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2-way or 3-way?

Printed From: Speakerplans.com
Category: Plans
Forum Name: X10, X12, X15 and XM15
Forum Description: Discussion / Questions about the X10, X12, X15 and XM15
URL: https://forum.speakerplans.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=32148
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 10:56pm
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Topic: 2-way or 3-way?
Posted By: Barrington
Subject: 2-way or 3-way?
Date Posted: 29 October 2009 at 7:45am
I plan to make a pair of x12's, but with only one 12 in each.  I was originally just gonna put a passive 2way xo high pass in each for the horn drivers, but i have been doing some more research, will i need a passive 3 way xo instead of the 2way?  If so, what kind of low pass and high pass frequencies would be suitable for a 12" driver and 1" exit driver with horn?



Replies:
Posted By: topdiggy2
Date Posted: 30 October 2009 at 3:10am
You wont need a 3 way XO if you are only runing 2 drivers in the cab itself. Tecnically speaking if you have a full range signal coming in, you only want the XO in between the line in jack and the speakers.  The XO will direct the "frequency traffic" to which ever driver you want.  And it will direct as much traffic as you want!
 
So you can set the cut off for the 12" driver(s) at say 120hz-1.2kz [1 way], and then set the high pass to 1.2khz-20khz [2 way]...thus 2 way XO.  A 3 way passive would be if you have say a third driver in that same cabinet that you wanted to maybe have 3 highways of traffic open.
 
Follow me?
 
Now, here is where you are limiting yourself with the passive crossovers: Once you configure those settings inside that cabinet, you will have to open up those cabs and tweek that xo again. And depending on what cabs you have or dont have at a gig, you may not always want the same "traffic" controls in place.
 
With a external XO, you can change the settings on the fly and swap around cabs for different functions. Maybe at some gigs where you have better subs, you may want your 12"'s not to work as hard and restrict them to do more of the hi work. Or maybe you didnt bring the subs, and today you want those 12" to drop a little lower down to 50-60hz range and to do more low end work.
 
Again, the point is if you are only talking 1-3 cabs, then really you wont see a difference, however, if you got a 10+ cab system, to try and buy xo's for all of them is just insane, when you can get a cheap external and have more control over your tweaking.
 
Flexibility is the key term Barry....hope this helps
 
PS - im going to have to get with someone else on the ohn wiring question you had in the other thread....im not too sure if there will be a load reduction either way....there should be in parallel, but, not in series.


Posted By: topdiggy2
Date Posted: 30 October 2009 at 3:14am
Oh, yeah now i remember what my reservations was about your other question.....
 
Im not sure that you will get the load reduction because the resistance at any given time will be different because each driver isnt recieving the same signal, thus having different power requirements instantaneously.  
 
regardless of them being the same power rating and same Ohm rating, the mere fact that you got then working on two different task will seperate.
 
I think! ;)
 



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