Best budget active crossover?

[socialstealth 0]

I need to cross my tweets around 4k hz, mid range around 500-4000 and midbass around 50-1500

Not exactly sure on the crossover points yet, but its a rough idea of what i'd start with before I get into fine tuning it.

I'm either going to use sundown SAX 100.4 for the tweets and mid range and SAX 125.2 for the midbass drivers WITHOUT AN EXTERNAL PROCESSOR, or buy cheaper amps without the crossover features and get an external processing unit with crossovers on it.

Which do you guys think is a better option?

any suggestions on cheaper, quality amps that lack the crossover features (maybe I'll go for 3 sax 50.4's and bridge each of them )

Any suggestions on a budget processor with good crossovers that I can go active with?

Cheaper is better, and I'm ok with buying used.

the sax100 & sax125 will cost me about $450, so amps + processor should be less than that.

Are there headunits available that have crossover capabilities that will allow me to go active without an external processing unit?

Edited September 29, 2009 by socialstealth

[Adrian_D 520]

The sundown sax's will already allow you to cross the speakers actively.

[socialstealth 0]

The sundown sax's will already allow you to cross the speakers actively.

Yes, but an SAX 50.4 cannot create a bandbass crossover when bridged.

And I'm open to other amp suggestions if I can save money by getting amps without crossover features along with a sound processing unit with crossovers or headunit capable of crossovers.

[Kanaworm$ 292]

As Adrian said use your crossovers in your amps! The SAX-100.4 has great flexibility. Plus it will avoid adding another processor in the signal chain and the chance of noise.

[Adrian_D 520]

If you are going for a 3-way front stage + sub you will have to 'cut' a corner, like using the crossover on the sub amp (and the midbass signal for the sub) and losing some time alignment options you can get away with a head unit like the Alpine 9887 or the Pioneer P880. Otherwise you are stuck to buying an external processor, Alpine H701 (used) and Audison BitOne are the first 2 I can think of that have a 4-way crossover.

[socialstealth 0]

As Adrian said use your crossovers in your amps! The SAX-100.4 has great flexibility. Plus it will avoid adding another processor in the signal chain and the chance of noise.

I do not have an SAX, I haven't bought any amps yet.

I'm deciding if its worth it to buy an SAX. Because if I need to buy an external processor, then there is no point in paying extra money for an amp with crossovers as amazing as the SAX's have.

If its better to get a processing unit for my application, then I'd like to know what the best 'budget' headunit/amps/processor would be.

Yes I will be using 8 channels, an active 3 way front stage as well as a sub in the trunk. So one set of RCA's will need to be run out of one of the amp's preamp outs.

Adrian says this will cause time delay....so I guess this means I need a headunit with a time alignment feature?

[///M5 2,833]

What speakers, what mounting locations, what listening preferences, why a 3 way, how cheap is cheap, what are your goals with the end result?

Lots of ways to skin this cat, but I don't want to blindly recommend you something based on assumptions I make from reading your post. Give some background please

[socialstealth 0]

What speakers, what mounting locations, what listening preferences, why a 3 way, how cheap is cheap, what are your goals with the end result?

Lots of ways to skin this cat, but I don't want to blindly recommend you something based on assumptions I make from reading your post. Give some background please

For the end result, I'd like to be able to listen to the setup for long periods of time at full volume, as I like loud music.

Its for my daily driver, I don't do competitions or anything of that nature.

3 way simply because people have suggested a 3 way over a 2 way. I also like a lot of punk pop rock music, which is midbass heavy, so I figured a dedicated midbass driver would be the way to go.

I have a DC lvl 4 12'' that I'll be putting in my trunk, I'm not sure what I should tune the box to though....

as for mounting locations, I'll be making custom door pods for the midbass/midrange, and I'm completely unsure about where to put the tweeters or what tweeters im going to get.

as far as money goes, I'd like to know which option is better for the money:

an SAX amp setup, using the SAX amp's crossovers.

Or buying amps without crossovers and using an external processing unit for crossovers.

which one would be cheaper, and which one would be better?

