Signal Processors

Processing is where a system is tuned from a collection of boxes into something that suits the room. Crossovers decide what each driver receives, delay aligns cabinets that are physically apart, equalisation corrects the room, and feedback suppression buys usable level in difficult spaces. These are the units that make a modest system outperform a larger untuned one.

How to choose signal processing

Start with the crossover requirement. Passive multi-way cabinets have their crossover built in. Actively crossed systems need the processor to split the signal and send each band to its own amplifier channel, and getting those points wrong damages drivers.

Use delay for distributed systems. When cabinets are spread through a room, sound from the nearer cabinet arrives first and the result smears. Delaying the nearer cabinets to match arrival times is what makes a distributed system coherent.

Treat equalisation as room correction, not taste. System equalisation exists to correct the room's response at the listening positions. Measurement, rather than preference, is what sets it.

Understand what feedback suppression can and cannot do. It finds and notches ringing frequencies automatically, which buys usable level in difficult rooms. It cannot fix a microphone pointed at a loudspeaker, and it is not a substitute for correct gain structure.

Count channels and routing. The processor's input and output count has to match your system's zones and amplifier channels, with room for the subwoofer and delay feeds you are planning.

Frequently asked questions

What does a crossover do?
It splits the audio into frequency bands so each driver receives only the range it is designed to reproduce. In an active system this happens before the amplifiers.

Why would I need delay?
When cabinets are physically apart, sound from the nearer one arrives first and the result smears. Delaying the nearer cabinets aligns the arrivals.

Does equalisation fix a bad room?
It corrects the measurable response at the listening positions, which helps considerably. It cannot remove reflections or reverberation, which need acoustic treatment.

Is feedback suppression a substitute for good gain structure?
No. It notches ringing frequencies automatically and buys usable level, but it cannot compensate for a microphone pointed at a loudspeaker.

How many processor channels do I need?
Enough inputs for your source feeds and enough outputs for every amplifier channel and zone, including subwoofer and delay feeds.