DRPA Crossover Settings and 2 Way Speakers

mpyne

Just purchased Driverack PA+. New to live sound. Trying to get the most out of a several diifferent system configurations (sometimes small room gigs, sometimes outdoor stages). When I cluge everything together for outdoor sound I'm looking for ways to optimize my DRPA+ crossover settings keeping in mind that I have two sets of drivers with internal passive crossovers.

Here's my starting point for a 2x5 setup with the DRPA......

High: DRPA to Hi AMP to two Behringer B215XL (1.75" compression driver, 15" woofer - 55-20kHz, 2.0 kHz crossover, 250W RMS)

Mid: DRPA to Mid AMP to two Behringer VP2520 (1.75" compression driver, two 15" woofers - 40 - 22 kHz, 2.2 kHz crossover, 500 W RMS)

Low: DRPA to Lo AMP to Behringer B1800X (18" woofer - 40-300 Hz, 175 kHz LPF)

I'm looking for articles or links that might tell me 1) X-over settings when dealing with two-way speakers; 2) how to bypass the passive crossovers (if needed). I guess I'm trying to milk my admitedly "weak" system for all its got - we are a classic rock band with great interest in a pretty powerful low end. From the articles your forum has posted I'm a little worried about driver outputs stepping on each other so it seems like getting the crossover settings right should be on the top of my list.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks!
Mike

Gadget

UUFDA!

Decidedly weak...kind of an understatement with this statement you made...

we are a classic rock band with great interest in a pretty powerful low end.

Not trying to be mean... but that ain't gonna happen...not with a 3" voice coil stamped basket 400 watt (RMS) speaker...(that 1800 watt figure is a PEAK power for a millisecond or so capability...)It would take 8 of these to even goive decent bass output, and nothing in the sub frequency range)

40 Hz - 300 Hz frequency range (-10 dB), impedance 8 Ohms

especially since they are 10dB down @ 40hz...that means they are probably 3dB down @ 50-60hz meaning that they are basically lo mids... not subs at all...

I have a couple of the B215 speakers in for repair and they are ... very UN-impressive. The amps smoke if you push them the drivers are simply not made for loud rock music re-production...

That said, you have another problem in the coverage patterns. They are 90x40 and 80X50 tops, and they don't play well more than 1 per side...Plus with a 15" mid and a horn that are probably crossed in the 2K range the 15" are beamy in the midrange...


Again I'm sorry, I'm just trying to point out the weaknesses of what you have...It's going to be tough.. even with the Driverack to make this all work even marginally with loud R&R..

I'll be back with some recommendations, but meantime I need amp info... and you should start reading..
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Gadget

mpyne

Gadget, thanks for the quick reply and for taking the time to consider my system. Economic restraints prompt me to re-write my post FROM "great interest in a pretty powerful low end" TO "I'll take whatever I can get".

My three amps are all Behringer: EPX3000 for the High, EP4000 for the mid, and EP2000 (in bridge mode) for the low.

From what I've read from your posts, I was hoping to strengthen the bottom end by optimizing power to the mids, and at the same time take the horn out of the mid speaker set to avoid/reduce coverage pattern conflicts.

Mike

Gadget

So is it one sub only? Oui Vei...

Behringer's Eurolive Series of PA speakers gives professional quality sound, massive amounts of power as well as key features, at a cost far below so-called high end PA systems. Eurolive PA Speakers have long-excursion drivers for massive acoustic power

Ya right :roll:

Man I guess I ... :? :? :? well I guess I would just disconnect the horn in the VP's and simply use those as more subs...(there I go using that word again... :roll:

So set the tops up to go from 120hz up ... use a LR 24 filter...
set the 18's up @ 45hz BW18 have IT cover the 45-60hz (BW24) and have the VP's (BW24) 50 to 120hz LR24...

It's a bandaid in my opinion but it's all you can do at this point unless someone else has some other idea...

G

mpyne

Thanks Gadget. I'll give your suggestions a try and let you know.
Mike