Maggies with a subwoofer system - optimization?

I do not have a preamp input on the back of my Krell S550i, so a high pass filter will not work with my existing setup. I am just trying to tweak my system to another level. I mainly play Jazz but occasionally I push the system with Blues (Bonamassa)

i know my panels only go down to about 45 hertz - I have been integrating the Swarm into the system for a couple of months and it sounds great with the Maggies - actually listening at lower volume levels out of the Krell as the sub system is filling the bottom end effortlessly. My imaging on stand up bass and Hammond B3 organ passages has become amazing (Nora Jones - Till We Meet Again is blowing me away).

Thanks for the input.

How is that done without a high pass filter between the amp and preamp? Just curious!

@yogiboy  Unfortunately you have found the problem, you can't. :)

Adding a subwoofer without also limiting the amp output will not reduce the load on the main speakers at all.

Optimize the bass of the Maggies by placement of the Maggies. Perhaps 6 feet out into the room. I like the Maggie bass so I would run them full range and it sounds like you are happy with your subs. 

Short answers- no, it will not lengthen the life of the panels, and yes you are wasting your time. 

A much better way to get the improvements you want is a combination of vibration control using Townshend Pods under the speakers and subs, and acoustics using Synergistic HFT Speaker and Room Kits. If you like what you are hearing now you will freak when you hear it with these.

Hi Tom, if I understand your situation correctly, there is no way to highpass filter the signal before your Krell amplifies it and sends it to the Maggies.  

Theoretically you could roll off the bass going to the Maggies by placing a highpass filter in between your amp and the Maggies.  This may or may not be a net improvement.   

FORTUNATELY we have Stereophile's impedance measurements of the Maggie 1.6qr, which makes the necessary calculations possible. 

The impedance of your Maggies is amazingly smooth across the bass region, and I estimate that it averages about 5.3 ohms across a two-octave region centered on 80 Hz.  For a second-order 80 Hz highpass filter, I'd suggest about 265 microfarads of capacitance with 15 mH of inductance on the shunt leg.  NO electrolytic capacitors allowed.  I do not suggest a first-order filter because a) it will have too much effect north of the crossover region; b) it will not protect your speakers as well; and c) it probably would not blend as well with the lowpass filter in the SA-1000 amp. 

IF you end up with a bit too much output from the Maggies in the crossover region, I suggest reducing the amount of capacitance and just leaving the 15 mH inductor alone.  If you need a bit more output from the Maggies in the crossover region, I suggest increasing the amount of capacitance and again leaving the inductor alone.  

No guarantees of course that this will be a worthwhile net improvement.   My advice is free and worth EVERY penny.  

Duke