High Pass Filter (HPF) and Low Pass Filter (LPF) Mega Thread

[CallMeAl]

To the jazz bass players- do you find the HPF helps your jazz bass cut through the mix better?

I've pretty much written off jazz basses, I found them muddy and buried in the mix. Granted, I always favored neck pup or kept pickups even, but never really liked a bridge-pup heavy sound. I've since traded my J for a P.

I've got my hpf in the mail, and I do have some experimenting to do. Just wondered if this resonated with anyone, I sure wouldn't mind adding a J bass back into the stable!

 

[Stumbo]

To the jazz bass players- do you find the HPF helps your jazz bass cut through the mix better?

I've pretty much written off jazz basses, I found them muddy and buried in the mix. Granted, I always favored neck pup or kept pickups even, but never really liked a bridge-pup heavy sound. I've since traded my J for a P.

I've got my hpf in the mail, and I do have some experimenting to do. Just wondered if this resonated with anyone, I sure wouldn't mind adding a J bass back into the stable!

My '63 Fender Jazz with dead flats sat in the mix very well. It didn't really need to cut through. I ran both pickups full and played closer to the bridge. Never any mud.

What is the instrument makeup of your band?

If your happy with a P and can dial it in, great.

What kind if J did you have and which pickups? Maybe the pickup height needed to be adjusted
You might consider a PJ.

The HPF will get rid of the mud.

 

[Karl Kaminski]

this may be splitting hairs... but I find its cuts the 'mud' of the room, not the tone of my bass.
Another way to think of it is: HPF/LPF are 'EQ for the room'

+1 with Stumbo, I've never found my Jazz to be muddy. On the contrary I use TI flats and it sings.

 

[CallMeAl]

What kind if J did you have and which pickups? Maybe the pickup height needed to be adjusted
You might consider a PJ

It was a Peavey. Had a squier a while back. It's very well possible I was doing something wrong, missed something. I've learned a lot since then. I have a PJ now, but i just play the P pickup. I keep my Ps and Js separate, thank you very much!

The HPF will get rid of the mud

That's the idea

this may be splitting hairs... but I find its cuts the 'mud' of the room, not the tone of my bass.
Another way to think of it is: HPF/LPF are 'EQ for the room'

That's what om going for. My rig sounds great as is for 80% of my gigs. But some of them are real echo chambers!

 

[Stumbo]

v

@richwag:

Yep, I have a Broughton HPF. Does a nice job with my (Fender Rumble) 500c. I have it set somewhere around 60 to 70hz.

I too felt that 500c starting sounded flabby from the open A down. The HPF cleaned that up nicely.

 

[richwag]

To the jazz bass players- do you find the HPF helps your jazz bass cut through the mix better?

I've pretty much written off jazz basses, I found them muddy and buried in the mix. Granted, I always favored neck pup or kept pickups even, but never really liked a bridge-pup heavy sound. I've since traded my J for a P.

I've got my hpf in the mail, and I do have some experimenting to do. Just wondered if this resonated with anyone, I sure wouldn't mind adding a J bass back into the stable!

I’ve got a G&L MJ4 active jazz and I also had issues with it cutting through. With the bass control at neither cut or boost, it just had too much bottom. I cut the bass way back and boost the mids and also use a Broughton HPF. It’s now much better at cutting through but not as good as my G&L L2000.

 

[javi_bassist]

Hi guys!

I have a question for you. I'd been reading a lot about HPF and LPF, so I pulled the trigger and I got one of each from Broughton Audio. I was actually going to buy only the HPF...but since I'm from Spain and the shipping costs etc, I finally bought both. I am lately playing ampless (bar gigs, low volume, going direct to the FOH). I am using both always on. The LPF rolls out highs as my bass cab does and I really like it (especially combined with my overdrive). The HPF controls the sub-lows and I am using mainly to protect the speakers. Besides, I am using a subtle compressor. My question is, is it redundant to use a compressor combined with both HPF and LPF??

 

[GrapeBass]

Hi guys!

I have a question for you. I'd been reading a lot about HPF and LPF, so I pulled the trigger and I got one of each from Broughton Audio. I was actually going to buy only the HPF...but since I'm from Spain and the shipping costs etc, I finally bought both. I am lately playing ampless (bar gigs, low volume, going direct to the FOH). I am using both always on. The LPF rolls out highs as my bass cab does and I really like it (especially combined with my overdrive). The HPF controls the sub-lows and I am using mainly to protect the speakers. Besides, I am using a subtle compressor. My question is, is it redundant to use a compressor combined with both HPF and LPF??

No, it is not redundant.

Do you put the HPF at the head of your pedal chain and the LPF at the end? Just curious as I would do that.

 

[Stumbo]

Hi guys!

