Exploring High-End Component Upgrades for DIY Active Speakers with DSP

A thought here, is it better to match amplifiers or purposely un-match them? Would the system sound better with tubes up top, class A/B for the mids, and class D for the bass?
Hello

I have a 4 way active analog system that has been around since before DSP was readily available or affordable. I use 3 Crown PS-200 on the woofers, mid's and compression driver/waveguide and a PS-400 for the subwoofers. So aside from the power difference they are all identical.

I have thought about switching but it's easier to build the gain structure and optimize s/n using common amps so they have remained in place. Driver sensitivities alone can be an issue and I have passive attenuation and frequency compensation on the compression driver/wave guide combo to help balance out the driver sensitivities.

I think a stereo system with DSP, four amplifiers, and two way speakers is the way to go, anything else and you are obsessed with the technology and not the music.

I agree partly. Bi-amping is certainly beneficial and I have had several systems that way. The reason I went to fully active was because of the improvement's I heard from bi-amping. I am a gear head for sure but it's all about the music not a distraction from it. YMMV

Don’t take this the wrong way but you guys really make a full range speaker look good.

The last pair of speaker I built were a simple 2 way passive set-up that has the same bandwidth as the full up active in a much simpler and user friendly package. I enjoy both on their own merits.

WRT DSP I have not made the leap and still build analog active and passive systems. One of these day's I will give it a shot.

Rob 🙂
 
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I would very much like to try it too. I think part of my issue is I have tried Denon’s sound shaping thing in my receiver and it makes everything sound phasey and a lot like a bad psychedelic record from the 60’s, I really hope it has gotten better! That discouraged me on the whole digital sound enhancement thing. I actually thought about going back to pure stereo but I like surround in movies.

From an engineering standpoint I think crossovers are well understood and should be easily implemented, I’m waiting for the tech to settle down a bit and I’m shopping for amplifiers. Also, I’m sure there is some really good software out there I just haven’t tried it yet. I would like to run everything off of a computer, but I think copy protection gets in the way on a Mac. I would love to have a linux box to run everything through, I’ve had it with Mac and Windows. Maybe I’ll start a thread on that?

This thread is very informative and I’m learning a lot.
 
The Danville Nexus is a great unit that performs many functions: DAC, DSP, and crossover. Pair it with Purifi Eigentakt amps, and you’ve got a winning combination, in my opinion.

These amps are so compact that you might find they’re not much more complicated to set up and don’t require many wires or cables.
 
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