[smgreen20 3]

Just because some people said they like a 3-way doesn't mean that's what you're going to like. Tuning is going to be a real b!tch. I'm currently doing a 3-way in my truck, but I'm after the "perfect" sound stage, if there is such a thing? I myself am thinking about going back to a 2-way.

Another option would be to get a 4"/1" comp set and use that as the mid/tweet in a 3-way. You'd use the passive xover that came w/the set to xover those and get a dedicated mid and use the xover on the amp/s you chose to get. That's how I did it.

A good SQ amp that will do what you want would be an older Phoenix Gold ZX450. You can bandpass the rear channels and even though it's rated at 75 x4, most have benched in the 110 x 4 range and have lots of headroom. A friend of mine competes in SQ in ???? MECAi ??? and he, along w/a few others that run Sundown amps, are getting docked points due to noise in the sytem. After trouble shooting and amp switching, they've found it's the amps. I know you said you're not competing, but it's worth thinking about.

[ppiflat10s 3]

thats how I plan to do my 3 way if I ever do, just cross over my passive set a little higher maybe, and use the rear channels on my amp to power the midbass. that way you only have to run a 4 channel amp and not 6 channels. and less messing with crossovers.

[socialstealth 0]

Just because some people said they like a 3-way doesn't mean that's what you're going to like. Tuning is going to be a real b!tch. I'm currently doing a 3-way in my truck, but I'm after the "perfect" sound stage, if there is such a thing? I myself am thinking about going back to a 2-way.

Another option would be to get a 4"/1" comp set and use that as the mid/tweet in a 3-way. You'd use the passive xover that came w/the set to xover those and get a dedicated mid and use the xover on the amp/s you chose to get. That's how I did it.

A good SQ amp that will do what you want would be an older Phoenix Gold ZX450. You can bandpass the rear channels and even though it's rated at 75 x4, most have benched in the 110 x 4 range and have lots of headroom. A friend of mine competes in SQ in ???? MECAi ??? and he, along w/a few others that run Sundown amps, are getting docked points due to noise in the sytem. After trouble shooting and amp switching, they've found it's the amps. I know you said you're not competing, but it's worth thinking about.

Hmmm..... maybe I will go 2 way...

is this a good woofer for a 2 way:

http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1600

SEAS Prestige CA22RNX (H1288) 8" Coated Paper Cone

It plays 30-3000 hz

I can get a pair of them for about $120 used.

Are they a good option? Any better woofers for under $120?

What tweeter would be a good match for these?

I'll probably go with an SAX 100.4d

Edited September 30, 2009 by socialstealth

[///M5 2,833]

Personally if you aren't putting your drivers right next to each other I don't feel an amp is an acceptable means for crossing things over. I am pickier than most though.

The CA22 is a great driver. 3k is really optimistic however, in particular when off axis. As for what tweeter again it sort of depends on mounting locations or mostly off or on axis in this case.

There is another two way option that I particularly like in a car. Use a dedicated midbass, ala Peerless SLS 8" and then use a full range driver for the top end. Something like the Fostex FF85 (or tons of other choices ). You lose a little top end sparkle, but what you gain is great voicing and monster midbass. I'd personally take the midbass over the really highs in a car any day of the week.

[socialstealth 0]

if i get a pioneer prs 880 with a TA mic, will this solve my problem of a 3 way system having different sources? would the fact that i will need 8 channels, and the hu only has 6, so i will have to have 1 channel running out of another amp cause a problem with the TA?

[Burbarry 0]

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-424

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-362

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-422

That is a good mid bass woofer for cheap. They also make a good mid and tweeter that gets loud. These are very efficent speakers so you don't need to run a lot of watts to get them loud.

[jcarter1885 995]

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-424

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-362

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-422

That is a good mid bass woofer for cheap. They also make a good mid and tweeter that gets loud. These are very efficent speakers so you don't need to run a lot of watts to get them loud.

Actually those Seleniums 6.5" snd 8" are more mid-range speakers than mid-bass, they do sound nice and get loud but Eminence Alpha's are better (have experience with both of them).