i keep seeing post using the term "loudspeaker" like it is supposed to be different from anyother mid to top end speaker. can anybody clarify this for me? thanks
loud·speak·er *n. 1. A device that converts electric signals to audible sound.
speak·er *n. 1. a. One who speaks. b. A spokesperson. 2. One who delivers a public speech. 3. Often Speaker The presiding officer of a legislative assembly. 4. A loudspeaker.
As you can see, all loudspeakers are speakers, but not all speakers are loudspeakers. *
In general, when someone uses the term "loudspeaker," you can be pretty sure that they're talking about a loudspaker system, with two or more drivers and a crossover. *The term "speaker" sometimes describes a loudspeaker system, but it might also be a reference to a driver. *That is, a tweeter is a speaker (or driver), and a woofer is a speaker (or driver), and if you add a crossover, you have a loudspeaker system (or simply loudspeaker, or even more simply, a speaker).
The meaning is usually clear, based on the context. *If the context doesn't make it clear, the speaker (the person speaking) should use the terms "loudspeaker system," and "driver," to avoid confusion.
Audio people are often very sloppy with their terminology, so it doesn't really matter a whole lot. *
chuck i appreciate you taking time to answer my question. after twenty-five viewers pasted me by i was beginning to wonder if i was ever going to get an answer. one more thing before i let you go..what is a "crossover"?
cross'-o-ver : transferring from one state of consciousness to another...
OK, just kidding! *
A crossover is either an internal or external system design to separate frequencies and send them to different output devices (i.e. "loudspeakers") These can be active or passive... This is generally done to a) prevent damage, b) avoid distortion, and c) balance the system for optimum performance.
Lets build a simple passive 'low-pass' crossover. Take about 50' of copper wire, wind it around a piece of curved pipe and send a signal through it. Voila! The output will have lost much of the high-frequency information it started with... you've just created your first cheap, sloppy, low-pass crossover. A crossover is not a brick wall, however, it blocks frequencies gradually, resulting in a "slope" of dB loss over frequency.
An example of a passive high-pass crossover would be running the same signal through a capacitor (I'll omit values for simplification). This would allow the high frequencies through and 'block' much of the low-frequency information.
Active crossovers work while the signal is at low voltage and require external power to work. Active crossovers can also generally be adjusted, while passive crossovers cannot (without replacing components.) An EQ is a form of an active crossover.
Most Audiophile crossovers are going to be composed of several high quality components which separate the audio signal into *differning bands (frequency ranges) which are then sent to the appropriate output device. High frequencies go to tweeters, low frequencies go to the woofers, etc...
This is an oversimplified explananation, but should give you the basic idea behind the term. There are likely passive crossovers inside every bookshelf speaker and active crossovers within every receiver.
[Edit: darn spelling]
__________________
Clint DeBoer
Editor in Chief Audioholics
you a a-holes seem to be every where. try to learn something from someone(s) that knows about the subject interested in and there seems to be some freaking know-it-all that has to tear down p.s. learn how to spell..freaking kindergarden reject.
I would just like to add to Hawkes desciption of crossovers in relation to loud speaker ssytems. A loud speaker system usually contains a mid/bass driver (known as a woofer) and a tweeter. Thats a 2-way loud speaker system. There could be 3 way speaker designs which incorporate a woofer (bass only), mid range driver (mid range frequency) and a tweeter (high frequencies). The job of the crossover is to ensure that the frequency ranges gets passed to the appropriate speaker while blocking (attenuating) the frequencies that the drivers cannot handle effectively. Ie, The crossover will allow the high frequncies to pass to the tweeter while blocking the low frequencies. Hope this helps
one more thing before i let you go..what is a "crossover"?
p.s. learn how to spell..freaking kindergarden reject.
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