Due to the need for equalization in the passive crossover, true biamplification has not been previously possible. Direct connection of an amplifier to the ribbon driver would result in very poor frequency response. The Clearview Crossover has accurate ribbon equalization incorporated in the crossover's high-pass section.
3 db. higher efficiency
Greater headroom even with smaller amplifiers
Higher damping factor
Lower amplifier intermodulation product level
An unprecedented offer to improve your favorite loudspeaker
The Clearview CXR-1, 2, and 3 are for serious audiophiles only. Speaker modification (removal of existing crossover wires) is necessary to allow proper connection of the amplifiers, directly to the driver terminals. This may void the manufacturer's warranty if one is in effect. The CXR-4 is for use with the AL-III and no modification of the speaker is required. We include clear, easy to follow instructions with each CXR.
Or more specifically, YOUR dipolar ribbon transducer. The Carver ribbons all by themselves do not have a suitably flat frequency response for high fidelity audio reproduction. The passive equalization built into your speakers can and does counteract this problem. There are several reasons for the ribbons' inherent inability to reproduce all frequencies at the same level. The ribbons emit radiation from both front and rear, and the rear being out of phase, some of the front radiation is cancelled. This effect is most prevalent at low frequencies where the long wavelengths can find their way around the panel. Thus a boost in the drive level to the ribbon near its lower cutoff frequency, (which is also near the panel's cutoff frequency) is desirable. There are other equally important nasty response variations caused by the physical dimensions of the ribbon transducer which must be dealt with. By now a prudent person must seriously wonder whether all the necessary tweaking is worth the effort. A quick listen to the wonderful transparent openness and ability of these loudspeakers to fool the brain into believing there is a live event in front of it will quickly dispel this thought. Try finding another speaker that sounds nearly the same whether you are standing or sitting. The reason for this characteristic, as well as the accurate imaging you have experienced, is the tall thin wave launch, tightly contained in the vertical dimension, covering a wider frequency range than almost any other type of acoustic transducer. IF you can find these characteristics in another speaker, try finding it at three times the price or less. The existence of the aforementioned frequency response anomalies is why efficient biamped, direct connection of the drivers to the amplifier is not feasible unless sophisticated equalization circuitry is placed in the signal chain ahead of the amplifiers. The Clearview equalising crossover is the only active crossover providing this function. The use of the CXR-series crossover allows higher transient peak sound pressure levels, lower intermodulation distortion, and the use of smaller power amplifiers than needed in normal passive bi-wired (now you can call it bi-wierd) mode or singly amplified mode. Another characteristic of this system is that the power amplifiers will now "see" a very constant impedance over their operating range. The ribbon impedance varies very slightly around their 3.6 ohm (48") or 4.6 ohm (60") nominal resistance. This type of load is easy on any amplifier.
Two stereo (or four mono-block) amplifiers will be needed. Depending upon the type of music, the power required will be quite evenly split between the ribbons and woofers. It is not necessary to have two amplifiers which are exactly the same. If they are not the same, use the amplifier with the highest power rating on the woofer. If they are the same, you may use one amplifier for the left speaker and one for the right. Or, you may use one amplifier for the low frequencies (woofer(s)) and one amplifier for the ribbon. The choice you make here is entirely up to you--which is the better method can be debated. A four ohm power rating of between 60 and 400 watts per channel is recommended. BE AWARE that amplifiers driven into clipping or near clipping could conceivably destroy ribbons or woofers. Level controls, while not absolutely necessary, are useful in some situations especially if one amplifier has more gain than another. If you are buying new amplifiers, getting matching ones is the safest way to go. As an approximate comparison with a non-biamped Carver loudspeaker, add the power of all your four amplifier channels together. Now double this. The figure you have calculated is approximately equal to the amount of power needed in non-biamped configuration to achieve the same sound pressure level you will with the biamped system. In other words, if you have four 100 watt amplifier channels, this will produce the same level as a 400 watt per channel stereo amplifier (800 watts). There are two reasons for this. One is that there is no longer a lossy passive crossover. The second reason is the same one most large concert systems are multi-amped. Simply put, when there is a bass transient, power is not "stolen" from the amplifier which may be needed for a simultaneous treble transient, and vice-versa.
Rear panel
Right and left gold plated RCA inputs
Right and left high- and low-pass gold plated RCA outputs.
Front panel
Black anodized with power LED and ribbon trim control, ribbon level and woofer level
Crossover
200 Hz, 18 db. per octave slope for CXR 1, 2 and 3
Dimensions
1.75H X 8.5W X 10D inches, 44 X 216 X 255 mm.
Power:
110 VAC, 15VA. 220 Volt models are available, please indicate when ordering.
The remodeled CXR1 through 3 received following changes:
Model numbers
Carver Platinum speakers, order CXR-1, defeat internal passive
crossover
Carver Silver speakers, order CXR-2, defeat internal passive crossover
Carver AL-III speakers, order CXR-3, defeat internal passive crossover
Copyright (c) 1997-2000, by Rudi A. Blondia, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Last update: January 17, 2000.