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Satisfying Loudspeaker Crossover Constraints with Conventional Networks-Old and New Designs

Conventional crossovers are realized using passive all-pole filters. Consequently the constraints which can be imposed on their behavior are severely limited. In loudspeaker applications constant power, constant voltage amplitude, and linear phase are highly desirable. It is argued that while linear phase cannot be achieved, some phase control is possible, and the constraints of constant power and constant voltage amplitude can be satisfied. However, tradeoffs must be made since no single conventional crossover satisfies all three properties. It is shown that constant power and amplitude require the Butterworth and all-pass crossovers. If phase control is paramount, a new crossover is introduced which allows a selectable variation in power and amplitude, while maintaining a fixed phase behavior.

Author: Bullock, III, Robert M.
Affiliation: Miami University, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Oxford, OH
JAES Volume 31 Issue 7/8 pp. 489-499; August 1983 Import into BibTeX

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