Are first order crossovers best?


Here's an interesting item IMO. In looking for some speaker cables, and possibly interconnects too, I've been hearing from the various manufacturers of these wires a question regarding the crossover in my speakers.

"What order crossover is in them, first, second, third, etc?"

I believe mine (VR4 JR's), are fourth order.

The thought that comes to my mind is this...What does that matter? Should I care what sort of ordered crossover there is in a speaker? How big or small a part does it play?

At this point I have no answers for the above Q's.... if I could have your thoughts and experiences it would be more than appreciated to shed some light on this currently dimly lit subject...

Thanks all...
blindjim

Showing 1 response by elevick

1st order is 6db, 2nd order 12db, 3rd order is 18db, correct?
A lot from what I gather here is the ability of the manufacturers to blend the drivers well. Some companies use steeper crossovers (18db will cut off the signal much more sharply than 6db) to prevent overlap.
So, no matter what slope is being used, a lot matters with the driver selection and boxes.
I wouldn't buy a speaker based on crossover design unless I was looking at NO crossover. However, a 4th order crossover is much harder to make and more expensive. So, you have to factor in the quality of components used if you look at 2 equally priced speakers with similar drivers-who is cutting corners to allow for crossover components?