My high pass filter experiment and a couple of questions

@erik_squires , yes! My M&K sub and M&K high pass do, in fact, date back to the days of Dolby Prologic! (They are both ancient and obsolete.) I remember that back then the conventional wisdom seemed to dictate that if one wanted to use a sub for low bass, the logical choice for speakers would be "book shelf’s" as there would be less overlap of bass frequencies. That was the way it was explained to me, anyway. Back in those days, ’94 & ’95, M&K had this extremely helpful and pleasant and patient gentleman working for them named Doug Osborne. He must have spent hours taking my phone calls and answering my endless stream of questions. I actually did buy the high pass filter on his recommendation and I did like it in the system I was using it with, which was a B&K digital HT pre going into a Cary SLA 70 which started driving a pair of NHT "book shelf" speakers and then graduated to driving a pair of B&W 805 Matrixes. As I typed, I liked it a lot in that set up--it made for a much more dynamic presentation and I was quite impressed with the presentation.

As I typed in my OP, as my gear got bigger and better I moved away from it, and after this afternoon’s session, I don’t think going back was the answer I am looking for. The presentation seems slightly more "veiled" to me with the high pass installed again. Maybe the bass is a bit tighter, but as far as dynamics, I think the presentation may be less dynamic with the high pass than it was without it.

Thanks for the explanation of the dynamics involved (which would explain why I liked it with the first system I had it in). As far as plugging the speakers, the Revels did come with foam plugs, and so far, since recently aquiring the Revels, I have had them out for a while, put them in a for a while, took them back out for a while, and then put them back in shortly after starting my high pass "experiment."

I think what I am going to do is to take the high pass out of the chain, but continue to rum that part of the system (pre to amp) with the RCAs (and see how I feel about that, because I enjoy the less gain aspect) and start out leaving the plugs in. And then I will go from there.

Anyway, Eric, thanks for your perspective on this, and good to see you around again.

to try to be serious, I think you have a trade-off, clarity and focus vs full range sound with more bass maybe more distortion too. I don't know if you want to stick with it or go back? Can we ever? Maybe it's a step up in your journey to another component and/or combination. 

I remember that back then the conventional wisdom seemed to dictate that if one wanted to use a sub for low bass, the logical choice for speakers would be "book shelf’s" as there would be less overlap of bass frequencies. That was the way it was explained to me, anyway.

Yes, it’s still true although with the advent of DSP and advanced bass management available today vs. the early HT processors we can do more without getting into as much trouble.

My biggest surprise however still comes from how much better mid to small floor standers can sound with subs.  Even though they can be nominally rated to 40 Hz or so cutting off the bass and using a sub can be amazing.

@grislybutter , actually, I think your first post about changing things all the time to find "happiness" was a serious concept. As far as the trade off going on with the highpass installed, I don’t think it’s worth it. What I think is that I need a new subwoofer. Ha ha, but seriously, that’s what I think. Seriously. However, although that may probably happen some day, not any day real soon. I now wish I would have bought some smallish sized three way floor standers, but the price was right on what I did buy, and floor standers in a small room, even small ones, might be problematic if they made too MUCH bass for that small room. At least with a sub I have the option to dial it down or up for whatever source material I am using.

@erik_squires

Yes, it’s still true

only going by the posts I read here on A’gon, I was getting the impression that the going thing now-a-days was to augment full range speakers with a pair of subs? (Which, back in the day that I bought my sub, I thought was considered a no-no.) I guess the folks running subs with full range floor standers these days are all pretty much utilizing some form of EQ or DSP?

only going by the posts I read here on A’gon, I was getting the impression that the going thing now-a-days was to augment full range speakers with a pair of subs?

While true for many, for the most part I find these approaches barely scratch the surface of what good subs can do.  Depends on the full range speaker.  Mid to small floor standers do much better being high passed IMHO. 

If your sub doesn't make your system sound glorious you are just gilding lilies.