Where do you set your PA crossover

[jimfist]

I've been running sound on small to ridiculously huge systems for over 20 years, and kick drum and break music are the only constants when it comes to subs.
Bass, keys and floor tom get into the subs less than 50% of the time in the real world.

Run your subs according to their published specs re: x-over freq and power. Do not allow anyone to influence you into deviations or you'll be sorry.

Let the content of the music, instruments used and their respective frequency ranges determine what does or doesn't go into a subwoofer feed. I'm not in the "one size fits all" business, and different strokes for different folks. If the artist's music requires certain instruments and sounds to be well amplified in the subwoofers, even if for temporary effect (synth drones, sample hits, etc.) then so be it IF it positively presents and enhances the music. Much depends on the PA system, subwoofers and crossover point to subs. Huge diff between sub content in a system crossed at 120hz and one crossed at 80hz or below. Again, no one size fits all approach IMO. Just throwing ideas out there and JMHO.

I agree that nobody should attempt to run their gear out of spec and in such a manner as to cause harm.

 

[kilgoja]

while your at it tell your guitar player to turn down the lows on his amp so he will stop covering up the bass in the mix. lol

 

[will33]

while your at it tell your guitar player to turn down the lows on his amp so he will stop covering up the bass in the mix. lol

+1


And +1 to aux fed subs. Only send them what actually needs a sub, which ain't much. I'll feed a wee bit of bass guitar and maybe floor tom but it's mostly just the kick down there.

 

[jmercer91]

Correct me if im wrong, but if the subs have a built in passive crossover set at 120, and you set your crossover to 220, wouldn't everything from 120 to 220 disappear?

 

[uhdinator]

Correct me if im wrong, but if the subs have a built in passive crossover set at 120, and you set your crossover to 220, wouldn't everything from 120 to 220 disappear?

Yes. Setting an active x over @ 220hz to feed the sub amp will do nothing as the passive x over in the sub will filter out anything above 125 hz.

Read the PDF doc:

Conventional biamplified operation is also possible using an active electronic crossover of 12, 18 or 24 dB per octave and a crossover frequency between 80 and 125Hz. No internal wiring change is required for biamp operation be- cause the built-in first-order low-pass filter is only effective above 125Hz. In either mode of operation an active low-frequency protection filter is strongly recommended to reduce unwanted program content below 40Hz. (Bass guitar open low “E” is approx. 41.2Hz) These very low frequencies are not only potentially damaging to the woofers, they also waste massive amounts of ampli- fier power and cause needless distortion of the upper frequencies.

I prefer around 90hz with a steep 24db per octave and a steep Hpf @40hz.
Not all active x overs have the HPF option. The DBX drive rack I use happens to have this option.

 

[walterw]

Correct me if im wrong, but if the subs have a built in passive crossover set at 120, and you set your crossover to 220, wouldn't everything from 120 to 220 disappear?

yup;

they're not going to blow anything doing this, they'll just have a hole in the sound between 120 and 220Hz.

100Hz is a "normal" spot for typical 2-way club PA; use the crossover to run the subs and the tops, and it'll work fine, with the tops doing 100Hz and up while the subs do 100 down to their own built-in cutoff.

 

[two fingers]

...... at the gig.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I prefer around 90hz with a steep 24db per octave and a steep Hpf @40hz.
Not all active x overs have the HPF option. The DBX drive rack I use happens to have this option.

Same here although I xover @ 100 hz...I'll try the 90 hz next go-round. The LR 24 is perfect and I use a BW 18 @ 45 hz for the HPF. This is fairly close to what dbx uses in their dedicated Xover units....slope-wise, that is. There's also a defeatable 40 hz HPF filter and, come to think of it, one on my Peavey GEQ.

Riis

 

[smogg]

Had a full dress rehearsal with the guitarists rack Tuesday night (9/3). He was surprisingly open minded about setting the x-over @ 100 Hz and took advise well. His rack has all the bells & whistles so we ended up with a very clean and controlled mix. What I really liked was that he was able to "trim" back the subs at the x-over and we ended up with a very clean tight bottom end. And I will admit the JBL mains never sounded better.

Thanks to all of you for helping me to present rational input to him to help us sound a [DEL]little[/DEL] lot better.

Peace my low end brothers and sisters.

 

[Bassdirty]

If the crossover is non-adjustable using another crossover on the sub won't have any impact unless it's below the factory crossover point.

+1

I say let him do it...there will be no change (as the subs wont let anything higher than 120 thru..)

He'll think it sounds better. .. and its a win win for everyone.

 

[smogg]

+1

I say let him do it...there will be no change (as the subs wont let anything higher than 120 thru..)

He'll think it sounds better. .. and its a win win for everyone.

Actually there is a noticeable difference.

Originally we were running the EV subs passively crossed @ 120 with the JBL mains running full range. A sub + main on each side driven by a single amp 2nd amp used for monitors. Sounded really good.

Now, Actively crossed @ 100 subs on their own amp & JBL main now on their own amp as well not running full range but actively crossed. Monitors on yet another amp. Sounds even better now.

By adding a properly crossed active unit and the addition of a third power amp; we now have more clean head room, a tighter low end, and the JBL's sound even smoother up top. So it really did work out as a win - win

 

[stonewall]

120 tops...220 yuck i have the EV Eliminators sideways mounted 18 there crossed nicely stock