Quoting Crossovers

One of the most common quote requests we get is for crossovers (design and/or assembly). It sounds simple on the surface.

“Can you build me a crossover for these drivers?”

The reality is that crossover pricing is highly dependent on a number of variables. Until those variables are defined, it is almost impossible to give an accurate quote. Here’s why.

1. The Most Important Question

How Is the Crossover Being Designed?

The single biggest factor in crossover design is how the drivers are being measured. There are two main approaches.

Option 1: Designing From Spec Sheets Only

This is the most basic method. We take the manufacturer’s published specifications and frequency response graphs and design a crossover based on that information as best we can.

Pros:

  • Cheaper
  • Faster
  • No measurement gear required
  • Suitable for budget builds or experimentation

Cons:

  • Spec sheets are almost always measured on infinite baffle or test baffle conditions
  • They do not represent your actual enclosure
  • They do not account for your baffle width, driver spacing, or diffraction
  • They do not reflect real impedance behaviour once mounted

The moment you put a driver in a box, everything changes.

  • Baffle step
  • Diffraction
  • Impedance shifts
  • Resonances
  • Acoustic centre offsets

Designing from spec sheets is effectively designing blind compared to what is actually happening in your speaker. It can work. But it is not optimal.

Option 2: Designing With Drivers Measured In-Box (Recommended)

This is the gold standard.

  • Drivers are installed in the final enclosure.
  • They are measured on-axis (and ideally off-axis).
  • Impedance is captured in the actual cabinet.

Now we are designing the crossover around what the drivers are actually doing in your speaker, not what a brochure says they do.

Pros:

  • Accurate crossover integration
  • Correct phase alignment
  • Proper baffle step compensation
  • Real impedance behaviour accounted for
  • Far smoother final response
  • Predictable results

Cons:

  • Requires measurement equipment
  • Requires time
  • Higher upfront cost

A crossover is the brain of the speaker. If it’s wrong, the entire system is compromised. Designing from in-box measurements is not just “better”, it is fundamentally more correct. It allows us to tailor the network to your exact build rather than approximating it.

If the goal is performance, this is the only method we truly recommend.

2. Parts Cost Is Unknown Until the Crossover Is Designed

Another reason pricing is difficult is that component cost depends entirely on the final network topology. Until the crossover is designed, we do not know:

  • How many inductors are required
  • What values those inductors will be
  • Whether air core or iron core makes sense
  • Capacitor values
  • Whether resistors are required
  • Whether impedance correction networks are needed

A simple two-way 2nd order design might use:

  • 2 inductors
  • 2 capacitors
  • Possibly an L-Pad

A more complex design might include:

  • Additional shaping components
  • Zobel networks
  • Notch filters
  • Higher order slopes
  • Large value inductors

The difference in cost between those two scenarios can be significant. Until the crossover is actually designed, any price is only a rough guide.

3. How “Picky” Do You Want To Be?

There is a huge range between “it works” and “it is optimised”. We can absolutely build a modest-cost network such as:

  • Basic 2nd order electrical filters
  • Simple L-Pad attenuation
  • Sensible crossover point

This will function well and is often perfectly adequate for many builds. However, if the goal is higher performance, the crossover may include:

  • Steeper acoustic slopes
  • Phase alignment correction
  • Notch filters to tame breakup modes
  • Response shaping for smoother power response

Every additional filter section adds:

  • More components
  • More cost
  • More assembly time

Steeper slopes mean more parts. Notch filters mean more parts. Impedance correction means more parts. And large value inductors and quality capacitors are not inexpensive.

Indicative Pricing & Lead Times

Below is a very indicative price guide for different crossovers.

Basic 2 Way - Per Pair

  • Modelling/Crossover Design: 1-2 hours - $100-$200
  • Parts (including custom PCB): $140-$200+
  • Assembly: 1-1.5 hours - $100-$150
    • Total = $340-$550+ (per pair)

Comprehensive 2 Way - Per Pair

  • Modelling/Crossover Design: 2-3 hours - $200-$300
  • Parts (including custom PCB): $220-$280+
  • Assembly: 1.5-2 hours - $150-$200
    • Total = $570-$780+ (per pair)

Basic 3 way - Per Pair

  • Modelling/Crossover Design: 2-3 hours - $200-$300
  • Parts (including custom PCB): $250-$300+
  • Assembly: 2-2.5 hours - $200-$250
    • Total = $650-$850+ (per pair)

Comprehensive 3 Way - Per Pair

  • Modelling/Crossover Design: 3-4+ hours - $300-$400+
  • Parts (including custom PCB): $300-$450+
  • Assembly: 3-4+ hours - $300-$400+
    • Total = $900-$1250+ (per pair)

Any additional time spent measuring or coaching the customer to take measurements for themselves will be charged at our hourly rate of $100 per hour.

Lead Times

Lead times can vary based on complexity but most orders will typically be shipped within 6 weeks of ordering. The main reason for the longer lead time is that we utilise custom PCB's in all our builds which typically have a manufacturing lead time of 3-5 weeks.

So What’s The Best Way Forward?

If you’re requesting a quote, the more information you can provide, the better.

Ideally:

  • Driver models
  • Enclosure dimensions
  • Baffle layout
  • Whether you are willing to do measurements
  • Your performance expectations

Are you building a fun project on a budget? Or are you chasing refinement and accuracy Both are valid. They just require different approaches.

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