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Basic Q re: Active Cross-Overs

I'm still trying to figure out how to get the most out of my ML Prodigy speakers with a pair of ARC VT 100s. I'm bi-amping, but want to add in an active x-over to avoid wasting power on amplifying signals that just get cut out by the speaker cross-over...

ML indicates that the internal x-over in the Prodigy speakers is 250 Hz and makes a big deal about matching the x-over to blend the ESL panel and the woofer. Here's the dumb question...

To avoid messing with ML's careful balancing act, would using an active x-over like the Bryston 10B with the high pass filter set *above* the ML cross-over freq. (e.g., set at 300 Hz) and a low pass filter set *below* the ML cross-over freq. (e.g., set at 200 Hz) still provide significant benefits and still allow the ML magic to work?

Said another way, for the ESL panel, is it irrelevant from (other than a power perspective) where the active x-over low pass is set, as long as its set below where ML's x-over is, and vice-versa for the bottom end?
edesilva
rnish5c57
10 posts
 
It depends upon the slope of the crossover. If you have a small 6 db slope and you set your xover at 300 (HP) and 200 (LP) you may not notice a thing. If your xover has a 48 db slope....you are going to miss what evers in the middle.

IMHO, for the reason you describe you want the active xover, the added electronic equipment (the additional xover) you are putting inline will counter any "good" provided.
sidssp
1,077 posts
 
I would not recommend it. To get the benefits of active crossover you must cut out the build-in crossover of a speaker and drive the speaker elements directly from amps. But you cannot do that with the Prodigy because its crossover is a key component of the Force Forward technology. It manipulates the phase shifts of the two woofers so that the back wave is cancelled out and hence, reduces the standing waves behind the speaker and extends the bass response at the listening position. Now if you add an active crossover on top of it, unless it is all done in digital, is going to introduce additional phase shifts above and below the crossover point. That phase shift, depending on its severity, may disrupt the proper operations of the Force Forward technology.
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