Anyone know of good active crossovers?


I have a powered sub but can bypass the crossover section to use an active crossover. My problem is meshing the sub to the mains which is a little difficult when the mains are running full range and the sub is being cut off at a steep slope. I'm on a limited budget. I was just wondering if anybody knew of any bang for the buck active crossovers for say $200 or less used or new. If they degrade the sound too much at that price I won't bother. Is there anything at that price to really improve my situation?

Thanks,
J
jrod_215
Waffle35...I have been using four Behringer products for several years with zero problems. The build quality is much better than Marchand crossovers, although I have used Marchand products in the past, and they function well.
The Marchand is amazing. Westlake is great as well if the budget is unlimited. If you're looking at Ashley, stay with the newer models, the old ones were never as good as their reputation. Budget xover? There must be a million JBL actives out there. Speaking of reputation, I can't understand why anybody would use any Berhinger product. They are essentially the Bose of pro audio due to thier quality control issues. I tried being objective and rented a full compliment of thier product line. Bought one piece as the unintentional distortion it produced sounded great as a bass guitar effect.
I have about a dozen home audio electronic crossovers. The best crossovers are quite expensive but worth the money if you have a high resolution system. At the price point of $100 to around $250, I use The RH Labs, Energy EAC, and Sumo Delilah and they are all very good for their price point. I do not own a Paradigm the other members recommended but have also heard it is a good unit and the Ashley is supposed to be decent if modified from it's original form. I'm guessing the Energy EAC is the best value (made in Canada) and is designed by a reputable speaker company so I would put them on my short list if I were you.

E-mail me if you like.

Brad
e-mail: glassaudio@comcast.net
I don't have a camera to update my pictures. That was my setup at home over the summer. It wasn't the ideal setup but my mom thought the system was ugly so I had to make some concessions. (O well) My setup at school is better. I have the speakers pulled out more from the wall with the sub between them.
Are the pictures of your system up to date? Looks like you have system setup problems to me. Is that the subwoofer over in the corner?...if so, thats not a good place for it at all. No crossover will blend that subwoofer, with those speakers...in any way, that will ever make you happy.

The speakers need to come out a little (if they can), and all that stuff between them needs to go, except the little subwoofer...it goes somewhere in there.

If you must keep the TV...get a small stand for it. Move all that other stuff out of there, and move the subwoofer in.

Dave
Thanks for the input everyone. The Behringer is made for pro audio right? How does that work out in a audiophile application?

I'll have to look into the Paradigms.

How does Dahlquist use a passive crossover? Does it have to be used with their speakers to work right?
The Dahlquist DQ-LP1 is perhaps the best sub-woofer crossover you can buy. It's major advantage over other offerings is that the high pass section is 100% passive and therefore does not distort or color the sound from your mains. It has all the adjustments necessary for seemless integration of subs with mains.
The Ashly XR 1001 crossover. Available from www.parts-express.com for $240.

I have the four channel model. I think you can read the owner's manual on the Ashly website.
Another one, Paradigm X-30....around $125 used. It will only degrade the sound, if someone tells you it does. (so, just don't ask!)

I have an X-30 in use, in one of my system configurations...works great.

For a little more money, NHT and SHU Research come to mind. (very hard to find these units used)

I think the HSU hi-pass filter is around $100 from HSU Research...it is hi-pass only.

Dave