I have a question for you. I'd been reading a lot about HPF and LPF, so I pulled the trigger and I got one of each from Broughton Audio. I was actually going to buy only the HPF...but since I'm from Spain and the shipping costs etc, I finally bought both. I am lately playing ampless (bar gigs, low volume, going direct to the FOH). I am using both always on. The LPF rolls out highs as my bass cab does and I really like it (especially combined with my overdrive). The HPF controls the sub-lows and I am using mainly to protect the speakers. Besides, I am using a subtle compressor. My question is, is it redundant to use a compressor combined with both HPF and LPF??

No. Compressors react to and dampen peaks in your bass' signal output.

HPF/LPFs are frequency based.

 

[PraiseBassing]

Hi guys!

I have a question for you. I'd been reading a lot about HPF and LPF, so I pulled the trigger and I got one of each from Broughton Audio. I was actually going to buy only the HPF...but since I'm from Spain and the shipping costs etc, I finally bought both. I am lately playing ampless (bar gigs, low volume, going direct to the FOH). I am using both always on. The LPF rolls out highs as my bass cab does and I really like it (especially combined with my overdrive). The HPF controls the sub-lows and I am using mainly to protect the speakers. Besides, I am using a subtle compressor. My question is, is it redundant to use a compressor combined with both HPF and LPF??

No, a compressor does not remove frequencies the same way. It can be set up to limit a signal, but at the expense of tone. The pass filters will remove what you don’t want and leave the rest. The compressor will compress the whole signal by the same ratio. Unless you’re using a multi-band compressor, then it will compress the bands differently. A multi-band compressor still functions differently than the pass filters though.

 

[NKBassman]

Hi guys!

I have a question for you. I'd been reading a lot about HPF and LPF, so I pulled the trigger and I got one of each from Broughton Audio. I was actually going to buy only the HPF...but since I'm from Spain and the shipping costs etc, I finally bought both. I am lately playing ampless (bar gigs, low volume, going direct to the FOH). I am using both always on. The LPF rolls out highs as my bass cab does and I really like it (especially combined with my overdrive). The HPF controls the sub-lows and I am using mainly to protect the speakers. Besides, I am using a subtle compressor. My question is, is it redundant to use a compressor combined with both HPF and LPF??

Not at all redundant. I would suggest putting the HPF before the compressor. If you filter out the sub-low mud before the comp, you'll you get much more even and smooth response from the compressor this way, as big sub-low frequencies can sometimes trigger the comp to react more strongly than it normally would.

I'd start with putting the LPF last in line, but I don't think it matters as much as the HPF though, IMO. Try it before or after the comp and see which you like better. This is the benefit of ordering two separate filters rather than both in one box. Sometimes compression can soften the high end all on its own, and you may find you need less of the LPF if you put it after the compression.

 

[Stumbo]

v

From the TB Rumble Club thread:

If you're on the fence about a HPF/LPF, please check out my TB Wiki on the topic: High Pass and Low Pass Filters and/or read through the High Pass Filter (HPF) and Low Pass Filter (LPF) Mega Thread to check out how other TBrs are faring with theirs.

For my TB brethren who don't want anything on the ground between them and their amp: the Broughton Always-On HPF does not have a footswitch and is so tiny you can set it next to or on top of your amp(or hang it from), use 1-2ft patch cord into it from the amp, and run your bass cord from it through the handle(so you won't pull the HPF off of you amp) into your bass. Ez,Pz!

Dial it in based on the FOH mix, not what you hear on stage.

IMO/IME, based using my Bro-ton Always On, best piece of kit I've added to my rig. Wouldn't leave home without it! The other bass life changing happenstance was to switch to an active 3-band eq '83 Ibanez Musician PJ. Along with the HPF, I can beat any rig/venue into submission.

The only tone that matters is FOH tone that makes your band sound good.

Be sure and check out all the HPF/LPF options:

DO try this at home!

 

[Stumbo]

v

@beans-on-toast:

There are two reasons for using a HPF.

The first is to remove low sub harmonic frequencies that tax the bass amp’s speaker. The bass sound is more focused.

The second is to make the bass sit better in the mix with the kick drum and any other instrument such as keys, each should have their own frequency space to avoid a muddy sound. The HPF helps you tune that in. This is where a variable as opposed to fixed frequency HPF comes in handy. Adjustable in the range of 40Hz to 500Hz is good.

By cutting the lows, the bass magically becomes louder in the mix.

Anything in the signal path affects the tone. You want a quality, low noise unit.

The simplest HPF is a capacitor and a resistor or pot. But what about the slope of the filter? It can be gradual or sharp. Sharper filter is more precise. This is where an active filter can do a better job. Not to mention having a lower noise floor and less signal loss hen the filter is inserted into the signal chain.

