My 3-way Passives

[CarlB 10+ year member]

Okay, just got my speakers today (Sunday delivery!!), and im just figuring out how to wire them before I actually get around to doing that (which should be like a week or 2). Anyway, one looks fairly easy. Has 7 connectors:

+/- by 'woofer'

+0dB/+3dB/- by 'tweeter'

-/+ by 'input'

Amp +/- will go to input, +/- from 6.5 will go to 'woofer'.

Should I go +0dB or +3dB on the plus for the tweeter?

The problem starts with the Midrange (4"), its crossover also has 7 connectors:

+/- by 'Output CROSS'

3dB/+/- by 'Midrange'

-/+ by 'Input AMP'

if I go 3dB on the midrange, should I go +3dB on the tweets as well, and if I go + on the midrange, then go +0dB on the tweets?

And how do I wire the rest of the midrange?

Click to read more...

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

Run everything at zero.

The amp goes to the midrange box first. from the mid box (output CROSS) put that to the next xover (input). that should be all, let me know if i missed something.

 

[CarlB 10+ year member]

So I'll only be using two channels of the amp then? works for me

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

who makes your set? and they didnt come with instructions explaining how to hook them up?

 

[CarlB 10+ year member]

Its a used Rainbow set, and there were no instructions.

 

[paikiah 5,000+ posts]

erm, passives are mostly custom made for the driver that it is intended for. It might not be the best idea to use a crossover of a different make. SO mush goes into making a high quality passive crossover, it's not just a simple inductor and capacitor. If the crossover has a Zobel network and an L-pad built into it(highly likely) then it most probably won't sound the way it is supposed to. Sorry to tell you the bad news buddy. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

But yeah, if you still want to use it, then go for all OdB, unless your tweets are further away from your ears than the woofer.

 

[CarlB 10+ year member]

um....what?

Everything I have is from Rainbow. Midbass, midrange, tweeter, crossovers. Its a simple matter of wiring everything how Rainbow intended it to be. Im not mixing and matching anything.

 

[paikiah 5,000+ posts]

that's great then. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

In that case, simple. Wire everything to 0dB and you should be fine, unless the tweet is furhter away from your ears than your midbass. Same thing with your midrange.

 

[CarlB 10+ year member]

My tweets will be closer to my ears. They will be in the A-pilar, the 4" in the kick, and the 6.5" in the door (which will probably be just a bit further than the tweet from my ear, while the 4" is a bit more. How does that change everything?

 

[paikiah 5,000+ posts]

if you had a -3dB, i'd say put it there. If not, just make do with the 0, i'm sure it'll still sound alright. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif The mids, use the 3dB terminal and see whether you like it.

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

yeah that sounds good.