Due to my pair of CV! CLS-215 always end up with a fried crossover (capacitor gets fried and tweeters stop working), I'm considering going active. (Tried to find upgrades for the passive crossover but I'm not very good with schematics etc. and I haven't really found any worthwhile)
So far I've been consdering 2 x Behringer CX3800 or 1 x Behringer DCX2496. The reason I'm consdering two CX3800 is because I want to split the signal 4-way; tweeter, mid-range and the two subs. The reason for only one DCX2496 is due to price, as a "threesome" is probably worthwhile aswell.
Currently I'm using 2 x Stanton A.2800 amplifiers running in parallel mode bi-amped to CV! CLS-215. I also have a NAD amplifier that I will use in an "active setting" to power tweeter and mid-range.
So far I've been consdering 2 x Behringer CX3800 or 1 x Behringer DCX2496. The reason I'm consdering two CX3800 is because I want to split the signal 4-way; tweeter, mid-range and the two subs. The reason for only one DCX2496 is due to price, as a "threesome" is probably worthwhile aswell.
Currently I'm using 2 x Stanton A.2800 amplifiers running in parallel mode bi-amped to CV! CLS-215. I also have a NAD amplifier that I will use in an "active setting" to power tweeter and mid-range.
CX 3400 is good (=value for money ) , but I use one and always go passive on the mid/tweeter XO, just makes economic sense
It is not the cleanest of units and distortion; if there is any; is much less evident at bass frequencies.
In my current set-up I am using the CX2310 and crossing at 120Hz to the 8inch mids then passive to the tweeter
It is not the cleanest of units and distortion; if there is any; is much less evident at bass frequencies.
In my current set-up I am using the CX2310 and crossing at 120Hz to the 8inch mids then passive to the tweeter
As I figured. But is the Behringer DCX2496 futureproof or is it about to get outdated in the upcoming era? Thinking if the price justifies the future etc.
You only need a 3 way xover as the two 15's are simply wired in parallel to the best of my knowledge.
The DCX gives you lots of flexibility to EQ and set delays that the 3400 doesn't.
Specs are tricky. Sometimes noise in an amp is cut by the volume control at the entrance to the next stage... and sometimes just amplified. The Behringer voltage range is sized for recording console purposes.
Distortion is as much a quality indicator of the design as something that matters for itself... once you are already less than 1/10th of the speaker distortion.
A close look at the Behringer specs is interesting. Among the usual Behringer mass of features is a limiter that prevents blasting downstream units. But distortion is far higher with that (normally valuable) feature active than without (.04% vs. .5%).
Likewise, if you can use the balanced input/output jacks, you have some advantages.
My 2-cents.
Distortion is as much a quality indicator of the design as something that matters for itself... once you are already less than 1/10th of the speaker distortion.
A close look at the Behringer specs is interesting. Among the usual Behringer mass of features is a limiter that prevents blasting downstream units. But distortion is far higher with that (normally valuable) feature active than without (.04% vs. .5%).
Likewise, if you can use the balanced input/output jacks, you have some advantages.
My 2-cents.
Good to be able to switch in a iimiter while fooling around. Many of us have 5X the power needed to fry some of our speakers on a bad night - sometimes made extra risky with electronic crossovers resulting in the speakers (esp. tweeters) connected directly to DC amps with no "protective" low-level crossovers in-between.
An interesting Behringer circuit detects if you are using balanced inputs or not. I wonder if that adds crud to the signal?
Anybody have an opinion about the wisdom of using balanced connections at home?
Footnote: I seem to recall a concept of using balanced lines to drive a stereo amp in mono mode or am I dreaming it?
An interesting Behringer circuit detects if you are using balanced inputs or not. I wonder if that adds crud to the signal?
Anybody have an opinion about the wisdom of using balanced connections at home?
Footnote: I seem to recall a concept of using balanced lines to drive a stereo amp in mono mode or am I dreaming it?
If you're a goose.
I use high power amps regularly on low power rated speakers and don't damage them. The speaker will let you know a long time before damage that you should turn down. Single transients rarely damage drivers.
Most SS amps are DC coupled in the outputs. It would be a rare exception that is not and I've never had one go DC either at home or in my PA.
Can be worthwhile if your gear has the facility.
This can be one way to bridge an amp, but it is not usually how it is done.
In the spirit of your "goose" put-down, I might suggest you aren't doing much that is seriously experimental and risky. Or maybe you can't tell when your speakers have rubbing VCs. Or maybe... you get the idea.
My hobby-life includes direct drive high voltage ESL amps and motional feedback (which fried a genuine Klipsch woofer, one sad day), unexpected parasite notes, and many electronic breadboards that looked like I must have been drunk (or a "goose") when wiring them.
Maybe you would never need a limiter, even a temporary one. But a lot of the rest of us do.
Why risk a valuable driver? I've been using active on and off for about 2 decades and never experienced all the potential damage issues armchair theorists like to say will happen. My actual experience says otherwise both as a hobbyist and EE. Rubbing VC's are more typically from abuse than correct use.
Possibly, or you didn't test them correctly before use or the design was incorrect. Motional feedback using something as reactive as a driver is easy to get wrong, but I don't see what the relevance is with that compared to using a DCX2496.
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