Crossover elimination
Shoupaloop
Posts: 7
I have a situation and I just want to run this by a few pros before I decide to alter my system.
I own a pair of 2X15 Soundtech speakers with 2\" compression driver. They are bi-amped (using 3 amps - one amp bridged for each lower end and one stereo amp for both compression drivers.) Lower wattage is 1600 each and the uppers are 350 watts each. I currently use the Driverack as a crossover and Auto EQ. At a gig last saturday, the speaker was knocked over backwards and the 1/4 jacks went completely through the crossover plate. The crossover is discontinued and no longer available. It's quite a complex crossover, so repairing it is a longshot.
My idea is to replace the crossover/connection plate on the rear of the speaker with just two sets of binding posts wired direct to each speaker and let the Driverack be the crossover instead. The min crossover freq on the exisiting crossover is 2khz and I think that I set the Driverack at 2.5 khz. My gut feeling tells me that wiring the speakers direct to the amp and using the DR as the crossover will be fine, but I just want to make certain before I hook it up and fry something else that I can't get a replacement for. I would hate to waste a set of very nice $1500 speakers due to a bad crossover. I've even looked at other mfg's crossovers but can't find anything rated at 900+ wattRMS/1800+ watt program like the originals.
Any thoughts, warnings, or ideas appreciated!
(speakers) Soundtech STUSA215
(amps) Sountech STX1600 and Sountech STX800
Driverack PA
Tascam X17 Club Mixer
I own a pair of 2X15 Soundtech speakers with 2\" compression driver. They are bi-amped (using 3 amps - one amp bridged for each lower end and one stereo amp for both compression drivers.) Lower wattage is 1600 each and the uppers are 350 watts each. I currently use the Driverack as a crossover and Auto EQ. At a gig last saturday, the speaker was knocked over backwards and the 1/4 jacks went completely through the crossover plate. The crossover is discontinued and no longer available. It's quite a complex crossover, so repairing it is a longshot.
My idea is to replace the crossover/connection plate on the rear of the speaker with just two sets of binding posts wired direct to each speaker and let the Driverack be the crossover instead. The min crossover freq on the exisiting crossover is 2khz and I think that I set the Driverack at 2.5 khz. My gut feeling tells me that wiring the speakers direct to the amp and using the DR as the crossover will be fine, but I just want to make certain before I hook it up and fry something else that I can't get a replacement for. I would hate to waste a set of very nice $1500 speakers due to a bad crossover. I've even looked at other mfg's crossovers but can't find anything rated at 900+ wattRMS/1800+ watt program like the originals.
Any thoughts, warnings, or ideas appreciated!
(speakers) Soundtech STUSA215
(amps) Sountech STX1600 and Sountech STX800
Driverack PA
Tascam X17 Club Mixer
0
Comments
Dennis
I'm pretty sure I could get that crossover back up and running...not by next weekend probably..but if your Bi-amping you won't need it. You will need to close the hole in the back... and why would you use binding posts? Why not use Speakon connectors? 1/4 inch jacks are NOT rated (and PLEASE a crossover that's rated at 900 watts
Gadget
The cables I have are 1/4\" and banana. I figured if I went binding post on the speakers, I could just cut the 1/4 plugs off the existing cables and save $150 dollars or so. The amps ends are binding post or bare wire and I came from a home theatre background where everything is binding posts (unless it's spring clip cheapies...) so that was my only reasoning there. I can look into some speakon connectors, but the amp end still won't be.
Yes, I will definitely seal the back cavity off. I was thinking about some thick aluminum plate, maybe sealed with a rubber gasket just to make sure it doesn't leak. I don't have the measurements on the crossover with me, otherwise I could try to find something that drops right in (or enlarge the hole slightly to make it fit.)
You could go binding post to panel mount speakon at the amp rack, and then speakon (NL4..that has 4 terminals ..2 for the woofer 1+ and 1-, and 2 for the tweeter 2+ and 2-...) 4 conductor cables for the runs to the speakers (thats how we do it in prosound these days...)
G
P.S. there are some tips for bi-amping any 2 way system (15\" woofer and 1\" exit tweeter) in the FAQ section...
http://www.dbxpro.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1081
Again, thanks for the useful info!
Since a speakon NL4 is one plug, that carries 4 connections... then a 4 wire
cable (or 2/2 conductors in a pinch... just doesn't look a professional) so you would only need 1 plug... or to parallel out, use 2 plugs... Are you getting this?
G
You can take what Gadjet told you to the next level. You can do a true 3 way system.
I would use NL 8's from the amp rack to the subs, and nl4's from the sub to the top box. Then you can run one cable from your rack to the sub and one jumper from the sub to the top box. Very fast and very neat!!
I know that some of the wire I talked about is expensive but you can get it pretty cheap at Cameltraders,
Remember this, A lot of guys only use one amp rack, and it normally sits closer to one side. That would allow you to have one NL'8 run that was 80 feet long and one that was 20 feet long to save a couple of bucks. There are a few that will argue that doing this will effect the amps damping and it will but not enough for you to notice.
I am lucky and I run two amp racks and I place them right behind each stack, They cable runs are very short but you must run power to each side.
Good luck