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Speaker frequencies

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=32733
Printed Date: July 15, 2025 at 7:57 AM


Topic: Speaker frequencies

Posted By: Richdevil{Holy}
Subject: Speaker frequencies
Date Posted: May 25, 2004 at 5:02 PM

Okay, these are probably total newbie questions but... I AM A NEWBIE :-)

I just want to know what the typical frequencies would be for a sub, mid-bass, mid-range tweeter etc.

and what would the best types of capasitors and inductors be to make the crossovers and filters etc.

Thanks for your help :-)




Replies:

Posted By: kgerry
Date Posted: May 25, 2004 at 5:11 PM

if you can, go active, not passive

of course this will entail muti-amping or a good multi channel amp



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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979




Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: May 25, 2004 at 6:14 PM

Kevin had a good suggestion for you but it does not really answer your questions at all. This is just a basic understanding of frequencies for you, it should not be taken as audio gospel.

Subsonic 0-25hz

Subbass 25-120hz

Midbass 120-400hz

Midrange 400-2500hz

Highend 2500-20000hz

Sound does not magically end at these frequencies and matter of fact the frequencies may actually overlap each other as well. The number of ways in a speaker for example may infact change the frequency limit as well. A 3 way coax for example might be all over the map for it's range of frequencies and if used with an amplifier it will be limited again in it's range of response if the active crossover is used. Some people may use 15" subs and tell you that it has to be crossed over at 67.890 hz or lower to be used as a sub because at that point they have 10" midbass drivers to take over up to 127.69hz. It is all in how the system is designed.

Passive crossovers eat up a huge amount of power, thus they waste a lot of power that is generated, this is why Kevin recommended to go active. That and most people who use caps and coils do not use audio grade parts, they use the cheapest they can find and only use crossovers of basic 6db slopes. Thus it usually sounds like a$$. It is a good experiment for you to try as it will definitely help you get an understanding of how things work, it will take some time, no doubt, but you will learn alot from it. Are you doing this for a specific task? 



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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.




Posted By: sandt38
Date Posted: May 25, 2004 at 7:17 PM
Hrmmm,

I like passives. If you get a well designed passive, the benefits far outwiegh actives.

Why?

The passive can be designed to not only cut off frequencies, but also to provide the set with a flat dynamic impedance. So what you may say, I'll just EQ it flat... Well, I am not a fan of EQs. I can hear a heavily EQed system.

Also, in certain instances the crossover may be designed with an off axis install in mind, and this is something you cannot imitate with an EQ. A good example of this is the differance in crossovers for a center channel, and a main. Center channel crossovers will be designed to allow for maximum horizontal dispersment with the drivers set up like oO (basically a vertical dispersment with the box laid on its side) rather than typical broad dispersment of a main, designed to encompass the room.

As far as components in a crossover, for in car air wound inductors, polypropelene capacitors and air wound resistors. If going with extreme high end (more geared toward home) a foil wound inductor would be choice.

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Posted By: Richdevil{Holy}
Date Posted: May 26, 2004 at 12:53 PM
Thanks guys :)





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