Kieth I read post you made a while back that mentions you use the Focal 165W3 kit. You then go on to say that if the right X.O. frequencies are used, they sound fantastic. Well I have a set of 165W3s, and I'm just starting to play with them with an active X.O. VS the passives that came with the kit. Just curious how you've got your's set up.

Thanks in advance,
Adam

Adam, I am using an electronic crossover and a passive crossover network in my car audio system. The signal from my head unit is first sent to my digital eq (Orion DEQ30), after which it goes to my electronic Orion crossover. This active crossover low passes the subwoofer frequency at 50Hz and sends it to the subwoofer amplifiers, and then onto the subwoofers themselves. All frequencies above 50Hz are sent from the active crossover to the 2 passive Focal crossover networks. The passives then divide the remainder of the frequency range into the appropriate frequencies for the midbasses, midranges, and the tweeters. The divided signal is then sent from the passive crossovers to the appropriate amplifiers and then onto the 165W3's.

The 165W3's are an amazing set of SQ speakers. But, please make sure that your software (cd's) are equally as good. A badly recorded cd will still sound bad even through the best of speakers. Also make sure that your head unit, your wiring, and your amplifiers are of very good to excellent quality. Make sure that you have enough sound dampening in your car to reduce unwanted resonances.

Taking these steps will make your system sing.

__________________
"The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but is, rather, the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity"......Glenn Gould

Hey Keith,

Thanks for the info. I followed you all the way up to the passive X.O. feeding a signal to the amplifiers. You must have a something different from Focal than I do. My passive's go after the amplifiers. I am aware that passive X.O.s exist for filtering before the power amplifiers, but I don't have this setup. Do you know what the X.O. frequencies of your passives are?

As for the sound deadening and software. I've got em covered. If you are familiar with Chesky Records, my father used to own the company that supplied them reference speakers for mastering. We've got tons of Chesky stuff. As for Telarc, Erik Kunzel(Sp?) has a cottage on Swan's Island, Maine right across from where the speaker company was founded. Lots more free software!

Head Unit: Alpine DVA-7996(24bit Burr-Brown D/As)
Interconnect:Monster Cable XLN PRO everywhere
Speaker Cable: Monster Cable M10.2s (140 ft)
Power: All Monster Expert stuff(5-ANL fuse blocks)
Amps: All Audison BABY! (Front stage Pure Class "A"

Adam

[ October 20, 2003, 05:05 AM: Message edited by: PEI330Ci ]

Hey Adam, your choice of car audio equipment is bang on!!! Excellent stuff!!!
I will find out for you what the various frequencies should be for the midbass, midrange and tweeter and let you know.
Your dad provided reference speakers for Chesky!!! Wow...you're one lucky guy !!!
I've got another thread on the SQ Forum listing some high quality record labels.
Well anyways, I will let you know the specific frequency ranges as soon as I find out myself.

__________________
"The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but is, rather, the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity"......Glenn Gould