A crossover is a device designed to divide the sound signal supplied from the radio into separate bands. This device is used not only with full-range speakers, but also with special ones - subwoofers, midwoofers and tweeters. You should understand why a crossover is needed in car audio to achieve better and more natural sound.
Kinds
These devices for car acoustics are divided into two types: active and passive. In the first case, the accessory is equipped with an amplifier. This allows for more efficient audio stripping and adds the ability to adjust the crossover frequency, sensitivity and slope. Active separators are rarely produced as independent devices, most often being part of power amplifiers for car audio.
Passive crossovers are the simplest and most common. Such a device consists of several filters, which include coils and capacitors. The former delay high frequencies, the latter suppress low frequencies. To improve efficiency, coils and capacitors are combined into circuits. A passive splitter has one input and two or three outputs. Each speaker is connected to its own terminals. The radio is connected directly to the input of the separating device.
Based on the number of bands divided, crossovers are divided into two-way and three-way. In the first case, the device separates low and high frequencies, which are fed to the woofer and tweeter, respectively. Three-band devices also additionally highlight the mid-frequency band. It is fed to special speakers called midwoofers. One of the important advantages of a passive separator is that it does not require additional power. It is possible to adjust the sound characteristics using switches.
Connection instructions
A passive crossover for car audio is connected as follows:
- Speakers are purchased and installed.
- The output wires for the speakers from the radio are connected to the input terminals of the device.
- The speakers are connected using speaker cables to the corresponding terminals of the device, which may be designated Wf (for a full-range speaker), Sw (for a subwoofer), Mw (for a midwoofer) and Tw (for a tweeter).
To simplify setup and connection, car amplifiers with a built-in crossover are selected. The subwoofer, midwoofers and tweeters are connected to the corresponding outputs of the audio device. The switches select the characteristics most suitable for the selected speakers.
Connection without crossover
One option is to connect tweeters in series with full-range speakers.
It is worth considering that some tweeters have a high resistance value.
Because of this, with this connection method, the sound of the low- and mid-range speakers may be attenuated, while the sound of the high-frequency speakers will be louder. Even in this case, you can connect tweeters without a crossover to the speakers and achieve good results.
Before connecting to the speakers according to the diagram, you can use the following solution. Attached to the tweeters is a coil that you can make yourself. To do this, you need to wind 100-200 turns of thin wire onto a suitable non-metallic frame.
This coil will pass some of the sound through itself, causing the tweeter to receive less energy than a full-range speaker. The fewer turns and the thicker the wire, the lower the resistance of the coil and the more the sound of the tweeter will be attenuated. The audio in the car system will sound more natural when connected in this way.
What is crossover car audio?— the most significant elements in high-quality car acoustics are considered to be a crossover and a sound power amplifier. Also, one of the most important factors for creating an ideal sound picture inside a car is the correct choice and qualified installation of these devices in the car, otherwise it will be very difficult to obtain high-quality sound.
Crossover
Basically, the device board, which consists of various filters to separate the incoming audio signal into frequencies, is housed in a small housing. For high frequencies, when tuning, they usually take a unit from 80 to 100 Hz, and for low frequencies, the bandpass RC filter is set from 2 to 6 kHz. There are two types of such devices - active and passive. p>
What is crossover car audio?— they differ from each other in that the active module is made of electronic elements, such as operational amplifiers, microcontrollers and others, which require supply voltage. A passive frequency separation device is assembled using components that do not require a power source. In addition, there is some peculiarity in the installation, for example: the active crossover is installed only in the input circuit of the amplifier, and the passive ones are located anywhere, both in front of the amplifier and after it, that is, in front of the dynamic radiator.
It is worth noting an important advantage of passive crossovers, such as its ability to differentiate audio signals for a three-way loudspeaker while using only two power amplifier channels. A negative point is the impossibility of setting up the device without modifying the circuit. The opposite is true for actively used crossovers; its controls and settings are located on the outside of the body, so this design solution provides maximum convenience when operating the device.
The disadvantage of an active frequency separation device is its relatively high price, the need for a power amplifier for each channel, as well as the existing possibility of distortion emanating from active components. What is crossover car audio?— the choice of crossover is made based on the parameters of the speaker system and the number of bands it has. As for the choice when purchasing and choosing the installation location, as well as fine-tuning it, in this case it would be more advisable to invite an experienced specialist so that there are no problems in the future.
Amplifier
There are times when, after purchasing even an expensive car radio, the amplifier in it turns out to be not of sufficient quality. Why does this happen? One of the important reasons is the small amount of space intended to accommodate the radio and, as a result, the inability to implement an amplifier with higher power in the system. Therefore, car owners who want to get a high-quality sound picture install an additional amplifier.
Amplifiers installed in a car come with one amplification channel (monoblock), two-channel (stereo), three-channel (stereo + another channel for a subwoofer), there are also four-channel ones designed to amplify sound in the front and rear speaker system. There are also amplifiers for five and six channels.
By what criteria should you choose a car amplifier?
