VXN 2 & 3 Way Active Crossover – First Look
Image Credit: Exposure
Introduction
I am a very strong believer and user of active speaker crossovers and have been using them for all my speaker systems since 1976. Why you may ask? They can be easily designed to provide the exact frequency and phase/time response that you require to better equalize your speakers driver responses and they can be adjusted in real time to suit your preferences. With no passive components like inductors, capacitors and resistors in the speakers connection it allows them to be far better controlled as they are now connected directly to the associated power amplifiers very low output impedance(s), significantly increasing its effective damping ratio. (I also discovered that the effects of speaker cables became far less of an issue as the speaker loads are less complex without the passive crossovers.) The down side is that you need a power amplifier for each speaker and this can become costly. See here for the McIntosh dual mono MC901 power amplifier.
So when I saw Exposures VXN active crossover, I just had to take a First Look. This crossover is a standalone box that uses a separate power supply and can be tailored to your speakers requirements by the Exposures engineers.
Product Overview
VXN 2 & 3 Way Active Crossover
Image Credit: Exposure
A typical passive speaker system uses one power amplifier channel per loudspeaker, in an active system there is one power amplifier channel per speaker drive unit. So in an active two-way speaker system you require four power amplifiers or six for a three way system. The VXN active crossover is connected between your pre-amplifiers output and input to each power amplifier. Remember that you need speakers that can be modified or switched to support bi or tri-amping.
NOTE: Active speakers already have an electronic crossover included in them together with the required power amplifiers so this hardware is NOT suitable for active speakers. My Genelec 1038’s, as an example, include a three way active crossover and three Class D power amplifiers inside each cabinet.
The Exposure VXN crossover was initially developed for active operation with Kudos Audio’s loudspeakers. Kudos Audio’s flagship Titan series, as well as the ‘Super’ models in its Cardea series, each support the bypass of its internal passive crossovers. The Exposure’s VXN active crossovers can also be tailored to suit other loudspeaker brands. So when ordering you need to specify your loudspeaker model. While the VXN crossovers were designed for Exposures own amplifiers, they will work with any pre-amplifier and power amplifier combination.
Image Credit: Exposure
All the VXN inputs and outputs are unbalanced RCA and it is powered by Exposures standalone dedicated matching and linear, VXN power supply.
Both the crossover and power supply are now available.
VXN Crossover Features
- All active circuitry using discrete transistors – no ICs in the signal path
- Very low noise regulators used
- Level setting by DIP switches for good sound and repeatability
- Very high quality capacitors used in the signal path, all 1% tolerance for accurate setting of frequency roll off
- Dual mono construction using separate PCBs
- All aluminium casework and extruded front panel to control resonance and stray electro-magnetic fields
- Three year guarantee
Specifications
Must be powered by an Exposure VXN Power Supply.
- 2 Way or 3 Way Active Crossover : Roll off rates and level settings to match the koudspeaker in use (to be specified at time of order)
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Treble : 12-18dB per octave high pass filer
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Mid : 12-18dB per octave high pass filter, 6-18dB per octave low pass filter
- Bass : 6-18dB per octave low pass filter
- Maximum Output Level (any output) : 7V RMS
- Bass output THD @ 100Hz 2V output <0.005%
- Mid range output THD @ 1KHz 2V output <0.005%
- Treble output THD @ 10KHz 2V output <0.005%
- S/N ratio ref 2V output (any output >100dB
- Output impedance @ 1KHz (any output) 50 Ohms
- Level settings of Treble & Mid Range by DIP switches inside the unit (one bank per channel for Treble & Mid Range). Range -0.5dB to -6.5dB (specials to order)
- Power Consuption : <10W
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Dimensions (WxHxD) : 218mm x 89mm x 348mm
VXN active crossover 2-way UK List £1,545
VXN active crossover 3-way UK List £1,795
VXN Power Supply
The VXN power supply is an all analog linear design based upon a toroidal transformer. It provides two separate and independent supplies to drive the VXN crossover.
Image Credit: Exposure
Features
- High capacity custom made shielded transformer
- High speed rectifier diodes
- Multiple capacitors used for low ESR
- Dual output sockets
- All aluminium casework and extruded front panel to control resonance and stray electro-magnetic fields
- Three year guarantee
Specifications
- Each DC OUTPUT provides 2 x 30VDC and 1 x 12VDC to another VXN components requiring a Power Supply
- Mains Supply : 110/120V or 220/240V @ 50/60Hz (factory set)
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Fuse : T5AL for 110/120V units, T2.5AL for 220/240V units
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Power Consumption : <50W when supplying VXN components
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Dimensions (WxHxD) : 218mm x 89mm x 348mm
VXN power supply – UK List £995
Available in the USA from Fidelis, 460 Amherst Street, Nashua, NH 03063. Tel. 603 880 4434
