Highly sophisticated electronics and a logical design!

Housed in a compact and easy-to-use package, the BBE Max-X3 2-Way Stereo/3-Way Mono Crossover provides a variety of options for virtually all live sound-reinforcement amplifier configurations. The BBE Max-X3 promises clean, distortion-free audio with a predictable, repeatable range of control. The BBE High Definition Sound process employed by the Sonic Maximizer is world-renowned among music and sound professionals for remarkable improvements in total sound quality, bringing crystalline clarity and air to the source material as well as revealing rich harmonic subtleties. The Max-X3 employs state-variable, 4th-order Linkwitz-Riley filters. This minimizes phase inaccuracies in the critical crossover region and ensures the output at all frequencies remains in-phase, which is critical for the accurate summing of each driver in a speaker stack. This design has a very steep 24dB/octave slope, which ensures that each driver designed to reproduce a specific frequency range is not driven beyond its limits.

The BBE Process-"What it Is"

Loudspeakers have difficulty working with the electronic signals supplied by an amplifier. These difficulties cause such major phase and amplitude distortion that the sound reproduced by the speaker differs significantly from the sound produced by the original source.
In the past, these problems proved unsolvable and were thus relegated to a position of secondary importance in audio system design. However, phase and amplitude integrity is essential to accurate sound reproduction. Research shows that the information which the listener translates into the recognizable characteristics of a live performance are intimately tied into complex time and amplitude relationships between the fundamental and harmonic components of a given musical note or sound. These relationships define a sound's "sound".
When these complex relationships pass through a speaker, the proper order is lost. The higher frequencies are delayed. A lower frequency may reach the listener's ear first or perhaps simultaneously with that of a higher frequency. In some cases, the fundamental components may be so time-shifted that they reach the listener's ear ahead of some or all of the harmonic components.
This change in the phase and amplitude relationship on the harmonic and fundamental frequencies is technically called "envelope distortion." The listener perceives this loss of sound integrity in the reproduced sound as "muddy" and "smeared." In the extreme, it can become difficult to tell the difference between musical instruments, for example, an oboe and a clarinet.
BBE Sound, Inc. conducted extensive studies of numerous speaker systems over a ten year period. With this knowledge, it became possible to identify the characteristics of an ideal speaker and to distill the corrections necessary to return the fundamental and harmonic frequency structures to their correct order. While there are differences among various speaker designs in the magnitude of their correction, the overall pattern of correction needed is remarkably consistent.
The BBE Process is so unique that 42 patents have been awarded by the U.S. Patent Office.

BBE Max-X3 2-Way Stereo/3-Way Mono Crossover Features:

• Full-function BBE Sonic Maximizer
• Simplified controls
• Shielded internal power supply with AC voltage select switch (~115V/60Hz or ~230V/50Hz)
• Phase inversion switches
• LED clip indicators for both high and low outputs
• x10 range multiplier switch makes crossover point adjustment easy
• Constant directivity horn equalization provides progressive high-frequency boost
• Robust steel chassis withstands road wear
• Servo-balanced XLR inputs, 1/4" unbalanced inputs/outputs
• 12dB/octave filters
• Top audio performance with high slew rate circuitry and over 115dB dynamic range for transparent sound
• 2-year warranty

Excellent sonic performance and reliability! Call or click to order yours today!

BBE Max-X3 2-Way Stereo/3-Way Mono Crossover

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Average of 3 User Ratings

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good stuff

Posted by drlacour from Minneapolis on Jun 15, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active Musician

Reviewer's Play Style: Rock

This is a great unit. The x-over works just like it should and the Sonic Maximizer is just icing on the cake. My only "complaint" is that I wish BBE would make a 3 way stereo version, but I knew what I was getting. Anyone who knows their way around a X-over will find this versatile and easy to use.

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great piece of equipment

Posted by line6man from torrance CA on Mar 6, 2006

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: synth guitarist, synth bassist

Reviewer's Play Style: synth

i bought one, and it works great, i bought this because it has a sonic maximizer built in. i love how it adds some color to my rack. red is definatly a bright color. you can use it as a crossover, and a full function sonic maximizer. i am very happy with the results i have gotten with this unit. but i do not like that the unit is about 2mm wider than other gear i own, so i cant add a rack tray behind it (because it wont fit into the area available, since its too wide)

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It's not bad

Posted by Greg from fort wayne IN on Jan 18, 2006

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: mobile DJ

Reviewer's Play Style: metal,rock

I have this crossove I have to say its not easy to hook up, it has tons of controls on it that take a while to set so that it sounds good but once you have it dialed in it makes your system sound really big thats the only plus to this crossover. I also have to say don't ever turn it on or off while your amps are on the popping sound will make you start praying your speakers are ok and it also adds a hum to your system. I would not buy it again if I needed a crossover.

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BBE Max-X3 2-Way Stereo/3-Way Mono Crossover

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