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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
josepad's avatar
josepad
5 posts
 

Soon as I read the OP, I realized he has both crossovers engaged, preamp and subs, disabling one of them will produce the best performance. I have dual SVS SB2000 and was using a Halo HINT which has bass management system including high and low filters. 
I never used those as I sent my mains a full signal then set crossover on the HINT at 50Hz, the subs have to be set to LFE so they get a full signal from the HINT. If you wanna use the crossover on the subs then make sure the filters on the preamp are set to LFE or off if you can. 
Now I have a JC2BP which has no bass management system so the subs get a full signal from the Main outs, so now I set the crossover on the subs to 50Hz. 

erik_squires
16,282 posts
 

doesn’t it also lessen the effective roll-off slope at the low end?

Yes, but by that time it’s all pretty low in level. The point is not that this should always be done but to try it and listen for yourself. In some cases this can even help with room related bass bloat. I’ve had one A’goner say that plugging 1 of the two speakers finally dialed in the bass for him.

This is a safe, reversible experiment. 

allears4u OP
147 posts
 

(To Josepad) So I will try and turn off bass bypass on my integrated so full signal is sent to my mains again and set "Low Pass Filter" on SVS Pro2000 at "ON". Then set SVS "Low Pass Filter" to 35 hz or so. Sound right?

hartf36's avatar
hartf36
208 posts
 

Moonwatcher was correct. yes

josepad's avatar
josepad
5 posts
 

@allears4u Yes u can try that. Subs are all about experimenting, but for sure you only want to use one crossover, either the sub or the integrated. I never hi pass or low pass my mains, just did not like the performance. Set the crossover around 10-20 Hz above how low your mains are rated, then adjust from there. 
with the SVS subs you also get a variable phase adjustment which is also critical for integrating with your main woofers. 
Have fun!

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