What is crossover car audio?— the first thing you need to pay attention to when buying a device is the rated power, which should be approximately 15% less than the power of the speakers. If this dependence is ignored, the acoustics may simply “burn out” soon. Another important parameter is the total load resistance with which the device can effectively operate.
A complex of several amplifiers creates the conditions for their inclusion in a bridge circuit, in which the total output power increases in proportion to the connected amplifiers. Basically, this connection scheme is used for use in a subwoofer. The industry produces a large amount of amplification equipment with already integrated crossovers, but the use of external devices greatly simplifies the setup and maintenance of car speakers.
Installation specifics
The relatively small dimensions of the car amplifier allow it to be installed in various places in the cabin. One of these options is the lower part of the rear shelf, which can be secured there using self-tapping screws or in the space of the wing. When you assemble a subwoofer yourself or have it made to order, you create an excellent opportunity to immediately install an amplifier inside the housing. But it must be taken into account that it gets quite hot during operation, and therefore it is necessary to provide the amplifier with sufficient cooling.
In order to install an acoustic system in your car without incurring very high costs, the smartest thing to do would be to take coaxial or broadband speakers, installing them in regular places in the car, and use amplifier built into the car radio. In the future, if necessary, the installed audio system can be upgraded by adding an active subwoofer made in its own housing.
An important component in any high-quality vehicle audio system is the crossover, so you need to be able to not only choose it correctly, but also know how to connect crossovers to speakers. Without this knowledge, the sound of music in a vehicle will be far from ideal, which for many amounts to ruined trips.
What is a crossover
Crossovers are specialized devices in sound systems that create the necessary frequency ranges while the speakers are operating. In simpler terms, these are several filters for sound.
Externally, it is a housing with dimensions of approximately 12x6x4 centimeters, and inside this housing contains filters that are responsible for transmitting sound signals depending on their frequency. According to their main function, crossovers are divided into:
- High frequency (adjustable to frequencies from 80 to 100 Hz);
- Low-frequency (adjustable to frequencies from 2-5 kHz).
Active and passive
Another classification is passive and active. The main difference between these two types is the components from which they are composed.
Active ones consist of components that require constant operation of power sources. These are, for example, microcontrollers, amplifiers and other elements.
As for passive ones, they are created from elements that do not require power, for example, coils, as well as capacitors and resistors.
Another difference is that active ones can only be mounted in front of the amplifier, while passive ones have more choice - they can be mounted in front of the speaker itself.
Advantages and disadvantages
Active crossovers
- Convenience during operation;
- The switches are output directly to the housing.
- Too expensive;
- The need for active crossovers in amplifiers for channels;
- The presence of distortions in the work that arise due to the operation of the elements of these devices.
Passive crossovers
- Dividing signals into systems with several bands, and this requires only two amplification channels;
- Low cost.
- Impossibility of configuration without direct intervention in the entire electricity supply circuit;
- Select according to the acoustic system bands used;
- Configuration, selection and installation are processes that require professional knowledge and experience.
How to configure
In order to get the highest quality sound, you need to select the required cutoff frequency. If you use a three-way active crossover (the best option for most acoustic systems), you need to identify two cutoff frequency levels. The first shows the boundary between frequencies such as medium and low, and the second does the same, but for high and medium frequencies.
An important point: every vehicle owner must correctly determine the frequency characteristics of the speakers used before connecting the crossover to the speakers. There is no need to go to these frequencies, since in this case the crossovers will refuse to work normally at them. Ultimately, this will only lead to deterioration in sound and quality. This will also cause a reduction in the life of the equipment and the entire acoustic system in the vehicle.
When installing a modern stereo system in a vehicle, the owner needs to choose the right crossover. This is not difficult to do if you first become familiar with what it is, what it is intended for, and as part of which speaker system it will work.
Purpose
A crossover is a special device in the structure of the speaker system, designed to prepare the required private range for each of the installed sound speakers. The latter are designed for operation within certain frequency ranges. If the frequency of the signal supplied to the speaker goes beyond the range, it can lead, at a minimum, to distortion of the reproduced sound, for example:
- if the frequency is applied too low, the sound picture will be distorted;
- when applying too high a frequency, the owner of a stereo system will face not only sound distortion, but also failure of the tweeter (high-frequency speaker). It may simply not withstand this operating mode.
Under normal conditions, the task of a tweeter is to reproduce only high-frequency sound, and low-frequency sound, respectively, low-frequency sound. The mid-frequency band is fed to the midwoofer - the speaker responsible for the sound of mid-frequencies.
Based on the above, in order to reproduce car audio with high quality, you need to select the appropriate frequency bands and feed them to specific speakers. To solve this problem, a crossover is used.
Crossover device
Structurally, the crossover includes a pair of frequency filters that operate as follows: for example, if the crossover frequency is set to 1000 Hz, one of the filters will highlight frequencies below this indicator. And the second is to process only the frequency band exceeding a given mark. Filters have their own names: low pass - for processing frequencies below a thousand hertz; high pass – for processing frequencies above a thousand hertz.
