Matching an active xover to existing passive xover

[Guiria]

I have a pair of towers handbuilt with a passive 2way xover setup designed by TLS_Guy for the mid and tweeter. I’m looking at building a matching center channel. Only caveat is that I’m not a xover designer. I’m thinking that going active for the center channel would allow me to design, tweak, and adjust the crossover so I can get as similar sound out of the center to match the tower speakers. In theory this makes total sense, practically, what am I up against for such a project?

I’d be looking at a pair of Audax midwoofers: https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/approx-5-woofers/audax-hm130c0-5.25-carbon-fiber-cone-woofer/
For the tweeter it would be a Peerless silk dome: https://www.parts-express.com/Peerless-D27TG-35-06-1-Silk-Dome-Tweeter-264-1022?quantity=1
I think this tweeter is the closest match to my existing tweeters.
I would use a miniDSP 2x4 and a Crown XLS 1002 for the amp.

Sounds like a fun educational project.

 

[TLS Guy]

I have a pair of towers handbuilt with a passive 2way xover setup designed by TLS_Guy for the mid and tweeter. I’m looking at building a matching center channel. Only caveat is that I’m not a xover designer. I’m thinking that going active for the center channel would allow me to design, tweak, and adjust the crossover so I can get as similar sound out of the center to match the tower speakers. In theory this makes total sense, practically, what am I up against for such a project?

I’d be looking at a pair of Audax midwoofers: https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/approx-5-woofers/audax-hm130c0-5.25-carbon-fiber-cone-woofer/
For the tweeter it would be a Peerless silk dome: https://www.parts-express.com/Peerless-D27TG-35-06-1-Silk-Dome-Tweeter-264-1022?quantity=1
I think this tweeter is the closest match to my existing tweeters.
I would use a miniDSP 2x4 and a Crown XLS 1002 for the amp.

Sounds like a fun educational project.

The real question is: - Do you like those speakers, and do you have an FR? Matching speakers is making sure they are all equally lousy. Good speakers match.

The best centers I think use coaxial drivers and with good reason.

 

[Guiria]

I do like the speakers. In my previous house they were used as a two channel setup and I really enjoyed that. Here in my house currently they are up in a bonus room and serve as right and left channels of a 5.2 system with the 10" drivers acting as subwoofers. The system now is hodge podge with an old dented cone dayton reference series center channel I built from a design on the internet. (CJD design). That center is very different in sound, much brighter and harsh in comparison to my towers.

I'm not opposed to a coaxial center channel if it can be "timbre" matched to my existing mains.

There is always the option of going back to the drawing board for a whole new system, just not sure what to do with these bad boys if I did that.

I have the hardware for measuring but not sure where I have a FR for these speakers...probably on an old windows laptop that I never open.