Why HiFi manufacturers don't make active crossovers anymore?


Hello to all,

On the recent days, I noticed that a lot of manufacturers of Hifi 2 channel systems, had plenty of options in a not so long past, of active crossovers, like Luxman, Accuphase, higher end Sony stuff, and many more, why do you think HiFi manufacturers abandoned the inclusion of active cross overs, channel dividers, in their lineup?

Accuphase still makes a digital one.

Appears that this devices are only still relevant in the Pro Audio world, why Home HifI abandoned the active cross over route? It's correct to assume that?

I think that can be very interesting tri-amp a three way loudspeakers with active cross overs, would like to know more about it too...

Share your thoughts about the subject, experiences in bi-amp and tri-amp with active crossovers and etc....

Thanks!
128x128cosmicjazz
@ mahlman  
"I am a Crown guy too. Went the consumer route for a while and tried all that "painless one touch" room correction junk and never was satisfied. You just can't beat the price and clean output of pro amps with consumer gear. "

The Crown is a "pro" amp but definitely does not "clean output" per the audio science review's measurements  https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-crown-xls-1502-amp.6062/

As you can see, this pro amp is more appropriate for "live" situations where noise, resolution and frequency range is not important.
@emailists 
"I think the ideal way to do active would be using the built in DSP and crossover function built into server software like JRiver.
It would require multiple or multi channel DAC, but it seems the least destructive method since no additional DA or AD conversions would be needed. "

I have your solution right here:
     Source: MiniDSP SHD Studio w/ Dirac Live. Everything is received and crossed-over between up to 4 channels in the digital domain; so you can set a subwoofer crossover and split 2 channels to your main speakers above that crossover and the other 2 channels to 2 subs. Output stays in the digital domain via 2 digital AES3 output (2 channels per output)
     Digital Active Speakers: Dynaudio Core 59 Speakers receive the digital direct feed from the MiniDSP via AES3 and then runs it through their internal DSP to apply its digital crossover for its 3 drivers (tweeter, mid, woofer). 

With this system, all digital signal stays in the digital domain throughout the chain without ever being converted to analog until the very last step (speaker has internal DAC for final conversion to internal amplifiers). Why did I suggest MiniDSP as the source? You can totally manipulate the signal by either applying Dirac Live or your own REW curve to your liking so that you can manipulate the frequency curve of your favorite system to make it "warm" or "forward" or whatever you want.

As long as your source can output to AES3, the Core 59 will receive the digital signal and run that signal through their 100% digital crossover DSP. Pro gear is pretty cool.


quizzio those Hypex amps have a great rep with the Klipsch DIY crowd. I have never heard one though.


  I note the article also says the Crowns are pretty darned good and a great deal and the only caution of note was to stay away from demand levels that could cause clipping. I might try a Hypex one day but there will be no hurry to do so since the Crowns I have are dead silent and the bigger problem I have with good output is the music files which Audacity can fix. If Audacity can't then they get trashed.
Good point, and one that's often lost on the "need to upgrade" crowd. If it sounds good to you, nothing else really matters. As a design focused engineer, I just love trying new things that pushes the edge of what's technically possible, just for the sake of trying it out "to see" if it sounds any better. It may sound no better than a "good" system from 5 years ago.
Only HiFi manufacturers that are producing active analog crossovers now are Pass Labs , First Watt and Accuphase?

Would like to know more brands, when you looking inside of some Behringer, DBX and etc.. they all looks cheap..

Thanks.