2017 POLL: classic Passive or Active/DSP/EQ ?

On my main speakers...


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....But, DEQX forte is the linear phase xover up to 300db/oct which is very nice and works better 99% of time than smoother slopes....
Although DEQX has that option, I prefer to use 96dB slopes. Smoother integration (to my ears) & more organic. At 300dB between midrange/treble I find that the music becomes slightly 'brittle' and sterile.

....But the downside of the DEQX is the limitation of 10 EQ points....
In my treated room, I only need to use subtle eq at 5 points below 250hz so that doesn't concern me.

....Also, it's 3 way max, and you cannot overlap nor make more than 1 bandpass....
As I'm using an HDP-5 & an HDP-3, I could use 6 way (actually using 4).
 
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In my treated room, I only need to use subtle eq at 5 points below 250hz so that doesn't concern me.

Havent encountered in my life a single time where no EQ could be spent on 6 octaves+... And that's from a guy who is using an old school 1/3 octave RTA!

Although DEQX has that option, I prefer to use 96dB slopes. Smoother integration (to my ears) & more organic. At 300dB between midrange/treble I find that the music becomes slightly 'brittle' and sterile.

Refer to my comment above regarding EQ... ;)


As I'm using an HDP-5 & an HDP-3, I could use 6 way (actually using 4).

Last time i checked, you can only add 1 bandpass xover by adding one more HDP, so limited to 4, unless it changed recently.
 
As I'm using an HDP-5 & an HDP-3, I could use 6 way (actually using 4).

The HDPx seem like very nice and capable units but also quite pricey. I'm getting pretty much the same filtering capability, but not the nice packaging and display, with an OpenDRC-DI for FIR filtering cascaded via TOSLINK with MiniDSP 4x10HD for 2x 4way IIR XO and balanced analog input and output.

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I've held on to some Acoustat X full-range electrostats, purchased many years ago in my 'purist' era when I wouldn't begin to even consider EQ.
And they still sound beautiful, au natural :)

But the mess you see below is powering a stereo 4-way setup that's sounding even mo' beautiful to my ears

I guess you could say I've gone active :D
 

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When i use the preset buttons on the DEQX, i can switch directly to, let's say, 12db/oct LR to 300db/oct linear phase and compare within seconds. I did that at first for maybe a week or two, playing with all kind of xovers slopes and type, but at the end the linear 300db/oct (or the max you can, based on the frequencies) always win. UNLESS the drivers are badly integrated (read: flaw in design/mismatch in drivers, poor xover point) then, you'll want something smoother in order to ''blend'' better. Basically, to mask problems elsewhere. That is my opinion anyway.
 
Development vs. Implementation

Happy new year everyone :)

I'm curious to know where we stand in 2017 regarding Passive/Active configurations, and the reasons why.


POLL: multiple choices allowed, in case you have many speakers (home, office, etc..)

P.S. just a reminder: bi-amp doesnt count as ''active''.

In the lab, during product development, DSP prevails. Afterwards, implementation will be driven by cost. In tweeter circuits there will always be at least on passive component. WHG
 
btw, the poll will be closed in 2030, don't wait that much to vote.

Ok, that has convinced me to vote :D

Fully active. Zero caps, inductors or transistors/tubes added for the crossovers. All crossovers done with AudioVero Acourate. Big write up by Mitch here.

A wider selection of multichannel DACs would be nice. For the time being I'm using an Exasound E28, I will probably switch to something Ravenna based in the future.
 
A wider selection of multichannel DACs would be nice. For the time being I'm using an Exasound E28, I will probably switch to something Ravenna based in the future.

Multichannel DAC is still a problem in 2017, agreed.

Amplifiers, not a problem with class D. But DACs it is.

That being said, if you only have 2 ch. of quality DAC: put it on the high frequencies. That's where it pays off the most.
 
Hi Jon,

I agree about DAC quality, but not about the said mid-highest frequencies !

It's also night and day with a good one with mid-bass and bass area : night and day : but these ones are even rarer ! And frankly, at least from my experience : it changes the game ! And which is hard is : you can not investigate according to me as far you have not a sota source be it vynil or DAC ! And hard to winn le "je ne sais quoi" with a DAC ! there are always Something wrong : too much dynamic in the dynamic, too shiny or too mudy sound, too much transparency instead of some quitness against brighness ! ANd the most difficult today is always in the bottom range ! But it's stays a whole thing and good equilibred DAC are not so many imho !
I didn't know myself the Forsell so can not argue anymore...
 
Multichannel DAC is still a problem in 2017, agreed.

Amplifiers, not a problem with class D. But DACs it is.

That being said, if you only have 2 ch. of quality DAC: put it on the high frequencies. That's where it pays off the most.

Something multibit and multichannel would ideally be more up my ally, but the effects of the active crossovers far outweigh any ESS DAC disadvantage that I am hearing. Perhaps in the future if I can work with someone with a Ravenna network I could do something like PCM63/PCM1704 that I like.

And I used to be a vinyl/R2R die hard (not joking I had to italic and bold that) until I heard how transparent these active crossover plus B&K target curve could sound.
 
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