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What do I need to run active?
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<blockquote data-quote="MiniVanMan" data-source="post: 4056752" data-attributes="member: 573252"><p>There are a number of ways to accomplish this.</p><p></p><p>But first let me lay out what going active really allows you to accomplish. It goes way beyond just setting your own crossover points.</p><p></p><p>First is "Time Alignment". This allows you to adjust a time delay to every speaker so that it sounds like every speaker is equidistant from the listening position. This is invaluable in a car where it is virtually impossible to mount all your speakers equidistant from the driver of the vehicle.</p><p></p><p>Second is "EQ". A lot of times good active processors will allow you to individually tune each speaker's response. This is invaluable when you have a less than desirable mounting position and say your left side tweeter has a peak at 6k, while your right side tweeter is smooth. Good EQs have several bands of EQ available for each channel.</p><p></p><p>So, the easiest way to do it right is use an active capable head unit. Most of the head units that offer active processing nowadays have all three features to some varying degree of precision.</p><p></p><p>The cheapest way to do it is to use an external active crossover like the Coustic XM-6. This offers the ability to choose your crossover points, but does not have time alignment, or EQ capabilities.</p><p></p><p>The better ways to do it are with a unit like the RF 360.2. This is an all in one processing unit that allows for all of the above. It's fairly easy to setup and use. You can get very good results, but it's a bit on the pricey side. There are other units out there as well, like the Alpine H701 that requires an optical out from an Alpine head unit. JBL has a unit coming out here soon called MS-8. Either way though, expect to pay somewhere in the realm of $400.00 on up for a unit like this.</p><p></p><p>The absolute best way to do it? Well, in my opinion is to use a Pro Audio rackmount processor. DBX and Rane have some really nice units that cost a couple thousand dollars. However, the real gem in this category is the Behringer DCX2496 coming in at a cool $250.00. It has processing for days, is a bear to setup, and install in a car, and you need to power it with 120V. The last part ain't a big deal as there's a guy that built a 12V power supply specifically for that unit that costs a little under $150.00. For $400.00 total, the DCX2496 can't be beat for capability, but like I said, you'd better have a ton of knowhow to implement it.</p><p></p><p>Hope this helps. Like other said, your best bet is to probably just get a new head unit, or maybe just get an RF 360.2.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MiniVanMan, post: 4056752, member: 573252"] There are a number of ways to accomplish this. But first let me lay out what going active really allows you to accomplish. It goes way beyond just setting your own crossover points. First is "Time Alignment". This allows you to adjust a time delay to every speaker so that it sounds like every speaker is equidistant from the listening position. This is invaluable in a car where it is virtually impossible to mount all your speakers equidistant from the driver of the vehicle. Second is "EQ". A lot of times good active processors will allow you to individually tune each speaker's response. This is invaluable when you have a less than desirable mounting position and say your left side tweeter has a peak at 6k, while your right side tweeter is smooth. Good EQs have several bands of EQ available for each channel. So, the easiest way to do it right is use an active capable head unit. Most of the head units that offer active processing nowadays have all three features to some varying degree of precision. The cheapest way to do it is to use an external active crossover like the Coustic XM-6. This offers the ability to choose your crossover points, but does not have time alignment, or EQ capabilities. The better ways to do it are with a unit like the RF 360.2. This is an all in one processing unit that allows for all of the above. It's fairly easy to setup and use. You can get very good results, but it's a bit on the pricey side. There are other units out there as well, like the Alpine H701 that requires an optical out from an Alpine head unit. JBL has a unit coming out here soon called MS-8. Either way though, expect to pay somewhere in the realm of $400.00 on up for a unit like this. The absolute best way to do it? Well, in my opinion is to use a Pro Audio rackmount processor. DBX and Rane have some really nice units that cost a couple thousand dollars. However, the real gem in this category is the Behringer DCX2496 coming in at a cool $250.00. It has processing for days, is a bear to setup, and install in a car, and you need to power it with 120V. The last part ain't a big deal as there's a guy that built a 12V power supply specifically for that unit that costs a little under $150.00. For $400.00 total, the DCX2496 can't be beat for capability, but like I said, you'd better have a ton of knowhow to implement it. Hope this helps. Like other said, your best bet is to probably just get a new head unit, or maybe just get an RF 360.2. [/QUOTE]
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