Xover and Subwoofer: basic question (1 Viewer)

[Chih Jieh Chang]

I looked in the primer and found some stuff about crossover, but I still have a newbie-question:

On my sub there is a xover connection. When would I use this connection? I can't use it right now with just my Denon 1602, right?

Currently my sub is using a RCA subwoofer cable to the subwoofer in on the 1602.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Ah, you might be surprised to know that what you've asked it a bit more complex than you had ever realized!
First a basic primer:
A crossover is, essentially, a set of filters that divides an audio signal into specific freq ranges (often called "bandpasses"). So you feed it a full range signal, it will give you a high freq signal and a low freq signal.
Now, in the old days, receivers did not offer crossovers internally. People who wanted to use a subwoofer in their system were forced to purchase one with an internal crossover, and feed their speaker lines into the sub (where the crossover split the signal) and then onto the speakers.
In the modern day, receivers offer crossovers built in which split the sub signal and pass it via the subwoofer output on the receiver. The crossover function built into subwoofers is not really necessary anymore, and the receiver serves that function.
Now, to your question:
In your case, I assume, your receiver does internal crossover function and passes it out via the subwoofer jack. In your case, it is best to bypass the subwoofers internal crossover, you won't need it as the signal has already been filtered as necessary inside the receiver.
In your case you have 2 inputs on the sub, one marked crossover and one marked sub?
So, which one do you hook to? Excellent question!
You see, different manufacturers label things differently.
On one brand of sub, the input maked "crossover" would mean that if you plug in there you'll be using the subwoofer's internal crossover. However, on another brand- the input maked "crossover" would mean that you should connect to tthat input from a crossover (meaning the signal was already filtered and thus that input bypasses the internal crossover).
So, there is no real way to tell which one to use unless you consult your manual to see what the label means (or if you post the type of sub and someone else on the forum knows the answer).
Your best bet for now would be to stick with the input you're currently using- and make sure that if the sub has a freq dial for the crossover settings that you crank it all the way up, to the highest freq. This will insure that, even if you are coming in the input that USES the internal crossover, by cranking it all the way up it won't refilter the signal that has already been properly filtered in the receiver.
Hope that helps.
-V

 

[Chih Jieh Chang]

Thank you for the info. Cool, learning new things everyday. Well, for my sub when I connect from the receiver to the XOVER cxn on the sub the dials on the subwoofer are disabled. However, when I connect the RCA to the INPUT cxn on the subwoofer, the dials on the subwoofer are enabled. Right now it's using INPUT. I tried using XOVER and the sub just blasted away like there was no tomorrow.

So, if anyone has a 1602 and Energy sub...is my setup correct? I couldn't turn the sub level down enough on my receiver (~ -12db is the limit on the 1602) to keep it from overwhelming the rest of the speakers.