Pioneer SF-850 X-over: any experience?

So in a moment of temporary insanity (that lasted for the past about 6 months in which I got a lot of stuff that got my wife ever closer to hiring an assassin :uzi:- Ill attempt to post before he finds me ara, I got myself a "Pioneer electronic crossover netwerk model SF-850" (that's the full name...sory), that came with its original cloth cover and a manual - cool. I don't know what the original intended market for that component was originally, but my hunch is that it was for professional or semi professional use, as it seems to require some audio understanding.

Problem is that not only do I NOT have any audio knowledge whatsoever (I just like the sound, that's all) but also that I took one look at the manual and realized that if I were to learn how to work this thing from the manual, it'll be a fertaile ground for frustration and perhaps even some smoke in the house. I'll scan the manual later and post it here for your pleasure.

So: has anybody got any knowledge about this thing? any step by step hook up pointers and wisdom, for bi-amplification :scratch2:?

I'll help you solve your confusion and make your wife happier, all in one easy step: just send that old, confusing thing to me!

What you have is an adjustable crossover network, which divides the frequency output so you can send different signals to different drivers (tweeter/midrange/woofer) in a speaker system (or between different speakers in a multi-speaker system). Very useful for DIY speaker projects, bi- and tri-amping, etc... You can put it after your pre-amp, and send each part of the frequency spectrum to a different amp and driver/speaker, with that thing.

Almost all speakers you buy have simplified (non-adjustable) crossovers built-in within the speakers. The design work of getting the right "balance" between drivers has been done for you by the manufacturer. Devices like yours allow you to experiment with setting your own crossover points, sending, for example, more of the bass to the woofer and less to the mid-range, or vice-versa, etc... It is an invaluable tool if you are making your own speakers, but not much use (other than for multi-amping as mentioned above) if you plan to use only ready-made speakers as-is.

If you are serious about sliding further down the slippery slope of audio obsession and will be getting more involved in setting up your own multi-amp system or DIYing speakers, it's not a bad thing to hold on to.

Otherwise, please let me help you...I've been looking for a good one of those for a while. [I need one!]

Well, i am going to give it a try first, and see what the hoopla is about. U'll have the right of first refusal .

In the meantime, I guess I'll just be fiddeling with it hoping for the best, :withstpd: as nobody here seems to know anything about that X-over (actually I'm surprised ).

It seems pretty basic to me, nothing much to say and that's why nobody is saying much. Plus it is remarkably rare.

Unless you have specific amps for high and low pass needs I don't think this has any value. In fact it has a better chance of degrading the signal, it is 30+ years old.

I use a modern cross over to separate my sub woofer output from my primary speakers -- at around 80Hz.

The volume knobs are self explanatory. On the top row, the right knobs are top limits, the left knobs are lower limits. The bottom knobs are to make certain areas of sound louder. From what I can tell from the front panel there is no way to use this for biamping without losing part of the sound spectrum, this is for triamping. Perhaps their a switch on the back that's not in your pictures?

dew.

Thanks dew042 - cool: actually, using that cross for the purpose of a sub instead of bi-amping is a good idea. Ill post a pic of the back for convenience...

I owned one for several years and I know an audiophile friend that has used his in his main tri-amplified system for more than thirty years. I dumped my unit after I realized how much it degraded the sound. I hope that you find your unit gives you better results.

What amps are you going to use? And what speakers are you planning to use? I think this would be a fine project to put together with the right equipment. I'd like to see how you come out on this....keep us posted!

:guitar:

i have an SF-850, and do not believe it to 'degrade the sound' as long as the crossover points you decide to use are within the driver's operating parameters...

:tresbon: IMHO



i don't really use mine much anymore as i am using some custom fixed frequency crossovers

that being said, if you are looking to have variable crossover points...
say sometimes you like to listen to movies and other times you want to listen to music... it is very useful... as is the ability to set the slopes 'asymetrically'

not many units that i have run across can do this ...

Thanks guys:

Thanks guys,
I have yet to decide what and how I am going to use it, as I simply have no time on my hands. I find myself lately at the office at 9-10-11 PM, and back at 9 AM, so luckily I made a wise choice a while ago making my beloved Sansui AU-9500 into the office system, with a shitttty cheap CD player and small JBL's (that have a surprisingly fine sound for their price and size).

When the time comes, probably in a few months, I'll probably use my two Hitachi HMA-7500 amps with the Hitachi HCA-7500 I got a while ago (which is a fine fine preamp: good sturdy and beautiful matt all aluminum build quality, crisp sound - I like it. opinion will be posted in the future - http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=82042&d=1205035453). I have absolutely no idea what speakers I'll use - perhaps the old D5 Cerwin Vegas - we'll see about that ('cause the wife will clearly slit my throat if just one little audio THING finds its way into the house - and no, I am not kidding: I sleep with a gun under the pillow...:yes:ara::twak: