Kicker KX2 crossover question

[Tube Radio]

I have a Kicker KX2 crossover with the following specs.

High Pass Crossover: 18dB/octave, Variable Frequency (40-300Hz), Low Pass Crossover: 18dB/octave, Optional Low (Line Level) or High (Speaker Level) Stereo Input, Variable Stereo Outputs (5V rms), Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >110dB

How good is the crossover and would it be ok to use in a home stereo system?

 

[Perry Babin]

What aspects of the crossover are you concerned about being unsuitable?

Part of the answer may depend on how it's going to be used in your home stereo.

 

[Tube Radio]

It will be used to send the audio from a preamp to an amplifier for the main speakers and a plate amp for a sub.

I was concerned about how it sounds, the THD ETC...

 

[Perry Babin]

Kicker makes good equipment. Audio should be perfectly clean (to what's audible to human hearing) unless there is some strange problem with compatibility (unlikely).

What are you going to power it with?

 

[Tube Radio]

For power I'll use a 12.6Vdc supply.

Might require making my own supply or installing a 7812 in the crossover with a diode in series with the ground lead to make it regulate at 12.6Vdc.

Unless there's a better way.

 

[Perry Babin]

There are many ways that will work perfectly fine.

The supply voltage doesn't have to be precisely 12v. I don't see specs for voltage but I'd assume that 11-14v would be well within the acceptable range.

You may have problems if you're using a switching power supply. Some can induce high frequency noise.

 

[Tube Radio]

The crossover looks to have its own switch mode supply and is a dual supply so as long as I'm close to 12Vdc I should be fine.

 

[Tube Radio]

I found a 12 volt supply. It's a cheaper one, but is all I had to try.

Crossover does power up with it so that's good.

 

[Perry Babin]

Did you try installing it into your system?

 

[Tube Radio]

Not yet.

Will do that in the morning when I get to work after using a signal generator and scope to verify it works and to make sure the crossover is set for unity gain.

 

[Tube Radio]

The crossover seems to work good and sounds good.

Soon as I get the money I have a pair of klipsch bookshelf speakers picked out that I will order.

I'll then try the system again with and without the crossover to see which sounds best.

 

[Perry Babin]

Headroom often makes a big difference in the overall quality and the crossover will increase the available headroom for the high frequency amp by removing the low frequencies. It also reduces stress on the speakers by significantly reducing the excursion at high power.

 

[Tube Radio]

Indeed it does.

Also eliminates the hit to audio quality caused by the woofer cones moving at frequencies under what they can reproduce.

The only thing I don't like is that at normal listening levels for nearfield listening, there isn't always enough signal for the powered sub's plate amp auto on to trigger and ever since the plate amp was new, it has had a major turn on thump so I can't just turn the auto on to always on and power the amp on and off unless I get a different plate amp with no turn on thump.

 

[Perry Babin]

I don't know how DIY you are but a delay is possible:
https://diyaudiostore.com/products/soft-start-speaker-turn-on-delay-and-dc-protector-boards

There's a link to a forum thread if you have questions about it.

 

[Tube Radio]

I could definitely build those no problem.