequency range, resulting in a clearer picture than just a full-range speaker. What about the role of the crossover? A crossover is a fundamental component of a multi-way audio system. It is this that makes the tweeters “squeak” and creates the atmosphere of the midrange. It is this that divides the incoming signal into frequency ranges (one of the names of the crossover is FILTER). From the above, we can already conclude: the more crossover channels, the more speakers, the more interesting the atmosphere.

The vast majority of crossovers consist of well-known components: capacitors and inductors. By the way, based on the number of reactive elements, they are divided into several groups (price-quality). Why capacitors and coils? The fact is that these simplest reactive elements are capable of differentiating a signal; in particular, capacitors are responsible for high frequencies, while coils are responsible for low frequencies. Operating with them, we get the simplest frequency filter. I will not go into the laws of physics to explain these processes, but those interested can find necessary information in textbooks (technicians may recall LC-CL circuits). As for the quantity, it determines the order of the crossover. 1 – one element, 2 – two. So, the filtering of unclaimed frequencies for a specific channel depends on the number of elements (order). It is reasonable to assume: the more reactive elements, the better. Filtering of unclaimed frequencies has its own name, which many have probably come across: SLOPE OF DECAY. This is a dimensional quantity, its unit of measurement is DB OCTAVE. We discussed what an octave is in the topic about equalizers. Those interested can also find information about decibels. As we have already noted, the steepness of the rolloff depends on the order of the filter and vice versa. The dependence looks like this: the slope of the decline is 6 times greater than the order of magnitude.
The order of the crossover is not the main criterion for dividing into groups. They are divided into PASSIVE and ACTIVE. Both have their pros and cons. I will try to explain the main points.
Passive crossovers are the most common type. In most cases, this is exactly what we meet. As the name suggests, passive ones do not require additional power, and therefore the installation process is noticeably simplified. However, fast does not mean good. Due to their passivity, part of the work expended by the amplifier is spent on the performance of the filter itself, and the reactive elements make their own adjustments to the phase shift. This may not be the most significant drawback, but it is complemented by the lack of fine-tuning capabilities.
Active crossovers eliminate the disadvantages of the previous ones. The point is in their design. They consist not only of capacitors and coils, but also of transistors, which made it possible to significantly reduce the dimensions of the product. As a separate device, they are less common, but any car amplifier has a built-in active filter on board (remember the potentiometers/knobs on the amplifier indicating the selectable frequencies).
This is probably the most basic thing that can be said about crossovers. I hope our article will at least somehow help you in your choice and dispel the darkness over this device.