[stereocilia]

You might already know:  Supposedly, Rane makes good crossover, too.  I haven't used or heard it, this is just based on reading.  Many good things have also been said about Marchand Electronics crossovers.

[Rick Craig]

You might already know:  Supposedly, Rane makes good crossover, too.  I haven't used or heard it, this is just based on reading.  Many good things have also been said about Marchand Electronics crossovers.

The DSP crossovers are best in terms of flexibility. A basic active with symmetrical slopes works fine on a subwoofer but offers limited help with shaping the response in a 2-way / 3-way, etc.
The Digmoda amp/crossover units are a good alternative.

[jtwrace]

The DSP crossovers are best in terms of flexibility. A basic active with symmetrical slopes works fine on a subwoofer but offers limited help with shaping the response in a 2-way / 3-way, etc.
The Digmoda amp/crossover units are a good alternative.

agree 100%

[roscoeiii]

I will be home in a few days and be able to set-up my newly acquired NHT X2 for the crossover between by dual subs and full range drivers. So this thread came along at a perfect time. The X2 both provides high and low pass crossovers, but also allows for further adjustment of the bass. in order to minimize placement effects of the subs and subwoofer-room interactions. But I am also quite curious to see the effect of the high pass filter, which will not only allow me to take some load off of my drivers, but will also allow me to run balanced cables to my amp, which is said to sound better through balanced inputs. Anxiously awaiting to see what sonic trade-offs there may be. I will dutifully report back once that is set up.

[mjosef]

I would say No to the thread title.
In my experience going active on the speakers, raises the quality bar, even with cheap electronic crossovers. I used a Rane and an ART, over the years mainly to dial in where the crossover points sound best in my system, then I swapped in a Marchand with fixed points. The Marchand has much lower noise floor, and sounded cleaner to my ears.
Going active does increase resolution, sensitivity and dynamics of the speakers. No way I can go back. But does require considerable effort to get there.

[doug s.]

i am with all those on this thread extolling the wirtues of active x-overs.  going active will improve, not diminish the sq if done properly.

but, roy, there is one thing you did not clarify re: your wanting to bi-amp, and that is the present configuration of your speakers.  if you are using normal two-ways w/built-in x-overs, then you need to disconnect the speakers' passive x-overs, and replace that w/the active x-over.

doug s.

[planet10]

going active will improve, not diminish the sq if done properly.

That is the key. If the XO is not transparent it can start to intrude. For a long time i had a set of Acoustat 1+1 and woofers with a Marchand XM26 (?) XO. As things got better the weak point in the system became a haze introduced by the Marchand.... XOs are evil, but sometimes a necessary evil. When i need one, i usually use a line level one, but a PLLXO if i can get away with it.

dave