Crossover Optimization.........what of type component swap boards do you use?

[Gavinator68]

I am curious what kind of setup others are using to finalize crossovers. More specifically........what type of design board arrangement do you use to make it easy to swap out parts while you finalize and perfect your crossovers? Does the board need to be different for series vs. parallel crossovers? How is yours configured?

Pics, explanations, or links to those that you know of would be perfect so all future searches on this question would quickly provide all necessary info to build such a board.

Thanks for the help on this one folks.

Cheers

[Pano]

Are you asking about passive crossovers? For passive I just use the little Euro style terminal blocks.

Fast, easy, secure.

[Gavinator68]

Yes I am referring to passive crossovers and trying to get a good base of info from those that use them.

Good Idea! I like your terminal blocks.

Cheers

[speakerdoctor]

I think what you want is the 'virtual crossover box'.

Audio Spectrum Analyzer and Acoustics Software

I have one I was lucky enough to find new on *bay for $100 and use it quite often. It's limited to 2-way xovers though.

[Gavinator68]

Thanks Dr.,

But I am actually interested in what some might consider a proto-jig or a plain board with a bunch of binding posts or the like that you can temporarily mount all the components for the crossover on so you can finalize the network and complete voicing the speaker. I have seen some on occasion and wished I had copied the info so I did not lose it.

The advantage of using one of these boards or jigs is that you can pick and choose the quality and value of all your individual components of your network. That way you don't design it with generic parts mounted in a universal network box and then go to finish the crossover with all the real parts you will be using in the final crossover and end up continuing to tweak for the quality parts..... especially when it comes to DCR of coils and such.

Does this make any sense?

Cheers

[speakerdoctor]

Originally Posted by Gavinator68

Thanks Dr.,

But I am actually interested in what some might consider a proto-jig or a plain board with a bunch of binding posts or the like that you can temporarily mount all the components for the crossover on so you can finalize the network and complete voicing the speaker. I have seen some on occasion and wished I had copied the info so I did not lose it.

The advantage of using one of these boards or jigs is that you can pick and choose the quality and value of all your individual components of your network. That way you don't design it with generic parts mounted in a universal network box and then go to finish the crossover with all the real parts you will be using in the final crossover and end up continuing to tweak for the quality parts..... especially when it comes to DCR of coils and such.

Does this make any sense?

Cheers

Yes, I understand what you're looking for. As long as you are willing to live with the limitation of a 2nd order xover, the Ultimate crossover box can do everything you described above.
You can easily and switfly change component values using those built into the box for an initial target response and THEN, you can plug in the REAL components you intend to use and rotate the knob to the position that allows the real component to be in the circuit instead of the pre-installed ones. This tool is also neat for comparing different quality components (e.g. budget vs boutique).
Also, that 'plug-in' option allows you to insert compent values that are not already pre-installed, so you have almost infinite flexibility.

BTW, the limitation is not 2-way, but instead 2nd order slopes are the limitation. It doesn't have built-in provision for 3rd or 4th LR.
The box does have provision for a 3-way design with two woofers having the same components.

The clear advantage of the UCB is you don't have to stock a boatload of generic xover parts. You'll only have to start buying new parts when you are at or close to, the final design.

[Gavinator68]

Thanks Again Doc,

I did not realize you could add your own components to the box you speak of. Very cool indeed.

Cheers

[rabbitz]

Terminal blocks screwed to MDF and the schematic laid out on the MDF works a treat allowing for quick changes.

[blakkshepeaudio]

Originally Posted by rabbitz

Terminal blocks screwed to MDF and the schematic laid out on the MDF works a treat allowing for quick changes.

Ditto

[wintermute]

I had one on a piece of MDF with screws, and the other on Terminal strips like Pano, they were running that way for over 12 months. I was adding and removing bits and pieces and then doing measurements. To correlate to what I was hearing.

The most recent crossover I built, I had only simmed (and it was quite different from the one I had morphed over the preceding 12 months), I built it as the final unit on masonite with no intention of tweaking it (such was my faith in the sim). So far I'm not feeling the need to do so. I've not done any objective measurements as yet.

So I guess my answer is that I used speaker workshop for tweaking and optimization before the final realisation of the crossover

Tony.