Car Audio Crossovers: Essential For Your Custom System
Car audio crossovers electronically change the music signal in your car. They divide the frequencies in the signal and send them to the appropriate locations. For example, they might send the low frequencies to the subwoofer and the higher frequencies to the speakers. There are a number of different kinds of crossovers to choose from. Some have lots of frequencies while others just have a few. Some can even have adjustable components. The tough part of crossovers, though, is installing them.
The first thing you should do before any installation is read the manual that came with the merchandise. To get it installed, you are going to need a Phillips and a flat-head screwdriver, screws, a soldering iron, a socket, a wire stripper, and an electric drill with a good selection of bits. There are two basic kinds of crossovers. The installation of yours will depend on what type of you have purchased. A passive crossover changes the sound after the sound has been amplified. To start this type of installation, you first have to take all of your speakers out. Connect the crossover to the positive lead from the speaker (after you have removed its original connection). Test the speaker, and put it back in its place.
Installing an active crossover is somewhat more difficult. You will have to connect power, a ground, and a turn on lead. The most important thing to remember here is that an active crossover needs to be installed between your receiver and your amplifier. The outputs will connect to the preamps in your amplifier. Your first step in the process is to mount the crossover. One of the best places to mount it is in the trunk near your amplifier. Be sure that it is easy to get to in case you need to make some adjustments at a future date. Also, be sure you do not mount it directly to any steel surface, as it could cause some interference problems with your sound quality. Next, you need twelve volt power. To get it, tap into your car's fuse panel with the appropriate fuse tap and wire gauge. The next thing you need to do is ground the crossover. Remember that most cars are pretty solidly fiberglass these days, so be sure to find a metal surface for grounding purposes. Now you are ready to make your turn on connection. The best way to get a signal for this is to tap into your receiver's amplifier turn-on lead. Your final step is to make your signal connections. For most cars, route RCA cables to your receiver's preamp outputs.
Installing car audio crossovers can be a bit difficult, but once you have you'll never regret it. Your system will sound that much better.