3-way active

[Kenny Pollock 10+ year member]

Alright, just gonna be blunt and ask for what I need:

I have a $300 MAX budget for everything.

I'd like to go active, my goal is LOUD without sounding like shit.

Let's say I can fit any size mid/tweeter in my car.

I have a Pioneer Premier DEH-P880PRS... so if I need an additional component for the 3-way setup, then include that in the $300 budget.

I have a Sundown Audio 100.4 to power this. Specs are as follows:

CH1+2 : 10 - 100 Hz SubsonicCH1+2 : 50 - 5000 Hz HPF

CH1+2 : 35 - 2500 Hz LPF

CH3+4 : 10 - 100 Hz Subsonic

CH3+4 : 50 - 5000 Hz LPF

CH3+4 : 50 - 1000 Hz HPF

12dB per octave crossovers

CH1,2,3,4 : 35 - 120 Hz variable 0 - 18dB bass boost

100 x 4 @ 4 ohms

150 x 4 @ 2 ohms

300 x 2 @ 4 ohms

What do you recommend (links please)?

Thanks in advance //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Click to read more...

 

[j3bus2k3 5,000+ posts]

For a true 3-way active setup, your going to need 6-channels of amplification. What you can do is use channels 3&4 for your midbass drivers only and then 1&2 could be run to a passive crossover whereby it'll be split to your midrange and tweet.

A simple 3-way crossover can be had from most companies; Kicker, Memphis, Coustic, to name the ones I've looked at.

The most talked about midbasses I read about are the Dayton reference 7" and 8", ID CX64, AA Poly and Adire Extremi 6.8. You cant go wrong with either of those choices really.

Midranges: Usually the dayton 2", vifa D75 or the Coustic Reference DR-304P.

Tweets: Theres wayyy too many to list and link and my clickin finger is tired, lol. Dayton RS, Dayton DC25, Seas, vifa, scan speak, Morel, Rainbow Cal25...

We can all speculate as to which speaker is the best of the bunch but they're all going to sound different in everyone's different install. It just comes down to what you like and what fits the budget...

 

[dalucifer 10+ year member]

i use AA poly mids..And vifa tweets..Set cost me around 120..Gets loud and sounds great..

 

[Kenny Pollock 10+ year member]

So I'm gonna pickup a Sundown 100.2 and have 6 channels at hand...

Which crossover should I buy? http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?&Webpage_ID=3&CAT_ID=48&ObjectGroup_ID=194&SO=2

I wanted to go with AA Poly mids, but I've hard nothing but bad tinsel leads... not sure if I want to mess with them.

 

[dbornotdb 10+ year member]

So now you want to go with a 3-way set-up?

 

And those crossovers you linked are passive crossovers.

 

[Kenny Pollock 10+ year member]

I'm just getting a lot of conflicting information....

Some say a 3-way setup will be just as loud as what we were planning, just sound better...

I just want to do things right, and not have any problems I have to go back and fix. And I'm a n00b, sorry about the wrong crossover link.

 

[dbornotdb 10+ year member]

Thats cool, a good 3 way will sound better than the 2 way, but more amps needed to do so.

 

Like was mentioned earlier, you need an electric crossover.

 

[azngotskills 10+ year member]

OK i will make it easy for you and give you what I would do. Here are the drivers:

Tweeter: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=275-130

Midrange: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=285-020

Midbass: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=295-376

Each driver will have its own channel of amplification using the 100.4 and 100.2. You dont need and external crossover, just use your prs880 for crossing your tweet, mirdrange, and midbass drivers and you amp to low pass your subs. TA on the prs880 can only be used for the frontstage, but since lower frequencies are really localized justing adjusting phase should be ok.

Front RCAs to tweeters, Rear RCAs to midrange, and Sub RCA to midbass and sub (you will need to split the RCAs using RCA y-splitters for this). HP tweets at ~4000hz, BP midrange ~4500k-600hz, BP or LP midbass ~500-63hz, and LP sub ~63hz using the amp crossovers . These are generic crossover points and you need to decide which crossovers frequencies and slopes are specifc for you and your car. The tuning process takes the longest and is the most tedious process in an active setup FYI. Hope this helps and clears any questions //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

Just stick with the 2way.

