@tony1954 wrote:
I have been very happy with the distributed bass array I added to my system, but from what I hear, the optimum method of integration is to high pass the main speakers.
Two questions:
1. What are my options for accomplishing this? Does this need to be a feature built into my amplifier or is there another component that needs to be inserted in the chain.
Preferably you’d need a DSP unit (digital crossover)/electronic crossover inserted between your source/preamp and power amp to your main speakers, instead of high-passing your mains through the (potentially available) high-pass filter function of your subs.
2. What crossover point would be ideal? What frequency and amount of rolloff would be best if my speakers are ATC SCM19’s which have a frequency response of (-6dB) 54Hz-22kHz.
Your ATC’s are passively filtered already, and running a DSP prior to your amp in addition - to some degree dependent on the specific DSP unit chosen - is really the least of a filter function interference compared to a passive filter.
What you gain high-passing your mains, on principle - certainly with a XO-point no lower than ~80Hz, and relative to the chosen filter steepness - is two-fold: the ATC’s are freed of a large chunk of LF signal, meaning less excursion, more headroom and a cleaner sound in this (great) driver’s band. And, similarly the amp driving your ATC’s will be rid of LF-signals, so it’ll operate more effortlessly and with lower distortion as well.
Will it be worth it? Who knows, only you can decide given your specific setup context and different factors that are at play here. I’d be inclined to say though: leave it as it is. You’re happy with your DBA-implementation - good, that's something to be appreciated.
Make no mistake: I’m an ardent proponent of high-passing main speakers in the 80-100Hz range crossing over to subs (to make the most of the added headroom this allows for), but I do this fully actively sans any passive XO’s, and so my speaker setup as an outset, incl. separately housed subs, is really approached as a whole, interconnected system per channel - like you would a single box; high-passing the mains in my case is not an extra "layer" of filtration, but rather designing each channel, in its different bands, as a complete setup from ground up.