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Is there an Argument AGAINST High Pass Filters?

#22
Here are some facts:

EVERY - yes - EVERY professional speaker needs high-pass filtering. Most speaker systems (unless they're ancient designs) use vented box designs. As others have noted, when a speaker is driven below its tuning frequency, it experiences rapidly increasing distortion and its cone(s) flap wildly and are in danger of over excursion.

The other good reason to have high-pass filtering is that you use most of your amplifier power at low frequencies. If you don't use power playing frequencies that you don't need, you'll have cleaner sound and lots more headroom.
 
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#23
AdamR said:
I tried a FDeck but just took it off my board. It made my tone sound to think IMO. I found it better to just roll my lows down a bit.
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This is an odd sentiment. The whole point of these is you're cutting frequencies which aren't properly reproduced by your speakers and additionally use the bulk of your amps power for minimal audible effect. If you heard the difference in any material way this may be a case of user error.
 
#25
socialleper said:
For a four string with notorious mid range like a P bass or Rick I bet it probably isn't that critical. I don't use an Octave or Synth, but preamp on my 55/02 puts out some pretty hefty lows. I have to roll back my bass EQ control to keep it from hitting my comp pedal and limiter on the head so hard. That's what got me thinking about a HPF.
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Still absolutely necessary on the basses you've mentioned in the studio. Scope a P or a Rick sometime and look at how much content occurs below 100hz and then realize it's probably hurting your mix more than doing anything useful for the end listener.
 
#27
Some musics like electro and drone rely on overwhelming ultra lows. For these styles it doesn't matter if the cone is crying for help, it's a part of the sound and removing it isn't recommended.
Most music listening devices (especially the most modern ones like smartphone speakers and headphones) can't reproduce lows in any convincible way so you'd be better taking them out of the mix on records.
It isn't so true for live systems like PA and instrument amps, for them 40 Hz is good enough.
 
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#28
IMO, HPF’s are necessary for amp manufacturers so that the inexperienced ear does not damage cabinets.
The other issue is what is the frequency selected and the slope.
Different pro players like different things and can hear when a speaker(s) are in trouble.
Some cabs can go much lower than others without issues at a given output level.
 
#33
socialleper said:
A pot inside the housing?
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Go to their website, they are digital with the more needed controls on knobs and many more tweaks available if you connect them to an app. You can even load in any of the presets from any of the three modulation pedals into any other so you can use the three position switch on it to switch from a chorus to a phaser to a flanger for instance :).

The HPF setting is in the app, you'd normally set it once for your cab's protection - but as discussed above you really need it on a knob if you want to tune your rig to an unfriendly room :( . I do carry an iPad for charts so could tweak it at a gig...

I'd love to see them come out with a MultiFX - I'm sure it would bury the Zoom I'm using now :) . What I'd want might be too hard for the average person to set up though - definitely would want assignable knobs for instance. I'm presently hatin' on the Zoom for not having a master input gain (to set it for different basses) and a dedicated output volume knob.

Actually this inspired me to go through my B1on patches and add in the AcBsPre to each for its HPF. Not super friendly but it works :) .
 
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#34
socialleper said:
A pot inside the housing?
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It is a digital low cut filter. The cutoff frequency is set externally via an old school analog band communications link from your phone's headphone jack into the pedal via the input #2 jack. The app on the phone makes is very easy to control. There are 4 other bands of filter in addition to what I covered. Since we so much of filter experience at this point, and we now have the means to control such a thing without adding knobs.....it seemed like a good feature to offer to bass players.
 
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#36
socialleper said:
I hear you. On one hand it sounds crazy to "cut your lows" from your bass, but then if you look at the amount of work that goes into creating 30hz or 40hz which aren't always completely audible anyway, why bother?
I'm interested in trying one as well, they just don't seem to be that available.
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I have an fDeck on my board, first thing after the wireless. i have also run it in the effects loop, and noticed little difference.
I can squeeze noticeably more volume out of a small cab with it and a 5 string, with no noticeable impact.
i usually set it @ 40hz. i play 5vrs.
 
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#37
I don't need them for my amps because my cabs take care of it, but I want my house sound to sound like my cabs so I use pedals that roll off lows just in case the sound tech doesn't do it. They're not necessarily marketed as HPF's, but they have that feature built into them. Might be getting a dedicated HPF in the near future, though, just so I'm not married to having certain pedals on all the time.

But they're not 100% necessary. They are nice to have, however, when you get a sound tech who doesn't know how to slot frequencies with the bass drum to avoid a muddy mess. Doesn't happen often but it does happen sometimes.
 
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#39
I'm considering the micro thumpinator. Main reason is speaker protection, particularly when using effects. It has been mentioned that some amps have this type of low cut built in. How do I know if mine does? Ask the manufacture, right? What if they don't know or won't tell me?

I'm currently playing a GK MB500. Backup amp is an OLD old Hartke 3500.
 

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