How do you build a high end home speaker cross over?
Wanting to make my own crossovers for home speakers.
When it comes to designing and constructing the highest performance passive multiway crossover networks it is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL that the designer utilize the complete complex transfer function, as precisely and accurately as possible, for each of the transducers being used in the loudspeaker. Failure to do so would fall far short of what one would truly justify as “high end” or high performance. Without question, the best, most effective and efficient approach is to use crossover design software to synthesize, optimize and model your crossover network designs; an excellent investment if you will be (or expect to be) heavily involved in designing and building high performance loudspeakers. Through an iterative process such software will generate a complete schematic including individual component values from which you produce the component layout for use with either point-to-point or printed circuit board construction.
In addition, in order to achieve the most accurate modeling and synthesis you need to use a loudspeaker measurement system to measure the transducers you will be using (in their enclosures where applicable and after lengthy break-in) and export the measurement data from the measurement system directly into the crossover network design software running on your computer. Though using the measurement system is the best approach to achieving an optimal crossover design it is by no means a necessity – but highly recommended nonetheless. If you choose to use the combined approach then you need to make sure that the measurement system is compatible with and/or specifically supported by the crossover design software.
When it comes to crossover design software two of the most powerful and popular packages are LEAP (Loudspeaker Enclosure Analysis Program) from LinearX Systems and SoundEasy/EasyLab from Bodzio Software Pty. Ltd. With respect to third-party professional loudspeaker measurement systems there are many from which to choose. You would need to determine which will best serve your needs and fits within your financial budget. Links to the Websites for both companies can be found in the Google Docs resource listed below.
That said, there is a third, less desirable option if you’re prepared to compromise a little by foregoing the opportunity to fully maximize your loudspeaker crossover/system optimization in an effort to reduce the your short-term costs: you can, depending on the drive units (and enclosure) that you’re using, use the Leap Crossover Design Service from Madisound Speaker Components. (Madisound is not the only company to offer such services but they are the first that comes to mind.) Again, you will find a hyperlink to relevant Madisound Webpage in the Google Docs resource below.
Randomly combining preassembled crossovers with assorted drive-units is not a recipe for success IF you are truly after a high performance (or “high end”) loudspeaker. On the other hand if you purchase a complete turnkey loudspeaker kit, i.e., drivers and crossover – with or without a loudspeaker enclosure, then you have a much better possibility of constructing a reasonably high performance loudspeaker; the performance of which will depend largely on the kit design, component quality, construction and the producer of the kit. In other words, if a basic loudspeaker kit is carefully designed using the tools I’ve mentioned above then you are reasonably likely to end-up with a loudspeaker that performs well. This is a good option for a first-time (or one-time) loudspeaker construction project, however I personally find it far more enjoyable and rewarding to design optimized, high performance crossover networks for driver combinations and enclosure designs of my choosing rather than someone else’s.
I hope you have much success with your loudspeaker design and construction endeavor.
Loudspeaker Design and Construction Resources
(See the section title “DESIGN AND MEASUREMENT – SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE”)
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhpmqnbb_8cqqcq2gx
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