# PCB for crossovers?



## jr1414 (Nov 28, 2007)

I'm currently considering a DIY project for some new HT speakers. I'd like to make the solution as simple and elegant as possible. I was considering making some DIY PCB's, by either the photographic method, or the etching method (probably etching, due to lower initial cost) and was wondering if anyone had any experience with utilizing a PCB for crossovers.

I'm interested to hear any experiences you may have had, good and/or bad. Thanks.


----------



## drf (Oct 22, 2006)

P2P on a nice bit of timber can look quite elegant as far as crossovers are concerned. But if you want ideas on actually making the pcbs I have a thread around here somewhere that details how I made some boards for an amp I can't finish :sad:.


----------



## Josuah (Apr 26, 2006)

I just started looking at a freeware program called Eagle that lets you build schematics and PCB layouts. Still have to do something to actually make the physical boards though.


----------



## jr1414 (Nov 28, 2007)

I've started tinkering with Eagle just this week, it's a pretty nice piece of software. I've read up on a couple of threads regarding techniques for making the actual boards as well. I was more interested in hearing any issues that people who have created PCBs for xovers may have experienced. Interference, etc. Just curious on whether I should invest the time in making my own PCB or not. I like things to look professional and orderly when completed, so I've been leaning that direction, but it will take some effort, and I don't want to waste time either.


----------



## drf (Oct 22, 2006)

In all honesty, you would be very hard pushed to identify which speaker had a P2P Xover and which had one on a circuit board. But if you want justification, A cross over is the best circuit board to learn on because if you stuff it up you can simply grind off all the copper and make the crossover using the fibreglsass as your base.


----------



## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

Wow, I haven't etched a board since Comm. Tech. class in high school! If you can find a way to do it fairly easily (and cheaply) it sounds like a cool way to personalize your project a bit. Otherwise, you can still get a pretty professional looking result mounting the components on a small piece of wood. I was a little sloppy with mine for my back surround, but they still looked decent when they were done.


----------



## jr1414 (Nov 28, 2007)

I can be a bit of a perfectionist sometimes, and I like the idea of being able to do your own PCB. I think I'll do the xovers P2P on a breadboard while tweaking, then build new crossovers on a PCB for the final product. It looks like cost will be reasonable, I'll let you know when I get around to it. Thanks.


----------



## Guest (Feb 2, 2008)

i have found a great place to get pcb's. Go to http://www.expresspcb.com/ you download a program to design the board send them the schematics and some money and they make the board and ship it to your door.


----------



## Guest (Feb 3, 2008)

Places like ExpressPCB and PCBExpress (www.pcbexpress.com) are good places to get your PCBs made for more complex circuits that you don't have the ability to make on your own, but for crossovers it's way overkill. In fact, for something as simple as most passive crossovers are you really don't even need a pcb. Anyway, for those who are dead set on making a pcb for their crossover, there are a couple of easy methods I'd recommend.

The first and probably the easiest is probably just using a pen to draw your circuit on a copper clad board and then etching it. Radio shack used to sell a pen to do this with. I think it was nothing special and was likely no different than any other regular felt tip pen. So, you probably could just use a sharpie and get the same results. Anyway, for this technique you simply need the pen, a copper clad board, some etching solution, and some sort of dish or tray to place the board and etching solution in. 

Another method that's a little more fancy, if you find the pen method too primitive, is to use the "press n' peel" transfer sheets. These are special sheets of transfer film that can be printed on with either a laser printer or laser copier. You then place the film onto a copper clad board and use the heat from an electric iron to transfer the circuit onto the board. Then you etch it. 

More specific details can be found by searching the web, but both of these techniques are pretty simple and would be what I'd recommend it you just have to make a pcb for your passive crossovers.


----------

