2-way crossover for monitors+subwoofer (Y cable? transformers? passive? active? DSP?)

[zzzzz]

Rather than bring back a zombie thread, figured I'd make a new one for 2024.

I have a Yamaha HS8S subwoofer. It rules and sounds great (I've been using it with NS10s), but the built-in crossover is kind of "eh." Seen photos of the built-in amps on the HSx series monitors and they are full of JRC4558s ...
with NS10s, who cares but with more critical speakers, you don't want your nice clean signal going through a bunch of 4558s before your amp...

Making this thread for opinions, suggestions, and ideas.

CURRENT SETUP:

• XLR balanced out from converters / interface (output impedance is 150 ohms according to RME) > Yamaha HS8S XLR input > Yamaha HS8S crossover XLR out to power amplifier for nearfield monitors.

OPTIONS:

• using a Y-split XLR cable from the main outputs of the interface. Obviously you lose the ability to high-pass your main monitors in this configuration and impedance could be an issue? idk. (the HS8S sub still has a variable hi-cut / lpf on the amp though)
  
  
• transformers to split signal. Jensen has their ISO-MAX line of pre-assembled units but they're not cheap. Wouldn't be hard to wire up a little box with an off-the-shelf line xformer though.
  
  
• Passive crossover network? insertion loss?
  
  
• Active crossover options?
  • some other sort of DIY crossover using better ICs than what Yamaha is using. Maybe one of Rod Elliot's projects (this is Project 09: "24 dB/Octave 2/3-Way Linkwitz-Riley Electronic Crossover" or Project 148 state variable) but using a modern opamp like an OPA1656?
    
    
  • Nelson Pass' project looks cool but like, way more intense than I probably need: https://diyaudiostore.com/products/diy-biamp-6-24-crossover
    
    
  • others?
    
• DSP products like the miniDSP Flex. With balanced connectors, this thing costs almost $600 USD and has more features than I need. I'm not really trying to do that.
  
  
• track down service manual and mod the subwoofer amp / crossover. no thanks.

 

[jeremynothman]

The miniDSP unit looks good, but there are also plenty of old DSP units aimed at Live Sound that are now very affordable secondhand, but whether they really sound better than the internal crossover might be debatable (and it's going through that circuitry irrespective, no?)

The biggest plus of using something like a DriveRack is that you'll also get parametric EQ that you can use to help out the in-room response, and obviously that you have the option of setting a limiter, if you have visiting engineers who might be unkind to your speakers.

 

[zzzzz]

The miniDSP unit looks good, but there are also plenty of old DSP units aimed at Live Sound that are now very affordable secondhand, but whether they really sound better than the internal crossover might be debatable (and it's going through that circuitry irrespective, no?)

The biggest plus of using something like a DriveRack is that you'll also get parametric EQ that you can use to help out the in-room response, and obviously that you have the option of setting a limiter, if you have visiting engineers who might be unkind to your speakers.

Yeah we have the big miniDSP SHD with Dirac Live in our main room hooked up for our big ol' Urei 809 mains.

Did the correction measurements in Sonarworks and/or REW (I forget) and then loaded them into the Dirac and it was a night-and-day difference.

 

[zzzzz]

alright quickly rigged together a Y cable out of my converters to split off to the power amp and then the sub and immediately noticed a big difference rather than passing through the sub's built in crossover lol... this is fine for now. the HS8S still has a high-cut with or without using the crossover output.