Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Does anyone know whether a PCI card exists that will act as an audio
active crossover network? Ie it should accept a digital input from a
PC soundcard then be capable of splitting it digitally into a number
of frequency bands (at least 3), with user definable cut off
frequencies and attenuation rates. Obviously seperate outputs should
be available for each frequency band per channel. Or is it pie in the
sky? ;=}
Martin

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Google to "LspCAD PRO"

"Martin" <margrove@pgen.net> wrote in message
news:c20d037a.0409300253.76fbbb73@posting.google.com...
> Does anyone know whether a PCI card exists that will act as an audio
> active crossover network? Ie it should accept a digital input from a
> PC soundcard then be capable of splitting it digitally into a number
> of frequency bands (at least 3), with user definable cut off
> frequencies and attenuation rates. Obviously seperate outputs should
> be available for each frequency band per channel. Or is it pie in the
> sky? ;=}
> Martin

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

"Billw" <notarealemail@nowhere.com> wrote in message news:<415c0a55$1@news.xetron.com>...
> Google to "LspCAD PRO"
>
Thanks. but I was really after a hardware solution!

Martin

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

"Billw" <notarealemail@nowhere.com> wrote in message news:<415c0a55$1@news.xetron.com>...
> Google to "LspCAD PRO"
>
Thanks, but I was really after a hardware solution!
Martin

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

On 30 Sep 2004 12:42:45 -0700, margrove@pgen.net (Martin) wrote:

>"Billw" <notarealemail@nowhere.com> wrote in message news:<415c0a55$1@news.xetron.com>...
>> Google to "LspCAD PRO"
>>
>Thanks. but I was really after a hardware solution!
>
>Martin

Why would anyone bother to develop expensive, limited hardware to
emulate cheap, flexible software (ie, the answer to your original post
is "no" )?

Tony (remove the "_" to reply by email)

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

margrove@pgen.net (Martin) wrote in message news:<c20d037a.0409301142.30149a5f@posting.google.com>...
> "Billw" <notarealemail@nowhere.com> wrote in message news:<415c0a55$1@news.xetron.com>...
>>"Martin" <margrove@pgen.net> wrote in message
>>> Does anyone know whether a PCI card exists that will act as an audio
>>> active crossover network? Ie it should accept a digital input from a
>>> PC soundcard then be capable of splitting it digitally into a number
>>> of frequency bands (at least 3), with user definable cut off
>>> frequencies and attenuation rates. Obviously seperate outputs should
>>> be available for each frequency band per channel. Or is it pie in the
>>> sky? ;=}
>> Google to "LspCAD PRO"
>>
> Thanks. but I was really after a hardware solution!

Except that ANY PC-soundcard based implementation of such crossover
functions MUST, by definition, be software based. The "hardware",
in this case the A/D and D/A converters provided by the soundcard(s),
are actually a fairly minor part of the total solution. The rest,
the implementation of the digital filters that provide the crossover
functionality, is pretty much all software-based.

Unless what you want is a digital filter implemented solely by hard-
wiring logic elements together, which is a REALLY dumb idea.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Martin,

> Thanks, but I was really after a hardware solution! <

Then why do you demand it be tied to a computer sound card? It makes much
more sense to simply buy an external hardware crossover, and feed it from a
standard sound card.

--Ethan

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

LspCAD Professional can implement the crossover in software and send the different band
limited signals streams out of the PCI soundcard for amplification and routing to the drivers
in the speaker. If you want a hardware box to do the same LspCAD pro is able to flash several
models of DSP crossovers with the transfer function developed with the CAD program and it can
run out of the box. Is this the hardware solution you are talking about?

Phil Abbate
LspCAD Dealer
www.philsaudio.com/lspcad.htm

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Tony Ethan Phil & Dick:
Thanks for your views and sorry for the inadvertent second posting of
my second message.
I'd better explain my situation more clearly:
I have an elderly mid-fi stereo (that needs replacing), working
through a pair of B&W 2-way speakers that I still find pretty good. I
had intended to build an active crossover system, adding a single
active sub-woofer to the existing speakers. The passive crossover
currently in use would also be dispensed with in favour of an active
filter. The cost wouldn't be much of an issue since I already have
sufficient TDA 1514s to take care of the power amplification (I'm not
proud!)
Rather than build, troubleshoot and trim a complicated active filter
unit why not use my spare PC to do the job? Apart from saving on shelf
space I would also be able to experiment with different cut-off
frequencies and slopes to my heart's content.
I only listen to classical music from CD and I don't demand the
highest of fi so the digital vs analogue debate doesn't apply.
If there is a sound card (preferably external USB) that will fit the
bill I would be most grateful to hear of it, even if it requires
independent software! I could't find anything suitable on the net, and
the LspCAD idea is far too expensive and elaborate.
Martin

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Martin,

> Rather than build, troubleshoot and trim a complicated active filter unit
why not use my spare PC to do the job? <

I think it's going to be more trouble to do it your proposed way than to
simply build an active crossover. In fact, you'll find a good set of plans
for an easy to build active crossover on my web site. Look for "Spectrum
Analyzer and Equalizer Designs" about 1/2 way down the list on my Articles
page:

www.ethanwiner.com/articles.html

--Ethan

[#007f7f][b]There are free PC crossover programs. Let me know if you are still interested before I go looking for the info...