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How to amplify multiway active speakers?

How to amplify 4-way active speaker?

  • Plate amps

    Votes: 1 9.1%
  • 8-channel preamp and separate power amps

    Votes: 9 81.8%
  • Other, specify

    Votes: 1 9.1%

  • Total voters
    11
Is it very wrong to use multiple stereo integrated amplifiers from different brands?
No, not at all!
Even it is very appropriate and relevant approach, as you do not require a powerful amplifier (power amplifier or integrated amplifier) for a tweeter or super tweeter.
Amplifier selection based on the "right person in the right place" policy/approach is one of the best parts/highlights of a multi-channel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active audio setup.

Even though you can control relative gains for multiple SP drivers in digital domain and/or in your multichannel DAC unit, the safe and flexible on-the-fly (while listening to music) relative gain control (a kind of tonality control) by multiple HiFi-grade "integrated" amplifiers would be very nice and useful.

For your interest and reference, see these posts on my project thread.

- Even Greg Timbers uses "reasonable and budget" Pioneer Elite A-20 for compression drivers (super tweeters) in his extraordinary expensive multichannel stereo system with JBL Everest DD67000 which he himself designed and developed: #435

- (Provisional) Decision on amplifiers selection and photos of the listening environments: #311

- The latest system setup of my DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active audio rig, including updated startup/ignition sequences and shutdown sequences: as of June 26, 2024: #931

In my post #931, I wrote:

Here in this post, please let me emphasize again about the pros and merits of relative gain (i.e. tone) control not only in digital domain but also in analog domain using pre-amplifiers or integrated-amplifiers (in my setup). I recently wrote again in my post #56 on a remote thread like these;
Yes, as for safe and flexible tone controls (or I can say "relative gain controls among the multiple SP drivers"), my stance (policy) at least, is that we are encouraged to utilize the "best combination" of "DSP configuration in digital domain" and "analog domain tone controls using HiFi-grade preamplifiers and/or integrated amplifiers".

We need to note (and to respect for) that analog domain tone controls (relative gain controls among the multiple SP drivers) give no effect nor influence at all on the upstream DSP configuration (XO/EQ/Gain/Phase/Polarity/Group-Delay). I believe that this is a great merit of flexible tone controls in analog domain. We know well, on the other hand, in case if we would like to do the "tone/gain controls" only within DSP configurations, such DSP gain controls always affect more-or-less on "XO" "EQ" "phase" and "delay" of the DSP settings which will leads you to possible endless DSP tuning spirals every time; within DSP configurations, XO EQ Gain Phase and Delay are always not independent with each other, but they are always interdependent/on-interaction.

Just for your possible reference, my DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier active system has flexible and safe analog level on-the-fly relative gain controls (in addition to upstream on-the-fly DSP gain controls) for L&R subwoofers, woofers, midrange-squawkers, tweeters, and super-tweeters, all independently and remotely.
My post here shows you a typical example case for such safe and flexible on-the-fly analog-level tone controls. This my post (as well as this post) would be also of your interest.

Of course, I know well that I (we) can also perform such relative gain control using DAC8PRO’s 8-channel output gain controllers. I do not like, however, to change the DAC8PRO’s output levels frequently on-the-fly (while listening to music) due to safety and inconvenience concerns; I like to keep DAC8PRO’s analog out gain level always at constant -4 dB which should remain to be usually “untouchable” in my case.

One of the very unique aspects/features of my multichannel audio rig is that I fully utilize four HiFi-grade “integrated amplifiers” plus L&R active subwoofers, each of them have its own gain (volume) controller for safe and flexible relative gain (tone) control in analog domain even on-the-fly i.e. while listening to music.

In this perspective, my posts #438 and #643 should also give you better understandings. Furthermore, my posts #317(remote thread), #313(remote thread) would be also of your reference and interest.

- The latest Fq-SPL (re-confirmation) of multiple amplifiers SP high-level output signals and that of room air sound at listening position: all measured by “FFT averaging of recorded cumulative DSP-processed flat white noise” (as of June 8, 2025): #1,009
 
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Hi,
With my DIY multiway speakers I'm using Xilica Solaro processors as source selector/ADC/DSP (XO, EQ, delays, vol control...) /DAC. Thanks to optional I/O and GPIO plug-in cards, you can customize it at your will. Not cheap though, and requires a bit of tinkering.
Benchmark, NCore or Purifi external amps FTW !
 
My DIY active system signal chain: WiiM Pro coax out to Scarlett 6i6 coax in for digital capture. The 6i6 is connected to a pi 5 running CamillaDSP. 8 channel analog out from pi via Dac8x hat. (2) Crestron AMP-3210T for 3-way speakers and an ICEpower 700ASC for the sub. All housed in a rack in the basement below.
 
CamillaDSP -> Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 gen4 -> 8 channels of 3eAudio TPA3255 and 2 channels of Crown XLS1502.
 
For the record, I went for separates. My SHD feeds the mains and ch 3-4 goes to Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, that uses a RPi with CamillaDSP as USB loopback for DSP and then outputs analog balanced signal. This setup works fairly well. I'm using my existing amps for amplification, although I should get two amp channels more, because I'm kinda one stereo amp short now. I would appreciate high gain, because I got a pair of big woofers with 16 Ohm rating, so they need voltage way more than current. TPA3255 based amps are usually capped at 20 dB voltage gain (for balanced), which is the bare minimum needed to keep up with the rest of the system. There is currently a Fosi Audio ZA3, but it's clearly the quietest part (in a bad way) of the system. I was thinking of a new Purifi based amp with a high gain buffer. It's just that two Fosi Audio V3 Monos are < 300€ while a Purifi-based is at least 1000€ more... And before you say that 2 Watts is all you need, let me say that this set is not for nearfield listening, it's some times hauled to a site and used as a PA system for a party, so a lot of power is needed to raise good volume, and a power rating that doesn't end in a "10% THD".

By the way, I also went for "retro-fitted active cooling". I got myself a pack of quiet 120 mm PWM-controlled fans (Arctic) and a few USB-C powered PWM fan controllers from AliExpress, and I'm using old phone chargers to power them. When adjusted and placed right, the fans are silent and keep things cool, which is a nice precaution in my place where I don't have AC. It's not pretty, but hey, it's not the ugliest part of the system either :p The fans and controllers are reasonably cheap and since you can adjust rotation speed, you can have them completely silent. I can recommend this to all who struggle with heat and passive cooling.
 
8 (previously 6) channels of minidsp and various amplifiers, different at different times.
Now Flex8 and Fosi V3 (three stereo and two mono). The amps were inexpensively available locally.
4*18" subs, 15" midbass, DCX464 tweeter.
 
My DIY open baffle left, center and right are active with a miniDSP DDRC-24 for each speaker. The woofers and mids are driven by Fosi V3s and V3 monoblocks. The Heil AMT tweeters are all driven by Topping B100 monoblocks.
 

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I took the easy route, Hypex 252 plate amp for my LCR.
And i do not use the bi-quads just shelf filters and high/lowpass filters
 
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