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Is this how a Subwoofer Crossover is supposed to work?

I bought two Starke SW12 subwoofers that I installed.  So far I'm not particularly happy with them.  They are way too loud even with the volume set almost to off.  More importantly, I'm having trouble integrating them into my system and I'm wondering if that is because their crossover setting is really functioning as I understand a crossover should. Attached please find measurements from Room Equalization Wizard with SPL graphs of the two subs (no speakers) taken at my listening position with the crossover set at 50 Hz, 90 Hz, and 130 Hz. Ignore the peaks and dips which I assume are due to room nodes.  All of those settings appear to actually have the same crossover point of 50 Hz. All that changes is the slope of the rolloff in sound levels. This isn't how I thought a properly designed crossover was supposed to work.  I thought the frequency the levels would start to roll off would change, i.e. flat to 50 hz then a sharp drop, flat to 90 hz then a sharp drop, etc. etc..  But Starke says this is how a subwoofer crossover is supposed to work.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8x4cr32pagwg48i/Two%20Subs%20Different%20Crossover%20Points%20No%20Speaker...
Any experts on here with an opinion about this?  Is it possible to buy an inexpensive active crossover that I could use in place of what is built into these subs?
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Showing 6 responses by imhififan

imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,127 posts
 
Not an expert, just my 2 cents.
I thought the frequency the levels would start to roll off would change, i.e. flat to 50 hz then a sharp drop, flat to 90 hz then a sharp drop, etc. etc..
Yes, but depend on the crossover, usually subwoofer low pass filter slope is 12 dB/octave instead of a sharp drop.
But Starke says this is how a subwoofer crossover is supposed to work.
I think this is how a Starke subwoofer crossover supposed to work.
Is it possible to buy an inexpensive active crossover that I could use in place of what is built into these subs?
Look like you can't bypass the built-in crossover! Any chance to return it?

imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,127 posts
 
From their web page I can’t figure out how the MiniDSP would fit into that setup.
https://www.minidsp.com/images/documents/miniDSP%202x4%20Balanced%20and%20Kit%20-%20User%20Manual.pd...

Look at page 12
imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,127 posts
 
I need to do some further investigation about the pros and cons of a) leaving things as they are with the tube amp connected to the DAC’s RCA output and the Subs connected by XLR cables.
A pair of in-line xlr attenuator may help.
https://www.parts-express.com/Search.aspx?keyword=In-Line%20XLR%20Attenuator&sitesearch=true
imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,127 posts
 
I bought two Starke SW12 subwoofers that I installed. So far I’m not particularly happy with them. They are way too loud even with the volume set almost to off.
@ erik_squires, beside the +6dB of xlr connection I think the subwoofer amp has higher gain than the tube amp that OP set to. Another solution is set the volume control on the tube amp higher, but OP have to lower the volume control on the DAC it might degrade the sound quality.
imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,127 posts
 
I wish they came in 5 or 7 db attenuation. -10 starts taking the problem in the other direction LOL.
10dB attenuation is not a problem at all, it give the volume control on the subwoofer more freedom for adjustment! 
imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,127 posts
 
This is how a good subwoofer low pass crossover supposed to be. However, the quality of the driver is one of the key element...

https://downloads.monoprice.com/files/images/35141_10.jpg
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