Crossover Settings

Crossover settings, explained

A great system doesn’t just deliver bass — it delivers coherence. When speakers and subwoofer work as one, you stop noticing “the sub” and start following the performance: texture, pace, and the natural weight of instruments.

Crossover settings are where that integration is won or lost. Get them right, and the handover between speakers and sub becomes seamless. Get them wrong, and you’ll hear the joins: thickened mid‑bass, holes in the lower registers, or bass that feels detached from the rhythm.

This guide explains the key controls — and how to set them by ear, in your room.

What crossover settings do

A crossover divides the audio signal into frequency ranges and directs each range to the drivers best suited to reproduce it. In a speaker/subwoofer system, the aim is simple:

• Let your main speakers play cleanly and confidently.

• Let the subwoofer handle the deepest work.

• Make the transition between them feel effortless.

That transition is the crossover.

The controls you’ll see on Focal & Naim App with the CI-Uniti 102

Crossover Frequency

The crossover frequency controls at the same time a Low-Pass Filter (LPF) and a High-Pass Filter (HPF). The LPF tells the subwoofer to focus on frequencies below a chosen point, progressively reducing output above it - a roll off rather than an abrupt cut. The HPF tells the main speakers to focus on frequencies above a chosen point and progressively reduce output below it. Matching HPF and LPF is what makes the blend smooth.

Subwoofer Level

A simple trim control for adjusting the subwoofer's output level relative to the main speakers.

Slope (roll‑off): how quickly the handover happens

Slope describes how fast a filter attenuates frequencies beyond the crossover point. A common setting is −24 dB per octave.

In plain terms: the steeper the slope, the more decisively each component sticks to its job. A gentler slope creates more overlap, sometimes helpful for integration, sometimes a source of thickness and timing blur.

As a practical example: with the HPF set to 80 Hz and a −24 dB slope, output is reduced by roughly 24 dB one octave down, at 40 Hz.

Choosing a crossover point

Different crossover points change how “visible” the subwoofer feels and how hard your main speakers have to work. Two common reference points:

• Around 80 Hz: often a natural, even blend: weight without calling attention to the sub.

• Around 120 Hz: can help smaller speakers that struggle to reproduce lower frequencies, but may make the sub easier to localise.

The best setting is the one that makes the system sound like one full‑range loudspeaker, not two separate sources.

A practical setup approach

Use familiar music with real bass information: kick drum (attack and decay), bass guitar (note‑to‑note definition), and piano left hand (weight without bloom).

Adjust in small steps. You’re listening for pitch, speed, and integration — not just more bass.

Phase alignment: the invisible setting

Even with sensible crossover points, you can still lose bass through phase cancellation — when speaker and sub arrive out of step and partially cancel each other at certain frequencies.

The CI-Uniti 102 offers a 0°/180°(invert) phase switch for the Aux output. The right position is the one that gives stronger, cleaner bass at the listening position — and makes the sub disappear into the main speakers.

Your room changes the answer

Rooms don’t just contain bass — they shape it. Standing waves, reflections and room modes can make certain frequencies boom while others vanish.

That’s why the “correct” crossover point can change with placement, seating position and acoustic treatment. Experiment methodically, and prioritise evenness and timing over sheer output.

What “right” sounds like

When crossover and phase are dialled in, you’ll notice:

• Bass notes are pitched, not just pressure.

• Timing feels propulsive, not sluggish.

• Voices and instruments gain space, because the low end is no longer masking detail.

• The whole presentation sounds unforced at higher levels.

Most importantly: you stop thinking about settings and start listening to music.