So, the principle by which a two-way crossover works was presented above. There are also three-way products on the market. The main difference, as the name implies, is the third filter, which processes the mid-frequency band, from six hundred to five thousand hertz.
Essentially, increasing the filtering channels of the audio band, and then feeding them to the appropriate speakers, leads to higher quality and natural sound reproduction inside the car.
Technical features
Most modern crossovers contain inductors and capacitors. Depending on the quantity and quality of manufacturing of these reactive elements, the cost of the finished product is determined. 
Why are coils and capacitors included in a bandpass crossover? The reason is that these are the simplest reactive elements. They process different frequencies of the audio signal without much difficulty.
Capacitors can isolate and handle high frequencies, while coils are needed to regulate low frequencies. By using these properties wisely, the result can be the simplest frequency filter. There is no point in delving into the complex laws of physics and citing formulas as examples. Anyone who wants to become more familiar with the theoretical foundations can easily find information in textbooks or the Internet. It is enough for specialized specialists to refresh their memory about the operating principle of LC-CL type networks.
The number of reactive elements affects the crossover capacity. The number 1 denotes one element, 2 - respectively, two. Depending on the number and connection diagram of elements, the system filters inappropriate frequencies for a particular channel in different ways.
It makes sense to assume that the greater number of reactive elements used makes the filtration process better. The filtering circuit for unnecessary frequencies for a specific channel has its own characteristic called slope.
Filters have the inherent property of cutting off unnecessary frequencies gradually, rather than instantly.
It's called sensitivity. Depending on this indicator, products are divided into four categories:
- first order models;
- second order models;
- third order models;
- fourth order models.
Differences between active and passive crossovers
Let's start the comparison with a passive crossover. It is known from practice that the passive crossover is the most common and most often found type on the market. Based on the name, you can understand that passive ones do not require additional power. Accordingly, it is easier and faster for the vehicle owner to install the equipment in his car. But, unfortunately, speed does not always guarantee quality.
Due to the passive principle of the circuit, the system needs to take part of the energy from the filter to ensure its operation. In this case, reactive elements tend to change the phase shift. Of course, this is not the most serious drawback, but the owner will not be able to fine-tune the frequencies.
They are rarely found as separate equipment, but any car amplifier contains an active filter as an integral part. Due to the passive principle of the circuit, the system needs to take part of the energy from the filter to ensure its operation. In this case, reactive elements tend to change the phase shift. Of course, this is not the most serious drawback, but the owner will not be able to fine-tune the frequencies. 
Active crossovers allow you to get rid of this disadvantage. The fact is that, although they are much more complicated than passive ones, the audio stream in them is filtered much better. Thanks to the presence of not only coils and capacitors, but also additional semiconductor elements, the developers were able to significantly reduce the size of the device.
They are rarely found as separate equipment, but any car amplifier contains an active filter as an integral part.
We also suggest that you familiarize yourself with the accompanying topic “”.
Settings Features
In order to get high-quality car audio as a result, you need to choose the right cutoff frequency. When using an active three-way crossover, two cutoff frequencies must be determined. The first point will mark the line between low and medium frequencies, the second - the line between medium and high. Before connecting a crossover, the car owner must always remember that it is necessary to correctly select the frequency characteristics of the speaker.
In no case should you apply frequencies to them at which they simply cannot operate normally. Otherwise, this will not only lead to deterioration in sound quality, but also to a reduction in service life.
Passive crossover connection diagram
Video: What is an audio crossover for?
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We offer a wide selection of 2-way speaker crossovers. They ensure correct signal separation between the HF and MF emitters. The result is rich and clear sound, deep bass. You will feel the difference from the first notes!
Advantages:
- large working resource;
- versatility in application;
- meeting stringent standards and advanced functionality requirements.
Acoustic crossovers differ according to the following criteria:
- manufacturing company (available equipment from such brands as Alphard Group, Ural, Magnum, Audio System, Black Hydra, CDT Audio, Ground Zero, Morel, PowerBass, Teac and others);
- price (you can choose acoustics according to your financial capabilities);
- maximum power;
- cutoff frequency;
- coil resistance;
- the steepness of the decline;
- dimensions.
How to properly connect an audio crossover?
When connecting a 2-way crossover for speakers, consider the following guidelines:
- The cutoff frequency must correspond to the frequency characteristics of HF and midrange emitters;
- the level of the input signal should not exceed the values specified in the documentation for the emitters.
Before buying an audio crossover, consult with our specialists in any of the following ways:
- call by phone (Moscow);
- ask a question in the VKontakte group;
- chat with the online manager.
Get rid of standard factory speakers and order a modern component system right now!
Creating a car audio system is not an easy task. But as a result, you can get a powerful and effective sound with many shades. This audio system will help brighten up any trip. Crossovers and other types of car audio equipment are made taking into account all modern user requirements, are distinguished by outstanding quality and excellent service life. With their help, you can assemble the ideal acoustics that meet all your requirements in order to enjoy the multifaceted sound of your favorite music.