A LOT less headaches.

nG

 

[Kenny Pollock 10+ year member]

Thank you!

I was talking to jntar and j3bus who both recommended the same exact Daytons, so I'm set with those.

Thanks for the information bro!

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

I'm running 2 pair of the AA poly mids and have never had any tinsel lead slapping problems and I play them plenty loud. Mine are only about 6 months old, so maybe it was the first few runs of them.

Aren't you going CRAZY with the subs? If so I'd personally recommend 2-4 pairs of REV coax's as I doubt KILLER SQ is your goal, so why hassle with comps and going active. REV's will get plenty loud and keep up with your subs and they do sound good...

 

[alphakenny1 10+ year member]

to be honest stick with a 2 way front stage. much easier to tune and less on the wallet. i think honestly think with your goals, getting loud and still sound good, a good 2 way setup can do that well. the real advantages to a 3 way up front is staging and imaging also of course tonality. but a 3 way up front you would usually put the midranges in the kicks and hence decreasing the path length differences which is good for imaging. then with midranges in kicks, the speakers are physically farther away from you and hence a deeper stage. but if you just want to get loud and sound good without worrying too much the of staging and imaging, stick to a 2 way.

 

[T3mpest 10+ year member]

to be honest stick with a 2 way front stage. much easier to tune and less on the wallet. i think honestly think with your goals, getting loud and still sound good, a good 2 way setup can do that well. the real advantages to a 3 way up front is staging and imaging also of course tonality. but a 3 way up front you would usually put the midranges in the kicks and hence decreasing the path length differences which is good for imaging. then with midranges in kicks, the speakers are physically farther away from you and hence a deeper stage. but if you just want to get loud and sound good without worrying too much the of staging and imaging, stick to a 2 way.

True, I can't imagine going for a 3 way for volume. You might as well just run a whole bunch of 2 way comps if that's your main goal.

 

[theothermike 10+ year member]

kenny id say go three way passive, i dont think you really have any idea how much tuning and finding your best x over point, staging and everything it will take. I going 3 way passive with my 100.4 on my cdt hd-642 and that alone will still be much much much tuning and imaging and staging. i would if i were you go with some kicker ss6's or maybe a nice set of rainbow germs or maybe some cdt m6/drt-26 tweets.

Mike

 

[BlackMaxima 10+ year member]

OK i will make it easy for you and give you what I would do. Here are the drivers:
Tweeter: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=275-130

Midrange: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=285-020

Midbass: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=295-376

Each driver will have its own channel of amplification using the 100.4 and 100.2. You dont need and external crossover, just use your prs880 for crossing your tweet, mirdrange, and midbass drivers and you amp to low pass your subs. TA on the prs880 can only be used for the frontstage, but since lower frequencies are really localized justing adjusting phase should be ok.

Front RCAs to tweeters, Rear RCAs to midrange, and Sub RCA to midbass and sub (you will need to split the RCAs using RCA y-splitters for this). HP tweets at ~4000hz, BP midrange ~4500k-600hz, BP or LP midbass ~500-63hz, and LP sub ~63hz using the amp crossovers . These are generic crossover points and you need to decide which crossovers frequencies and slopes are specifc for you and your car. The tuning process takes the longest and is the most tedious process in an active setup FYI. Hope this helps and clears any questions //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

he can also use a ARC Audio MX-3, 3-way active crossover

as a 3-way setup, and you dont realy need 3 amps for a 3way setup. you can use the MX3 and 3 amps or you can use a MX1 for a 2-way or 3-way setup.

PS: i would say go 2-way setup, the 4chn amp you have plus the MX1 is perfect for a 2way

PSS: go passive, its cheaper.

HERE:

http://www.arcaudio.com/arc-05/pdf/MX1.pdf