# Settings, Crossovers & everything in between



## markklb (Apr 3, 2013)

In this day of feature redundancy and various duplicate features/settings available in most of today's gear which one do most use? In other words if your head unit has an active high pass low pass crossover as well as the amplifier being used which one do you use? The head units, the amps, or both? I wouldn't say there is a right or wrong in any of the settings it's more about "seasoning" or "tailoring" the frequencies to suit the listener taking into account the equipment, vehicle, and the taste and preferences of the listener.
I would be curious as what others do or go about setting up their or their customers systems? Thanks.


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## ATOMICTECH62 (Jan 24, 2009)

I always use the ones in the HU or processor first.Sometimes there is a need to use the amps xover if you need to bandpass provided the amp can xover that high.On occasion I use an EQ band on the amp if needed.
However.
When doing this in other peoples cars,I find its better to use the amps if possible because if the car looses power they always fry tweeters and sometimes mids before they no what happened.
The HU's and processors will usually give you more control.Slopes,frequencies,gains etc...


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## Jagged Corn Flakes (Sep 10, 2013)

I would use the headunit. Simply for the convenience if adjusting on the fly in the listening position.


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## ATOMICTECH62 (Jan 24, 2009)

Ive installed active 3-4 way systems for people before,and they or their friends think they can do better,get in the menu and change everything wrong.
Just a few weeks ago a guy came back the next day because his buddy cranked up all the gains on the amps and set all the xovers on the HU flat.


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## minbari (Mar 3, 2011)

ATOMICTECH62 said:


> Ive installed active 3-4 way systems for people before,and they or their friends think they can do better,get in the menu and change everything wrong.
> Just a few weeks ago a guy came back the next day because his buddy cranked up all the gains on the amps and set all the xovers on the HU flat.


yup, I walked in on a rather heated conversation in a small shop where the shop owner was not going to replace the tweeters on this guys system for the second time.(blew the first 2 sets) appearantly the shop made some sharpy markers dots where the gains where supposed to be and he cranked all of them.

I just smiled.


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## GotaCC (Sep 13, 2013)

I always tuned my HU then set the amp accordingly. Recently I learned about tuning with O-scopes and RTA's after a friend had a HU and subs installed by a local shop. 

The subject got brought up because my friend was really unhappy with the system and just wanted it returned to stock. With the music cranked the subs (10" Hertz Dieci) were hardly fluttering. The shop told him if he changed the settings they would void the warranty, which is understandable. Are these results typical for 0-scope tuning?


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## Jagged Corn Flakes (Sep 10, 2013)

GotaCC said:


> I always tuned my HU then set the amp accordingly. Recently I learned about tuning with O-scopes and RTA's after a friend had a HU and subs installed by a local shop.
> 
> The subject got brought up because my friend was really unhappy with the system and just wanted it returned to stock. With the music cranked the subs (10" Hertz Dieci) were hardly fluttering. The shop told him if he changed the settings they would void the warranty, which is understandable. Are these results typical for 0-scope tuning?


Of course not.


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## DBlevel (Oct 6, 2006)

I've always used the head unit to adjust to my preferred sound depending on music. 

I've always run active setups but no matter what I've set my amps to a certain level and adjusted at the HU to what I'm listening to.


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## TheAHz (Nov 16, 2013)

What if I'm running passive? Would turning off xover on the amp and just using hu xover settings be a better choice? Or am I losing something having xover on amp off? Or is using amp only the better route? Amp definitely has more xover settings than my hu but will I mess up my passive xover settings if adjust it on amp? Xover rookie here


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## Gilroy (Mar 31, 2007)

TheAHz said:


> What if I'm running passive? Would turning off xover on the amp and just using hu xover settings be a better choice? Or am I losing something having xover on amp off? Or is using amp only the better route? Amp definitely has more xover settings than my hu but will I mess up my passive xover settings if adjust it on amp? Xover rookie here


Slowly back away from all active crossovers if you are using passives. 

Seriously, set all active to "pass" or "off" or "I don't need you because I have passive".


