Loudspeakers - Can I get away without a crossover?

[zac850]

Hey,
So I'm a lampie most of the time, but I'm installing a sound system into a small restaurant that wants to start doing dinner theater (don't ask). Problem is, the director also wants to start doing DJ things in there, so I'm trying to make a basic theatrical system also be a DJ system. I'm trying to add in a sub, but the problem is that cross-overs are expensive.

Now, I wouldn't use the sub for their basic theatrical shows of course, but for DJing, if I just ran a full range output from the console to the sub, would it know what to do with the signal or would the sub attempt to vibrate with the high end as well?

Sorry if this is a really stupid question, I usually try and stick to my lighting world, but occasionally I can't.

Thanks in advance,
Zac

[DaveySimps]

It depends on the sub. Some subs do have a built in crossover, especially newer active subs. In your case this might be a great thing to look at. To answer your question, a speaker is still a speaker, it will try and reproduce the signal you send to it to the best of its abilities. So, without a crossover (either internal or external), a sub with try and reproduce a full range signal. I would definately say you should have a crossover, especially with the DJ scenerio you listed.

~Dave

[avare]

Not possible. The smaller speakers will be blown the first time the system is ran for DJ.

[jkowtko]

What's expensive?

The DBX 223 can probably be found for well under $100.

If you're really low budget, there may be something from Behringer in the $50 range.

You can also use a graphic equalizer on the sub and/or main speakers to filter out the unwanted frequencies, and you can balance the sound coming out of the full range speakers. Check out the Behringer FBQ3102 -- it gives you two channels of EQ to balance out your sound, plus a sub out. You get two devices in one And I'm sure you can get one of these for under $100 on eBay at some point.

[SHARYNF]

you have two issues here, one is to get the low frequencies OUT of the small full range speakers, and the other is to get the high frequencies OUT of the sub.

You need to get a crossover to divide the audio output for the full range and sub. DJ's really push a system especially on the low end. Do not attempt to use a graphic eq for this and expect to get any sort of quality result.

Sharyn

[zac850]

Thanks for the DBX suggestion, that would be well within my budget, I'll look into that.

I had a feeling the sub would blow if I sent it a full range signal, I just wanted to make sure.

Thanks for the help,
Zac

[SHARYNF]

sub will NOT blow if you set it to full range, it will output a sound that will interfere with the other speakers giving you a poor quality sound. Your real danger is blowing the full range speakers in a dj environment if you don't use the crossover for them

Sharyn

[museav]

Before you go running off buying a 223 or anything else, tell us more about the rest of the sound system and the space, these factors could make a huge difference in how you might want to proceed.

Also, with your obvious budget concerns, what were you thinking for a subwoofer? Did you have any models or budget in mind?

[BillESC]

Yes, knowing more about the space will help.

I'll also second going with an active subwoofer as it will eliminate the need for a crossover. What kind of budget do you have to work with?

[zac850]

Well, the DJ side of it appears to be less important then the theatrical reinforcement side of it, so I actually dropped the idea of the sub for now, and if they start DJing, then I'll get them a sub.

Its a small restaurant, maybe 50 seats, so I don't need anything that powerful. I found some decent macki powered speakers that I'll be hanging, and 2 wireless mics and a small console later I've got a basic sound system for them. DJ system supplies CD players for shows and a DJ system to use for retirement parties or similar things.

Budget was something under $3,500 for that and some lights.

For some odd reason I just kept finding really expensive $1000 crossovers and didn't find the cheeper ones until given a model number.