Crossover Point for Sub vs. Front Speakers

[tracyrick 10+ year member]

Installed my MB Quart QSC216 and JL 12W6v2 and both sound amazing. Looking for advice on crossover points and frequencies. Most common appears to be 80Hz and -12db slope, so I'm starting with that and it sounds good so far. I listen to metal and prog rock.

If I go down to 63hz (my next lower option available on my Alpine HU), would this make any sense? Why would I want my front speakers to handle that much more low frequencies (17hz more) and my sub handle less? Curious because I've seen some people recommending 63hz.

Also, would it make any sense to go higher than 80hz?

Yeah, I will spend lots of time listening and adjusting myself, but looking for some OP thoughts on this also.

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[ultimate157 5,000+ posts]

It depends on how well your equipment will handle those frequencies. If your sub can do up to 80hz and your comps down to 80hz and sound great doing it, then thats a good place to stay.

If your sub sounds better crossed at 63hz than at 80hz, then its not as strong up top. However, in the same situation, your comps might not be able to handle the lower frequencies and could sound horrible.

Its a huge tradeoff/adjustment/preference decision to make. Only time will tell what your setup is capable of //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

And one for the hell of it: Install dependent //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

 

[Boulderguy 10+ year member]

My guess is it wouldn't improve anything. But experiment!

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

The front high-pass and the sub low pass don't have to match. Mny times it sounds better if they don't. Experiment with overlap and under lap as well as sub phase and figure out what sounds best to you. Play with the "Bass Focus" time alignment feature, too. It can helo a lot in getting the front stage to blend well with the sub.

 

[floorlamp]

You also might want to consider how a higher crossover point will effect your "soundstage". Ideally you want all the sound you are hearing to appear to be coming from in front of you (as if you are actually watching the performance). Higher frequencies are more directional. Which means the higher your crossover point the more obvious its going to be that bass is coming from your trunk.

 

[Thnking 10+ year member]

You're going to find that barely any 6.5" or lower speakers can reproduce 100-80hz well. Dropping the point is probably going to give you more issues with the front speakers. Personally i like to keep my X-over point as high as possible(90-120hz), unless I have large dedicated mid-bass installed.

Just because people recommend it doesn't mean it's correct.

 

[Boulderguy 10+ year member]

^^ Agree.

90 hz is my favorite in most SQ systems.

 

[Frankensuby 10+ year member]

I'd have to say it is also dependent on power each speaker is getting and what it can handle at a given power.

For example, my R's are getting and are rated at 70 RMS at full tilt, BUT, my speakers never get to full tilt. Because of this, I find that I can get away with pushing the speakers into the 63Hz range without too much audible distortion.

When I go to push them, I find I have to turn the HPF to 80 hz.

I never need to push them up to 100HZ, because by the time my speakers need to go to that, my ear need to be replaced.

Another thing is to look at the speakers limits. if it says that the speaker is rated to 120 RMS, and that it can go as low as 30 hz, it most likely will not be able to perform 120 RMS at that 30 Hz. It might not even be able to take 35 RMS at 30 HZ. The 120 RMS might be at 150 Hz cleanly. Of course it is up to the build design and materials used in the speakers design.

I find at about 50% or more my Type-R's need to be switched up to 80 Hz. I'd be willing to bet they can't handle clean 70 RMS until 125 Hz or better.