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## TheAHz (Nov 16, 2013)

Gilroy said:


> Slowly back away from all active crossovers if you are using passives.
> 
> Seriously, set all active to "pass" or "off" or "I don't need you because I have passive".


Thank you! so on amp turn off xover....then on HU instead of setting xover at 40/-24 yadda yadda just set to "Through"...i think i got it :blush:


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## sienna12 (Mar 31, 2012)

How do you set the crossover on the amp accuratlly? I've been checking out the SMD cc1 and it looks really cool. Is there an equivalent non SMD way of doing this?


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## CrossFired (Jan 24, 2008)

I'd use the HU first, if I did not like the sound, I'd try the amp. If you use the HU, you go from Digital to analog once, If you use the amp, you either convert back to digital, than back to analog, or if the amp is all analog, your signal will go thru extra electronics, raising the noise floor.


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## Hillbilly SQ (Jan 26, 2007)

If the headunit will retain its settings during a loss of power use the headunit. If it's for a customer using the amp would be the way to go then put some silicone or something similar on the gain and crossover pots to detect tampering. And do it in a way that would be immediately noticed if someone "tweaked" them. I talked to a guy one time that repaired electronics such as amps and he said nearly every amp to come across his bench had the gain maxed out on it.


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## ccapil (Jun 1, 2013)

Yeah for setting gains on a amp for a customer or for shops, best thing to do is set the gain and measure the voltage on the speaker terminals, say you set the gain with an oscope or dmm, you can just measure the voltage and say it's 30volts then get the customer to sign a form or keep record of it and if the customer comes back with problems, clipping etc, then you can just get your multimeter and check the voltage output on the amp, if it's higher then you know they have adjusted it too high so you can set it back to where it was in the first place. Then if they do it a second time say if they blow something then it will be a warranty issue and you'll charge them for the warranty etc. Is easy to do and reliable and it's repeatable.

For HPF etc I usually use the hu, it's more reliable and accurate rather than a dial on a amp, when you use the one in the amp if it's a dial you don't know exactly what the value is, you just assume it's 80hz etc.


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## ATOMICTECH62 (Jan 24, 2009)

90% of all amps I repair have the gains,bass,and LP filter maxed.
The ones that crack me up are the guy's that max the Subsonic all the way up to 60hz along with the gain and bass,then set the LP filter at minimum around 25-30hz.

Its pretty easy to tell these guy's dont have a clue what they are doing.


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## ccapil (Jun 1, 2013)

ATOMICTECH62 said:


> 90% of all amps I repair have the gains,bass,and LP filter maxed.
> The ones that crack me up are the guy's that max the Subsonic all the way up to 60hz along with the gain and bass,then set the LP filter at minimum around 25-30hz.
> 
> Its pretty easy to tell these guy's dont have a clue what they are doing.


Haha that's funny. I see this all the time people just turning everything up and boosting. Guys having there LPF all the way down and them having there filters on the amp up maxed out.


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## sienna12 (Mar 31, 2012)

How do you set the crossover on the amp itself accurately? I've been checking out the SMD cc1 and it looks really cool. Is there an equivalent non SMD way of doing this?


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## JI808 (Nov 20, 2013)

ccapil said:


> Yeah for setting gains on a amp for a customer or for shops, best thing to do is set the gain and measure the voltage on the speaker terminals, say you set the gain with an oscope or dmm, you can just measure the voltage and say it's 30volts then get the customer to sign a form or keep record of it and if the customer comes back with problems, clipping etc, then you can just get your multimeter and check the voltage output on the amp, if it's higher then you know they have adjusted it too high so you can set it back to where it was in the first place. Then if they do it a second time say if they blow something then it will be a warranty issue and you'll charge them for the warranty etc. Is easy to do and reliable and it's repeatable.
> 
> For HPF etc I usually use the hu, it's more reliable and accurate rather than a dial on a amp, when you use the one in the amp if it's a dial you don't know exactly what the value is, you just assume it's 80hz etc.


