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Right, I have a set of Pioneer speakers that I bought for my MK2 Polo before I had to have it scrapped ( ) so now want to fit them all in my MK3. I have:

TS-T15 Tweeters.
TS-G1610 for the doors.
TS-A6946 6x9's for the rear.

I know these are quite old; I've had them for several years. I did fit them in the old car and everything seemed fine. However, I've been reading about something called a 'crossover filter' and wondered if I really need this to seperate the tweeters from the mids? Last time I just wired them both to the same terminal on the back of the head unit and they seemed to sort themselves out. I know this probably sounds really dim to all of you in the know, but it was the first ICE I'd ever installed and was told it would be OK!

I'm not running anything from an amp. Nor do I have a sub as I don't really need one. So, all the speakers will be directly wired to the Panasonic head unit that came with the car. I've yet to have a really good look at it as I can't get the naffing thing out of the dash! It seems I need some din keys?

Anyway, any suggestions would be greatfully received! Only, don't tell me I need a sub!

Right, time for a quick run down on crossovers.

Crossovers spilt the frequency of the audio signal being transmitted. Thier purpose is to make sure the bass speakers get the low freqs and the tweeters get the high. So thier not essential but will make a great deal of difference to the sound and effiecency (sp) of your system.

There are two catagories of crossovers, each gatagory spilt into to types (giving you four possible combinations).

High pass - A high pass filter will make sure only the high freqs reach the speakers

Low pass - Will make sure only the low freqs hit the subs

Active - And active crossover is a sperate box that your wire between the source and the speaker which then sorts the sound out for you, you can normally adjust the effect of the crossover.

Passive - These are normally contained within an amp or head unit (most amps have a low pass adjuster on them) but you normally get less control over the effect of the crossover.

The next step is something like what me and Josh have - a fully functional inline EQ filter. This enables you too adjust each frequency until you have the system sounding how you want it. Be warned though - these are a proper audiophile piece of kit and require a lot of tuning to get the best out of them, but thier definatly for \/\/inners


Hope that helps

Thanks for all that.

I visited Pinoneer's website yesterday and found out that the Tweeters have "inline crossover network" whatever the heck that means!

Anyway, tried to wire up the 6x9's today. I think whoever wired up the last set of speakers naffed it up good and proper...I have one rear speaker and one front speaker working. Got too cold to carry on, so will try and sort it out tomorrow.

Exinferis wrote:the Tweeters have "inline crossover network".

that would be a passive high pass crossover

You probably think I'm really dim but, does that mean that the tweeters will pick up the right frequency without additional equipment?

I've never been good with technical terms.

does that mean that the tweeters will pick up the right frequency without additional equipment?

Exactly.

Great, thanks ICE!

basically its similar to what i was going to fit to my old paper cone crappies up front before deciding to get the full-range replacements instead... they've got a capacitor of a certain rating soldered between the terminal and the speaker coil that "soaks up" the lower frequency signals and so stops the little thing shaking itself apart (in fact i may try putting some less beefy ones on anyway just so i can maximise the bass - they can cope with quite a lot but still conk out before the rear woofers, and the dumb HU doesnt allow separate front and rear EQ levels )

filtering the high freqs for woofers is less necessary and harder, but still a proper crossover unit (eg in a living room hi fi twin speaker box, or a set of dual cone 6x9s) will have a little one to absorb high frequencies (and some low ones still), a biig one to cut out the bass, and literal cross-over wiring between the source, capacitors, and speakers to ensure the resultant signals end up in the right places.
(i've had to play a bit with mine as the wiring solder is rubbish and the woofer connection keeps coming apart.... so i know exactly what it looks like and where it all connects, despite being still a little shaking on the complete theory)

It's all up and runing now. I just wired them up as I did when I had my MK2 and it all sounds fine. I don't have music blearing out anyway, as I'm old and a bit past all that! I just wanted everything to sound good.

So, without my knowing it, I wired them up correctly 6 years ago! Go me!