# Focal utopia crossover vs active crossover



## Mikischu (Dec 9, 2012)

Hi Everyone,

I've got the chance to get a set of Focal Utopia Be no6 speakers at a really good price and I'm wondering how to set them up.

In particular, this set of speakers comes with a very impressive looking crossover controller thing.

Currently I have a Helix DSP that handles my crossovers. Would I be better off using the Focal crossover?
It seems like a very impressive bit of kit, so I'm really not sure.

Any advice?


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## Mless5 (Aug 21, 2006)

Active is always more flexible if you have the means to do it right and the brain not to screw up your expensive set of speakers.


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## Mikischu (Dec 9, 2012)

I think I'd get help in setting them up for sure. 

Seems such a waste to not use the crossover provided, but yeah it makes sense active would be better.


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## Mitsu1grn (Sep 22, 2008)

Greetings!

The No.6 kit with the crossblock has the capability to be bi-amplified using the crossblock. It is a fairly easy process to set it up. You can still use all of your DSP's capability if you do this. Using the crossblock gives you the ability to choose between over 4000 different combinations of amplitude, Q factor and crossover points for the system. I always recommend utilizing the crossblock in any system, it really makes a difference when it comes to tuning a vehicle. 

Nick Wingate
National Training Coordinator
Focal America


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## Mikischu (Dec 9, 2012)

Oh wow..

That changes things a bit then. I need to read more about how to use this kit properly then.

Thanks for the info!


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

I would not use any passive crossover if I had that DSP at my disposal.

http://sound.westhost.com/biamp-vs-passive.htm


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## BoomHz (Apr 20, 2007)

......................^^That was a nice little read there^^


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## Mitsu1grn (Sep 22, 2008)

Greetings!

With all due respect to the fully active crowd, I disagree. Once you have used the crossblock that the Focal engineers designed you will not want to use a No. 6 or No. 7 kit without it. The crossblock took over 4 years or R&D to design. A car has the worst environment to try and make something sound good. They know that and actually design every speakers system for car audio IN A CAR! So was the crossblock. The engineers who designed the drivers understand better than anyone how they react acoustically in a car and designed that crossover with that in mind. When you use the crossblock in conjunction with DSP you have the ability to fine tune any system!


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## Mikischu (Dec 9, 2012)

Much to consider.

First I think I need to go buy the speakers before someone else beats me to them.


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## SQ Audi (Dec 21, 2010)

There is no better authority on Focal and what works best than Nick Wingate. He didn't get to that status with Focal America for reading something on the internet. He is THE AUTHORITY on all things Focal.


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## Tnutt19 (Dec 22, 2010)

While I fully respect Nick Wingate I do have to disagree here, The crossblock is awesome do not get me wrong but it does not give you the benefits of T/A for one. Most people might prefer using it but I did not. I would think most the people on this forum would prefer active for the same reasons I did.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

You do realize that TA is pretty worthless in the tweeter range, right? Level is far more important for tweeters than TA. That's not to say its completely useless, but it's not a big deal.


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## Tnutt19 (Dec 22, 2010)

Maybe so but it was just an example. The statement was that anyone after using the block would not want to set them up without, for me and several others I know it was preferred to use a processor instead of the block. 
I guess the question would be what does the crossblock provide that a processor would not and vice versa... That is the question we asked ourselves and from trying both we arrived at the conclusion we preferred without the block.


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## SQ Audi (Dec 21, 2010)

Tnutt19 said:


> Maybe so but it was just an example. The statement was that anyone after using the block would not want to set them up without, for me and several others I know it was preferred to use a processor instead of the block.
> I guess the question would be what does the crossblock provide that a processor would not and vice versa... That is the question we asked ourselves and from trying both we arrived at the conclusion we preferred without the block.


If you re-read what Nick stated above, he did not state to just use the crossblock only. He stated to include it _WITH_ the DSP.


> When you use the crossblock in conjunction with DSP you have the ability to fine tune any system!


I have heard both setups with and without the crossblocks and I will always go back to the crossblock/dsp system over the dsp only system if you are utilizing the Focal BE setup.

Other brands, I would tend to say that DSP only will work in 99.9% of the market, but it is brands like Focal that are above the curve when it comes to the Crossblock.


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## Tnutt19 (Dec 22, 2010)

If your using the DSP with the crossblock then you are not using the dsp to its full advantages. A good DSP will do everything for the sound that the crossblock will, that is my point. The crossblock is not a must have to get the most out of BE speakers and I think that is important for people to know that are DIYers pondering this very question.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

The Quart QSDs were the same way. Always sounded better with the passives. Everything done in the passives can be done electronically, except for things like storage. You can't digitally simulate a cap storing energy. Things like that make a difference


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## Tnutt19 (Dec 22, 2010)

I will say it was really cool watching Nick tune a kit 07 and I certainly see the advantages of the block. For someone that knows what they are doing it is relatively quick and easy to tune the kit. That is a very big advantage, and perhaps that is what Nick means when he says after using the block you would not want to use without. That I can agree with in those circumstances. I do think though with a good processor and equally knowing what you are doing that everything that is accomplished with the block can be accomplished with the processor.

The crossblock is a very nice piece of eye candy too, in person it looks stunnning!!


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## Tnutt19 (Dec 22, 2010)

quality_sound said:


> The Quart QSDs were the same way. Always sounded better with the passives. Everything done in the passives can be done electronically, except for things like storage. You can't digitally simulate a cap storing energy. Things like that make a difference


Never did think about cap storage, of course with good amps this would not be necessary right? Wouldnt they store energy also?


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

If the caps were used the same way, yes. In passives they can be added for to change the slope at a certain point, for example. You can do that with an electronic if it'll let you. Most processors only let you pick one slope though.


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## Elektra (Feb 4, 2013)

quality_sound said:


> If the caps were used the same way, yes. In passives they can be added for to change the slope at a certain point, for example. You can do that with an electronic if it'll let you. Most processors only let you pick one slope though.


I agree in most case active is better - Passives are usually poorly made using cheap components and are generic. But with top end brands like Focal, Alpine F1, Brax Graphic Pros etc the Passives are a important cog in getting the speakers to sound the way the manufacturer wants them to sound.

I owned a set of F1's and let me tell you it was impossible to get those speakers to sound right actively - literally spent weeks on RTA's and everything else I could think of - I actually thought these speakers were rubbish! Till I tried putting the Passives on - what I could not achieve after weeks of trying I achieved in 10mins - the speakers just went from junk to freaking unbelievable by just using the Passives...

I read a review where they tested the Brax Graphic Pros and they tested with and without the huge Passives they came with and it was concluded that the speakers sounded better with the Passives. 

I will never go active again - I am waiting for my crossblock for my kit 7 to arrive and I'll use 4 channels to drive them. Currently I am running in my kit 7 at home off a Morel Elate 3 way passive and I can't fault them in anyway what so ever - they are the best speakers I have heard that can be used in a car...

The BE tweeter literally disappears - I have to put my ear to it to see if it's playing - did a RTA measurement and the tweeter is perfect on the RTA - I really can't understand the "bright" hype I read from time to time - I can't hear any brightness from any drivers - except from the 3" mids but that went away after 50 hours now they sound as good as any home speakers that I have heard before which I thought were very good

My advise if your kits come with the cross block use them - Focal spent lots of time and R&D to develop it - it would be a mistake not to


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