Crossovers - Internal or External

power4people

Hello - I am starting an install this weekend on a BMW 740i (1997) using polk components.
MM10 sub
C.400 4 channel for front components
C.300 2 channel for sub
MM455 components for Front

Using OEM Radio, CD Changer, and tape deck

My question concerns the crossover network for the MM455's. The manual for the C.400 says I can hook up the woofs to the back channel and the tweets to the front channel using the pre EQ settings to eliminate the external xovers. Has anyone out there done this and does it work as well.

Thanks for your help

exalted512

its called biamping and yes, a lot of people do this and like it a lot
-Cody

MacLeod

Im a big fan of bi-amping. The benefits are that you have a lot more flexibility in tuning your tweeter output. If you straight wire them then all youve got to adjust the tweet is the 0,-3,-6db attenuators on the x-over which choke off power at those intervals (actually Im not real sure how they work). I like being able to adjust the gain on my amp instead. I feel its a lot easier to hit that "sweet spot" with a gain control than a 3 position switch.

When you first hook them up, set the gains to the same level on each. At first it will be very bright. Then you just tune it down til it sounds right and there you go. On my set up I have the rear gain at 12 o'clock and the front (tweet) gain set to 11 and its perfect.

Another benefit is that with an amp like the 400.4 you can bypass the x-over if you like and run the x-overs on the amp. I kind of rather use the supplied x-over since it probably has a tweeter protection in it and may keep it from frying. However I doubt Polk would recommend skipping the x-over if it wasnt safe to do so.