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.
My high pass filter experiment and a couple of questions
Prior to this "experiment" I was running my Maranztz SA10 with balanced Kimber Silver Streak to my Cary SLP05 and from there I was using balanced Kimber Silver Streak to my Cary V12; from my SLP05 I was going out of the RCA outs with some old Monster Cable to my ancient M&K MX-100.
Back in ’95 I bought a M&K LP-15 passive high pass filter and I liked it with the gear I was then using, but as the gear got bigger and better and I also started using balanced interconnects I quit using it.
A few days ago I dug it out and I left the balanced connections from CDP to the pre the same, but from the pre I went with some Kimber PBJ RCA (because I don’t have any Silver Streak RCA that is long enough) from my pre into the high pass filter, and from the high pass I went with Kimber PBJ RCA to my amp; I hooked up the Monster Cable (that I had been going from the pre to the sub with) to the high pass filter and went to the sub with that.
Initially I kind of liked it, but tonight I wasn’t so sure. (It almost seems as if I am prone to INITIALLY like any change I make.)
I have a lot less gain and a lot more real extate available on the volume knob of my pre. That part I do like. I assume that is because I am going into my amp with RCA connection versus balanced and less voltage?
The high pass filter does have a treble control and a bass control. Initially I was reticent to use it any way except with both controls turned all the way to full. However, I did find that by playing with the treble control a smidge I could take the hard (bright) edge off of certain (not all) CDs. I left the bass control turned all the way to full because I am thinking it is supposed to do the same thing that the level control on the sub is doing, so why defeat that on the sub?
Another question is: since the LP-15 is theoretically supposed to roll the bass off at 85 Hz and the Revel M126Be’s I am now using are supposed to be trying to go down to 54 Hz, if those speakers are only being sent 85 Hz and above from the amp, this should make them an easier load to drive? I would think that their sensitivity doesn’t change, but now the impedance should not have to dip as low?
And still another question(?) does balanced from CPP to pre and RCA from pre to high pass and then to amp seem problematic? And I suppose I should consider upgrading the PBJ RCAs to Silver Streak RCAs?
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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.
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? |
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. |
@erik_squires , there have been sessions with certain source materials that I honestly did feel my system sounded glorious, but I would also add that it was not because of my sub. I truly believe that my sub is the weak link in my system. |
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