# Active Tube or Crossovers for home use...



## 3fish (Jul 12, 2009)

Can anyone help me please in sourcing 4 way active and tube crossovers for home use?

I'm looking at marchand but would also like to know if there are other, maybe from professional world, substitutes which perform same function.


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## jasondplacetobe (Jun 15, 2009)

bump


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## the other hated guy (May 25, 2007)

I am working with a mfg with developing a dsp driven tube preamp and tube amps... I'll let you know when we get close to finalizing it


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## trigg007 (Feb 24, 2010)

OP: You didn't specify a price point so here goes...Bryston makes the best solid state; Marchand Electronics makes some good ones too (solid state & tube). *IMO* I would suggest solid state for a crossover. Tubes, albeit not like power tubes, still have a life span as opposed to solid state circutry, just as I would suggest tubes for pre-amps and amplifiers and not source units (CD players). For home audio, I'd take a properly executed passive crossover over an active crossover anyday.


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## 3fish (Jul 12, 2009)

trigg007 said:


> OP: You didn't specify a price point so here goes...Bryston makes the best solid state; Marchand Electronics makes some good ones too (solid state & tube). *IMO* I would suggest solid state for a crossover. Tubes, albeit not like power tubes, still have a life span as opposed to solid state circutry, just as I would suggest tubes for pre-amps and amplifiers and not source units (CD players). For home audio, I'd take a properly executed passive crossover over an active crossover anyday.


I"ve seen the marchand stuff and was looking, hoping for, more agreeable price point....


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## the other hated guy (May 25, 2007)

*******


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## the other hated guy (May 25, 2007)

trigg007 said:


> OP: You didn't specify a price point so here goes...Bryston makes the best solid state; Marchand Electronics makes some good ones too (solid state & tube). *IMO* I would suggest solid state for a crossover. Tubes, albeit not like power tubes, still have a life span as opposed to solid state circutry, just as I would suggest tubes for pre-amps and amplifiers and not source units (CD players). For home audio, I'd take a properly executed passive crossover over an active crossover anyday.


Though Bryston is good stuff... lets be honest here... it's not the best SS stuff...

And secondly.. the ability to tune a loudspeaker to your listening environment will trump in every way a passive xover.. Please enlighten me the magic with passives?


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## Se7en (Mar 28, 2007)

Also realize that home audio is significantly behind the times when it comes to "active" systems.

Most speaker manufactures pride themselves on the "voicing" of their speakers through passive XO design.

There are only a handful of companies that make active XOs, Bryston & Krell come to mind and most of it isn't cheap. There are a few DSP based systems like DEQX and Tact but again, not cheap and not tube.

Your best bet would be to look at some pro audio solutions, maybe there's some pro tube stuff but I doubt it.

You might try finding a pro piece and putting a tube based line driver in front of it but you're still talking solid state.


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## tyort1 (Jun 2, 2010)

Go with something like a modded Behringer DCX as your digital source, preamp, crossover unit, and room correction EQ. Use a tube amp after it. I've used it in the past and it's some of the best sound you will ever hear.


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## 3fish (Jul 12, 2009)

tyort1 said:


> Go with something like a modded Behringer DCX as your digital source, preamp, crossover unit, and room correction EQ. Use a tube amp after it. I've used it in the past and it's some of the best sound you will ever hear.


Modded? 

I've been looking exactly at the DCX. This is good advice.


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## lowpoke (Jun 1, 2008)

Not 4 way, but oh how I would love a pair of these;


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## 3fish (Jul 12, 2009)

lowpoke said:


> Not 4 way, but oh how I would love a pair of these;


This just went down on ebay. Very nice kit indeed. Japanese have very active, active crossover home stereo market


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## lowpoke (Jun 1, 2008)

3fish said:


> This just went down on ebay. Very nice kit indeed. Japanese have very active, active crossover home stereo market


Ooh nice. I haven't seen one those before!


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## lowpoke (Jun 1, 2008)

the other hated guy said:


> I am working with a mfg with developing a dsp driven tube preamp and tube amps... I'll let you know when we get close to finalizing it


I would like to know more about these items.


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## nelsondog (May 10, 2006)

Audio Research used to make one...


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## jsmky (Oct 11, 2010)

Ashly made good components. BSS is excellent as well.


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