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SVS SUB BETTER WITH LOW PASS FILTER OFF

After endless tweaking and experimentation, I have concluded beyond a shadow of a doubt, my system sounds profoundly better by turning OFF the SVS "low pass filter"! My amp has a sub out with a filter option set at 80 db's. Like all good audiophiles I carefully followed instructions, searched google to tweak all settings. I tried all variables in frequency. Until one fateful day, for no special reason, I turned it OFF. "WAIT", I said to myself. This sounds better. "Can't be!" "It must be boomy, or bloated, or congested .....or something bad. NO, it wasn't. It not only sounded more cohesive but the "hole" in the sound stage was gone. (I had a sense there was a perceptible hole in the musical picture which kept vaguely appearing which destroyed the whole overall enjoyment. I'm interested if anyone else has tried this heretical approach?

allears4u
erik_squires
16,282 posts
 

The only heresy I know is trying to do this all without measurements first.  I mean, it's dogma, but I find getting this right by ear alone is so random. 

Bloom and bloat IMHO had more to do with room modes, where a little EQ can go a long long way.

Glad you found a setting that works for you.

james633
1,047 posts
 

If you play just your subs you will probably hear male vocals in your subs this way. If it sounds fine… no big deal. The slope at your amps 80hz might not blend well with your mains. Maybe try a different slope if possible. If the slope is 12db for example it is out of phase and you would need to make the sub 180 degrees or change the leads on the speakers. Could just be nulls and room nodes 

allears4u OP
147 posts
 

Super good tip! My mains are Klipsch Lascala (II) so the bass is weak. The amazing thing is that the music sounds so much more "organic" (if you can imagine what I mean by that). Cohesive may be an even more unhelpful word but whatever...I like it better. My room too is unique in that I live in a yurt which fails to provide any reflective hard surfaces. (All fabric) So the normal rules don't apply.. I'm afraid I'm on my own on this one. But...it sounds amazing...just sayin'

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