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High quality high pass filtering for speakers?

Is there a good option for high-passing the speaker connection in a high-end system? 

I want this for a few reasons.
1. NO loudspeakers will come close to a really good standalone sub. Even $20k + speakers end up with really bad distortion at 50hz.
2. My sub has 3 parametric EQs, which helps tremendously in dealing with a 12db spike I have around 60hz. It's no help at all if the speakers are playing that frequency.
3. Even with 2-way speakers, there is still a lot of overlap between sub and speakers without a high pass. Not ideal.
sboje
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,510 posts
 

If a 1st order (6dB/octave) high pass crossover is steep enough for you, all that's required is the installation of a capacitor on your power amp's input jacks. The value of the capacitor plus the amp's input impedance determines the "elbow" frequency of the resulting filter. The formula for determining the capacitor value needed to achieve the desired frequency can be found via a Google search.

If you need a steeper slope (2nd, 3rd, or 4th order---12, 18, or 24dB/octave), you'll need to go active. Pass makes a great one, but it's not cheap. Bryston's is somewhat lower priced, but Nelson Pass makes an economical one (retail $1500) in his First Watt B4, a great little unit featuring 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th order filters in 25Hz increments from 25-3200Hz, for both high and low pass, The filters are implemented via discrete components, no IC's or Opamps. RCA jacks only, no XLR/balanced version available.

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,868 posts
 
Vandersteen Quatro are way under $20k and have a fantastic built in powered sub with 11 bands of analog EQ
and are phase and time correct with pistonic drivers
a pair of 5a ( no longer in production ) with push pull aluminum cone subs are around used for $8-10k
the 5a carbon is still in production
all the bass amplified vandersteen products come with very carefully engineered hi pass filters and correction for the built in sub amp

i am biased


imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,136 posts
 
JL audio CR-1
http://www.jlaudio.com/cr-1-home-audio-subwoofer-crossovers-96020
lxgreen's avatar
lxgreen
66 posts
 
I use the JL Audio CR-1 with two JL Audio Fathom f100v2 subs and ATC SCM50 active speakers. After both bass trap and other passive acoustic treatment and digital correction from subs, I can't imagine anything sounding better with incredible seamless integration of subs and speakers.
emailists
923 posts
 
Reviving an old thread, but I was interested in trying a hi pass filter for my mains, and looked into HSU's very inexpensive option, but doesn't work with balanced units.  My velodyne subs can do a balanced hi pass filter, but the lowest it goes is 80hz and I was looking for something that goes a bit lower.   Any other lower cost balanced analog high pass filters other than the CR1?  
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