Thanks GM for all the fine pointers. I looked at the N1200-8A on GPA website. That will be my best option if I am going run the A7 straight but I also was considering going to run biamp. How do most people run biamp? Do they run a separate amp directly to the woofer as is or are there 2 way XO unit that is build for biamp option where the LF side and the HF of the XO unit can be split with the selection of the binding post.
You're welcome! Some folks run the woofer wide open, so may want to try it, otherwise just split a standard XO, adding terminals for the woofer amp or use a separate bi-amp terminal cup with isolation straps: bi-amp terminal cup - Parts Express Ships Fast and Ships Free.
Don't recall any Altec bi-amp XO, just the poor performing integrated amp/XO for HF, LF: http://www.lansingheritage.org/image...-mi/page12.jpg
GM
Loud is Beautiful if it's Clean! As always though, the usual disclaimers apply to this post's contents.
Altec Lansing Model 1632A Electronic Crossover | #137131366Originally Posted by GM
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
I bi-amp my A7/500s using a MiniDSP 2x4HD as the crossover. (McIntosh MC60s on top and McIntosh MC250 on bottom.) I put a protection resistor on the HF driver to limit any potential damage. I know the MiniDSP isn't analog, but it allows for any crossover point and parametric EQ, so I'm less concerned with analog purity than taming these beasts for the room they're in.
I'm a little late to the party but I'll chip in some experience. My primary music system has braced+tightened up A7's with 416A's/802C's/511B's and I've experimented with a multitude of different active and passive crossovers, and amp/bi-amp configurations over the years. The zenith was to use a slightly modified version of Jean Hiraga's A5 networks, with level controls on the HF output and the notch filter, and to drive the speakers with PIO capped MC30's. This configuration presents the most convincing timbre and biggest soundstage of anything I've tried.
FWIW every DSP/active crossover device I tested (miniDSP and others) sucked the realism out of any music I piped through, probably due to the A-D-A conversion process.
For 2 way stereo with selectable Xo freq and indep. channel levels, Altec 9442/4 A or SA amps, with Altec or EV Octal plug-in modules could be used.
e.g.
2x 9442/4 + 2x EV APX Octal crossovers
or
1x 9442/4 + 2x EV APX2 Octal crossovers + your HF amp
APX/APX2 selectable frequencies in your ballpark:
...
0500 hz
0630 hz
0800 hz
1000 hz
1250 hz
1600 hz
2000 hz
2500 hz
3150 hz
...
or subbing EV CX-1 (CX1) for APX2, :
0500 hz
0800 hz
('or user determined values')
AMCX1 appears to be the same thing, but YMMV.
See also Altec 15581A if you like.
Of course there's many ways to go 'active', but the Altec + Octal solution is flexible enough, and keeps it simple IMO.
Caveat Emptor wiring your drivers up directly, reading up on HF channel bypass caps etc. is prudent. I don't use them atm.
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