Active Crossover

[Alpineforever 10+ year member]

I'm planing on going active for my setup for the fronts. My Sundown SAZ 100.4 amp came in for my door speakers. I'm gonna be running fronts only with this amp because so far what I know is that each speaker needs it's own channel for me to run active. I had been looking at a set of Rainbow PowerLine CS's, I can afford them but want to know if there is something cheaper of comparable quality that can easily handle the power of my amplifier.

I also need help as far as what exactly I'm going to need and how to wire it all up to my speaker amplifier... it's gonna be my first time and I really have no clue what I need to run an active system besides one channel per speaker, any help?

Thanks

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[adas Pro Seller]

1. Active processor- Headunit or outside electronic crossover, as the amps crossover's are not good enough for an active setup.

2. Powerlines are awesome, I was going to get a set but i just went with profi's. Heard nothing but great things about the CS's. There's a few sets by morel and cdt, among others that do greaattt active, some a bit cheaper but many will handle that power.

3. Wiring to your amp is just as simple as the speaker directly to each channel. The inputting rca's control all the signal going to them.

 

[Alpineforever 10+ year member]

Why are the crossovers on the amplifier not good enough? Is it a matter of precision, or do they lack something else?

 

[tcguy85 10+ year member]

Why are the crossovers on the amplifier not good enough? Is it a matter of precision, or do they lack something else?

they lack the ability to band-pass the mids and high-pass the tweeters. the only thing it can do is high-pass the mids.

you'll need either an active capable HU or an external crossover. much easier and preferred to have the HU do it all.

also, any set of comps can be run active. many less expensive sets that'll do well.

 

[Alpineforever 10+ year member]

I don't think my head unit is capable of going active, how much would i be paying for a good external crossover or sound processer?

 

[tcguy85 10+ year member]

what HU?

maybe consider getting a different one if it can't do it.

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

Maybe one of the Rainbow reps will chime in here to elaborate on this.... but I'm having doubts that 100w rms will be enough to get the best out of the CS mids. They are modeled after the Vanadium 7" subs, afterall. I don't know, maybe it is enough power. I just recall other members sending them 2x200-300w rms running passive.

 

[Alpineforever 10+ year member]

I've decided on PG RSD's, so wattage won't be a problem, and my head unit right now is a nakamichi cd-400... so I'm not really wanting to get another Head unit, how much should i be looking to spend on an external sound processor, preferably one that isn't mounted in the dash because i have no room there

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

I've decided on PG RSD's, so wattage won't be a problem, and my head unit right now is a nakamichi cd-400... so I'm not really wanting to get another Head unit, how much should i be looking to spend on an external sound processor, preferably one that isn't mounted in the dash because i have no room there

Memphis 16-XO3 msrp is about $130. They occasionally pop up in the FS section and on eBay for a bit less.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

The only thing that the crossover in the SAX-100.4 lacks is the ability to bandpass the mids. Its crossover can go up to 5khz and be set for either high or low pass. All you need the HU to do is high pass the mids and the amp crossover can do the rest. Most good HUs have a simple high pass on the front and rear outputs. If the CD400 (I know it's a nice unit but I'm not real familiar with the features) doesn't have a crossover in it at all, you can make do with a simple 2-way external unit to high-pass the mids. If you're going to spend more than about $50 on an external crossover to simply high-pass the mids (all the rest is redundant to the amp crossover), you may as well swing for the fences and go ahead and get a good external processor that will do EQ and time alignment as well.

 

[NoobieAudio 10+ year member]

i was messing around and found out my pioneer DEH-1500 can run active....

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

i was messing around and found out my pioneer DEH-1500 can run active....

No, it can't.

 

[tcguy85 10+ year member]

No, it can't.

X2!

 

[Alpineforever 10+ year member]

The only thing that the crossover in the SAX-100.4 lacks is the ability to bandpass the mids. Its crossover can go up to 5khz and be set for either high or low pass. All you need the HU to do is high pass the mids and the amp crossover can do the rest. Most good HUs have a simple high pass on the front and rear outputs. If the CD400 (I know it's a nice unit but I'm not real familiar with the features) doesn't have a crossover in it at all, you can make do with a simple 2-way external unit to high-pass the mids. If you're going to spend more than about $50 on an external crossover to simply high-pass the mids (all the rest is redundant to the amp crossover), you may as well swing for the fences and go ahead and get a good external processor that will do EQ and time alignment as well.

I like this solution, and would i need one crossover, or one for each side?? I know my head unit can't set crossover points so thats out of the question. Thanks for all the help guys, and a surprising lack of sarcastic remarks for this forum. Lol.

 

[twisztdauthorit 10+ year member]

not trying to thread jack but...

Can my orion 8004 run active?

I think it can but just running by the pros.

On pics of the amp it looks like both channels have a low and highpass.

specs:

• 2-way active selectable crossovers and high-level inputs (model 4004)
  
• Separately adjustable, variable 2-way active crossovers with proprietary Copy/Master control circuit for RCA outputs (models 8004, 7005)
  
• Copy/Master feature supports high-pass, low-pass, or bandpass configuration and gain matching for multiple amp systems

my headunit is the alpine 9856. Not sure if i can set crossover points on this model