You get what you pay for. I like the fdeck unit, he provides the schematic. It’s well done.

 

[javi_bassist]

Thank you everyone for the answers! Lately I've been thinking about all the pedals I am taking to gigs it's a thought that came into my mind.

No, it is not redundant.

Do you put the HPF at the head of your pedal chain and the LPF at the end? Just curious as I would do that.

They are actually both at the end, right before the Tone Hammer (which is my DI). I will try the HPF right before the compressor and after, to see what happens haha

 

[GrapeBass]

Thank you everyone for the answers! Lately I've been thinking about all the pedals I am taking to gigs it's a thought that came into my mind.

They are actually both at the end, right before the Tone Hammer (which is my DI). I will try the HPF right before the compressor and after, to see what happens haha

After some discussion with a few TB members, incl. @agedhorse, I decided to buy the always on HPF to place at the input of my small board and since I already had the LPF/HPF I wound up placing that at the end. What I achieved was a tighter, controllable and more focused tone (in between I typically choose between a few 'tone stack' pedals like a Broughton Silver Deluxe, a Broughton SV-Pre or an Ampeg Classic Pre. 'If' I use any spacial effects, like reverb, I'd place it after the LPF/HPF.

Here's a pict of my Lil'Big Tone Board, lately (with my jazz/blues/rock semi-acoustic trio) I've been using HPF>Ampeg Classic Pre>Broughton Silver Deluxe>Broughton LPF/HPF so I can accommodate an AGB/EUB and jazz basses.

 

[LaklandLaksNADA]

Question. . (forgive me if it's been covered)

I run a no-amp setup most places I play. Been reading a lot about hpf and sounds like it's a cool tool to add to the rig.

Wondering where would be the best spot to maximize the use of one in my signal path? Very beginning or right before my preamp pedal?

Bass > wireless > empress compressor > eventide h9 (pre) > empress multidrive > dark glass b3k > zoom ms70cdr > h9 post > darkglass AOU > soundboard via AOU DI.

looking at either the Broughton Lhpf, Broughton always on hpf, or the fdeck3.

 

[JimmyM]

Question. . (forgive me if it's been covered)

I run a no-amp setup most places I play. Been reading a lot about hpf and sounds like it's a cool tool to add to the rig.

Wondering where would be the best spot to maximize the use of one in my signal path? Very beginning or right before my preamp pedal?

Bass > wireless > empress compressor > eventide h9 (pre) > empress multidrive > dark glass b3k > zoom ms70cdr > h9 post > darkglass AOU > soundboard via AOU DI.

looking at either the Broughton Lhpf, Broughton always on hpf, or the fdeck3.

I use mine last in the chain, as I don't want my pedal signals to be high or low passed till the end. I like the bass hitting the pedals full range then cutting the highs and lows. The FDeck3 is sweet, but I believe it only does high pass, and since you are running dirt pedals, a low pass filter would also be a good thing for you. So I'd go Broughton LHPF.

 

[LaklandLaksNADA]

I use mine last in the chain, as I don't want my pedal signals to be high or low passed till the end. I like the bass hitting the pedals full range then cutting the highs and lows. The FDeck3 is sweet, but I believe it only does high pass, and since you are running dirt pedals, a low pass filter would also be a good thing for you. So I'd go Broughton LHPF.

Thanks for the quick reply. Does the lpf play heavily with the dirt? I haven't run into many uses on that end (especially with the multidrives options) where I found it out of control and was more looking at how a hpf plays with the super low freqs.

If it's a matter of me not knowing what I'm missing on my dirt without one then I'll definitely consider the l+hpf

 

[Stumbo]

v

@Red Planet asks:

Bass is meant to be felt right? An amp shouldn't sound like a barking chiwawa should it?

Are a lot of these new designs neuter the goods out of the sound?

Is part of this equation coming from the new let the synth have all the sub and lets put the bass above it in live sound thinking?

And started a thread: Have we neutered the bottom end with the HPF craze?

 

[JimmyM]

Thanks for the quick reply. Does the lpf play heavily with the dirt? I haven't run into many uses on that end (especially with the multidrives options) where I found it out of control and was more looking at how a hpf plays with the super low freqs.

If it's a matter of me not knowing what I'm missing on my dirt without one then I'll definitely consider the l+hpf

I believe your Darkglass pedal may already take care of the low passing for you, but I don't know about the Multidrive. But for drive, I use it to cut the tweeter frequencies that make distortion sound buzzy and can kill PA tweeters fairly easily, usually somewhere between 4 and 5 khz is where I set it, depending on what I'm using and the music we're playing. But yeah, if you want the tweeter highs unless you're playing with distortion and your pedals do it for you already, then you could skip the LPF.