What exactly does a crossover do?

[01_grandam]

Thinking about adding an Alpine crossover to my setup, but before I bought it I figured it would help if I knew exactly what it even did.

[gicts]

Where in ky do you live? I'd highly recommend going with a component set rather than a co-axil, and def amp them

A crossover is any device that limits the range of frequencies sent to a speaker. Think of a crossover network as an audio traffic cop, directing highs to your tweeters, midrange to your midwoofers and low bass to your sub.

Without a crossover, a messy, sonic "traffic jam" results. Your midrange and sub duplicate too many of the same frequencies and your sub wastes time trying to put out high notes it wasn't meant to handle. A "fatal pile-up" could also occur, with your tweets being destroyed by some renegade tractor-trailer of a bass note thumping along in the wrong audio lane.

Because they're essential, you'll find crossovers in some form almost any time speakers are present. If your home stereo uses a pair of 2-way bookshelf speakers, it uses a 2-way crossover. Within this crossover, a high-pass filter blocks lows and passes highs to the tweeter while a low-pass filter blocks highs and passes lows to the woofer.

http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/S-vkRsQYo6zdd/learningcenter/car/crossovers.html

[01_grandam]

I live in the northeastern part. Thanks for all the advice even though im still kind of confused about it.

[Matt95GT]

Almost all amps have adjustable crossovers built in. If you don't know what it does, then you certainly don't need it.

[GTJEFF]

Originally posted by gicts
Where in ky do you live? I'd highly recommend going with a component set rather than a co-axil, and def amp them

A crossover is any device that limits the range of frequencies sent to a speaker. Think of a crossover network as an audio traffic cop, directing highs to your tweeters, midrange to your midwoofers and low bass to your sub.

Without a crossover, a messy, sonic "traffic jam" results. Your midrange and sub duplicate too many of the same frequencies and your sub wastes time trying to put out high notes it wasn't meant to handle. A "fatal pile-up" could also occur, with your tweets being destroyed by some renegade tractor-trailer of a bass note thumping along in the wrong audio lane.

Because they're essential, you'll find crossovers in some form almost any time speakers are present. If your home stereo uses a pair of 2-way bookshelf speakers, it uses a 2-way crossover. Within this crossover, a high-pass filter blocks lows and passes highs to the tweeter while a low-pass filter blocks highs and passes lows to the woofer.

http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/S-vkRsQYo6zdd/learningcenter/car/crossovers.html

Great explanation.

If you don't know what it does, then you certainly don't need it. Huh?

[Matt95GT]

Originally posted by GTJEFF


Huh?

I've seen quite a few people make expensive audio gear purchases only to find they don't know how to make proper use of it. High-end crossovers, big EQ's, DSP, delay boxes, etc. A separate crossover is going to be redundant if his amps already have them. If it was really needed, that would have been known during the planning phase... not as an afterthought.