Active or not using Focal ISU 570

[MysticMathias]

I just received my new set of Focal ISU 570 for the front doors of my 2013 F150. I'll be running these on head unit power. I'd like to run the tweeters on the front channel and the 5x7 on the rear channel. My question is, how much of a difference will I notice If I buy a 3 way network headunit from pioneer vs a 2 way headunit from pioneer? Is active worth it on my setup? My music source will be Spotify 320 k/b through USB. I haven't bought a headunit yet. The last of my door treatment is coming in today. So I'll start on the door treatment and speaker install this weekend. I plan on running a new set of wire from the doors to behind the factory radio and leaving them there until the aftermarket headunit is bought around BlackFriday.

Click to read more...

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Active crossovers are pointless with coaxial speakers.

 

[MysticMathias]

I agree!
Anyone? Let’s try to stay on the topic of components and using the crossovers or not.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

My bad it brought up ICU 570 (coaxial) when I searched ISU 570s. If you bypass the built in crossovers you would deff benefit by running a 3 way active headunit. But you would benefit even more by running them on an amp and not headunit power.

Are you not going to run any subwoofers?

 

[MysticMathias]

I agree! That doesn’t answer the question though...

My bad it brought up ICU 570 (coaxial) when I searched ISU 570s. If you bypass the built in crossovers you would deff benefit by running a 3 way active headunit. But you would benefit even more by running them on an amp and not headunit power.

Are you not going to run any subwoofers?

The final build will be a 5 channel and a single 12 in a sealed box. I just don’t know enough about subs. I am a little ocd about brands and matching too. I’d like to do a focal sub and a pioneer 5 channel and HU.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

The final build will be a 5 channel and a single 12 in a sealed box. I just don’t know enough about subs. I am a little ocd about brands and matching too. I’d like to do a focal sub and a pioneer 5 channel and HU.

going active is a must with focals, they'll sound good on a sound wall but in a vehicle with reflections and different surface materials and general phase issues inside a car, they can get rather peaky and nasty sounding at certain frequencies at high volumes. Active crossovers will definitely get you amazing results taming all of that naturally that works 100x better than just the EQ.

 

[MysticMathias]

going active is a must with focals, they'll sound good on a sound wall but in a vehicle with reflections and different surface materials and general phase issues inside a car, they can get rather peaky and nasty sounding at certain frequencies at high volumes. Active crossovers will definitely get you amazing results taming all of that naturally that works 100x better than just the EQ.

Thanks for the response. I'm looking at Pioneer's MVH-1400NEX. I'll be running them on HU power at first until I can get the sub, amp, and box built in the near future.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

cant go wrong with that. Just make sure you set it up in network mode with you boot it up. Make sure the time alignment is on front driver and then zero out all the numbers in the speaker level adjustments then work on your crossover tuning. if you feel there's peaks anywhere in the 2k to 6khz range, you can try to leave crossover gap and experiment with slopes to tame the frequencies. Then tune your speaker levels to have both sides even volume, then time alignment an EQ. It should sound pretty sweet even on head unit power but the real magic happens with you add an amp to them and a sub.

 

[MysticMathias]

cant go wrong with that. Just make sure you set it up in network mode with you boot it up. Make sure the time alignment is on front driver and then zero out all the numbers in the speaker level adjustments then work on your crossover tuning. if you feel there's peaks anywhere in the 2k to 6khz range, you can try to leave crossover gap and experiment with slopes to tame the frequencies. Then tune your speaker levels to have both sides even volume, then time alignment an EQ. It should sound pretty sweet even on head unit power but the real magic happens with you add an amp to them and a sub.

Have you heard any of their subs? I'd like to stick the same name brand on my audio... minus the HU and amp.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

mainly heard focal components, people usually pair them with JL, audiofrog or morel subs so i cant really say much on focal subs.

 

[MysticMathias]

mainly heard focal components, people usually pair them with JL, audiofrog or morel subs so i cant really say much on focal subs.

Thanks, maybe I'll go the JL route as its a brand I've heard before. You've been a big help.

 

[MysticMathias]

mainly heard focal components, people usually pair them with JL, audiofrog or morel subs so i cant really say much on focal subs.

So today is install day. What crossover points would you recommend I use for these components? I callled Orca and after being transferred to tech support 3 times some guy answered the phone who sounded like he just hit a line and told me 4K hz on the tweeters.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

So today is install day. What crossover points would you recommend I use for these components? I callled Orca and after being transferred to tech support 3 times some guy answered the phone who sounded like he just hit a line and told me 4K hz on the tweeters.

anywhere between 3khz to 5khz at any slope to start, just need to experiment and see what gives the smoothest frequency response before touching EQ and time alignment.