Bottlehead Forum

General Category => Technical topics => Topic started by: Karl5150 on April 29, 2015, 02:03:33 PM

Title: Insertion Loss
Post by: Karl5150 on April 29, 2015, 02:03:33 PM
Understanding that passive components have an insertion loss (I think I saw 4dB quoted for the Submissive) does their location in the audio chain play a role?
Forgive my ignorance but I built a high-pass x-over to relieve my 4 Ohm Fostex OBs of some bass duty as I am using a powered sub that integrates well set at about 100Hz.
Driven by the SEX amp we are not talking about power to spare.
Thanks for any addition to my knowledge base!
Karl
   
Title: Re: Insertion Loss
Post by: Paul Birkeland on May 02, 2015, 07:24:50 AM
Understanding that passive components have an insertion loss (I think I saw 4dB quoted for the Submissive) does their location in the audio chain play a role?
Yes.  If you are able to place these components at line-level, you won't be scrubbing power from the speaker amplifier to get the job done.  Passive crossover components do have some insertion loss (in their pass band), but something like your second order low pass filter will have minimal insertion loss.
Title: Re: Insertion Loss
Post by: Karl5150 on May 02, 2015, 09:28:37 AM
Thanks Paul. Well the Integration gave me +4dB in gain (along with other good things) and these X-overs may make the volume levels a wash but hopefully yield some other benefits.
Karl
 
Title: Re: Insertion Loss
Post by: Grainger49 on May 02, 2015, 09:41:46 AM
  .  .  .   If you are able to place these components at line-level, you won't be scrubbing power from the speaker amplifier to get the job done.  Passive crossover components do have some insertion loss (in their pass band), but something like your second order low pass filter will have minimal insertion loss. 

An additional thought about line level rather than speaker level EQ.  The components will need lower voltage and current ratings.  It should, therefore, be cheaper as well.