I'm not a shop, but I do work from home. Every vehicle I work on has a data sheet of subwoofer specs (measured) enclosure specs (measured), HU settings, amp settings, and so on. I keep digital copies, give digital copies to customers, and have hard copies on hand if they want them. I set the HU to flat - with the exception of subwoofer levels- and tune from there for the best SQ I can get with their equipment. I show them how and why I've set their gear the way it is. From that point they can make adjustments to suit their taste at the HU.



sienna12 said:


> How do you set the crossover on the amp itself accurately? I've been checking out the SMD cc1 and it looks really cool. Is there an equivalent non SMD way of doing this?


What brand? JL goes by clicks, but I have the CC-1 here and use that. Anything else is a guesstimate. DD-1 and IM-SG are nice as well. Like the above example, where I talked about settings, I let the customer adjust for no distortion on his sub amp. I think helps solidify in their heads not to touch the amps.


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## ccapil (Jun 1, 2013)

JI808 said:


> I'm not a shop, but I do work from home. Every vehicle I work on has a data sheet of subwoofer specs (measured) enclosure specs (measured), HU settings, amp settings, and so on. I keep digital copies, give digital copies to customers, and have hard copies on hand if they want them. I set the HU to flat - with the exception of subwoofer levels- and tune from there for the best SQ I can get with their equipment. I show them how and why I've set their gear the way it is. From that point they can make adjustments to suit their taste at the HU.


Yes, that's a good way to do it. It's good to explain to the customer etc, what you have done and why, why you have set the gain to where it is etc. And how to use the adjustments on the headunit itself, and not touch the amp (gain).


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## helpmeplease (Oct 6, 2012)

Stock unit with flat EQ + electronic crossover for mids and tweets. $20-$50 for most crossovers. Simple. Set it and forget it.


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## Metroplexin (Sep 28, 2012)

Great read for the x-over challenged such as myself.


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## LeVeL (Aug 27, 2014)

I have a Kenwood dnx9990, Infinity Kappa four 125 watts x 4 amp, Precision Power 6.5" 3 ways with 6.5"s at 150 rms run on rear channels and 3"s 75 watts rms,1.75" AMT tweeters 25 watts rms ran through the Precision Power crossover on the front 2 channels. I also have a 15" Sound Solutions ICON powered with Kicker KX 2200 rms mono amp. Big three 0 gauge upgrade, Optima red top, 240 amp alt, Rockford Fosgate 0 gauge dual amp kit, Monster rca and 14 gauge shielded speaker wires, NVX sound dampning, 1/4" closed cell foam, 1/4" Mute X sound proofing, 1/2" jute, and 6 layers of rubberized sound dampning undercoating in wheel wells and bottom of car I have sold most of the stereo equipment that I bought before I joined this forum in favor of something on the SQ side and after lots of reading and research. But still don't know how to set it up do I use my headunit or amps or a combo of both. Please explain how to set hi, lo, flat and what htz for each. I am still a noob but want to build the best SQ system I can and say I did it myself.


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## ccapil (Jun 1, 2013)

As long as you don't set filters on both. You don't want a HPF set on the headunit AND the amp for the same channel for example.
I would have to go through the equipment yku have and see what filters etc you have to play with first. 
First I would start with getting the gains set correctly on the amps. Either a dmm, dd1 or an ocialascope. The go from there, amp by amp.


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## eXistence (Aug 5, 2015)

I know this thread is a little old, but both my head unit (Kenwood DDX719 + Pioneer GM-D8604) have crossovers. I am somewhat new to the tuning aspect. I have headunit's xover set on through for both my fronts and rears and my hpf set to 80hz on the amp for both channels. It seems I should just go ahead and turn off the hpf on the amp and use the headunit. Most likely keep it on through? That is what I have it set on now for the headunit.

Now for my sub amp (GM-D9601) it does not have a setting to turn off the lpf. So in other words I have to leave it on my cutoff which would be between 80hz to 100hz. I listen to a lot of techno/trance/etc and I am using an alpine 10 Type R. So I like punchy sound form my sub.


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## Kevaj (Oct 16, 2015)

Hey sorry for jumping in on this thread but I couldnt think of what else to do. Just started my acct 30 minutes ago and can not for the life of me figure out how to post a thread. HELP ?? Thx


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