Where can I get an easy to use HPF...

[40Hz]

LPF? Now I'm even more confused. I'm really looking for something that I can set and forget, but I'm seeing that this isn't possible huh

It is the truth actually. That’s how I use mine. My Broughton HPF sits in the effects loop since that’s the ideal spot for it for what I needed it for. But my situation is a little unusual so that placement isn’t necessarily going to be ideal for someone else.

When I got mine I plugged it in and started dialing around. There was a setting on the dial that suddenly made everything more clean and tightened up and just sound better.

I put a tick mark on that setting in the event the knob ever got accidentally shifted, mounted the box inside the back of the rack case my amp is in - and that was it. There it’s sat untouched since the day I got it. It’s out of sight and out of mind while it quietly sweeps the low end junk out of my signal.

Doesn’t get more set and forget than that.

 

[LBS-bass]

Can you give me a link for the power adapter too?

I used one that I had here that came with a different pedal, so I never bought one. It'll take from 9 to 18V if I remember correctly, but double check that.

 

[bass12]

I have both the Broughton HPF/LPF and the Fdeck 3. Both work well and both have a 'gain" control which you may or may not find useful. But, yeah, if you want something that you can just "set and forget" then the Broughton "Always On" would probably be your best bet.

 

[scottfeldstein]

I've been using this litttle guy, right after my tuner on the board.

https://www.broughtonaudio.com/product-page/always-on-high-pass-filter

There's no on/off. Even the frequency dial has no numbers on it! It forces me to just turn it until it sounds bad and then turn it back a little so it sounds good again. I don't even really know what frequency it is.

 

[skycruiser]

They arent too complicated. You just select what frequency and thats it. Its a one knob situation.

That frequency will change depending on the situation. I typically run mine anywhere between 40hz - 120hz. The biggest determining factor is the room.

A LPF does the exact same thing, just at the high frequencies.

Just curious - why would you set it higher than the minimum fundamental frequency of the lowest note on your bass? Because the acoustics or the room or signal chain (amp/speakers) are over-emphasizing and amplifying the lower frequencies? Thanks

 

[Mushroo]

Just curious - why would you set it higher than the minimum fundamental frequency of the lowest note on your bass? Because the acoustics or the room or signal chain (amp/speakers) are over-emphasizing and amplifying the lower frequencies? Thanks

The higher you set it the more "effect" you will hear. So it basically depends whether you are using the HPF as a tone-shaping effect within the frequency range of the instrument, or as a filter to clean up subsonic rumble below the lowest fundamental frequency.

 

[ctmullins]

I've been using this litttle guy, right after my tuner on the board.

https://www.broughtonaudio.com/product-page/always-on-high-pass-filter

There's no on/off. Even the frequency dial has no numbers on it! It forces me to just turn it until it sounds bad and then turn it back a little so it sounds good again. I don't even really know what frequency it is.

I have one too. Learned about it here. I love the fact that it has no markings - it forces me to suppress the analytical side of my brain, and just focus on what sounds good!

 

[Passinwind]

Just curious - why would you set it higher than the minimum fundamental frequency of the lowest note on your bass? Because the acoustics or the room or signal chain (amp/speakers) are over-emphasizing and amplifying the lower frequencies? Thanks

If you have adequate FOH support you might want to minimize cancellations between your onstage cab and the PA, for one example. Or if you use a stereo rig with a wide cab spread and no FOH support, same idea. Run one cab full range, high pass the other one at whatever frequency you find brings back full bass response at your listening position. And then in many cases fundamentals just aren't needed or wanted, for a variety of reasons.

And as @Mushroo just hinted at, for composite EQ effects in conjunction with bass tone control settings HPF'ing higher up is often the bomb. I've posted about this a lot but would be happy to expand on it if desired.

 

[ctmullins]

Just curious - why would you set it higher than the minimum fundamental frequency of the lowest note on your bass? Because the acoustics or the room or signal chain (amp/speakers) are over-emphasizing and amplifying the lower frequencies? Thanks

The answer to that question is rooted in a combination of psychoacoustics and the mechanics of amplifiers and cabinets.

Full details are discussed in the Mega-Thread, but basically, things “sound their best” when the fundamental is suppressed somewhat in favor of the first harmonic. This has the very real side benefit of significantly decreasing the mechanical workload of your drivers. Win/win!

 

[Passinwind]

I have one too. Learned about it here. I love the fact that it has no markings - it forces me to suppress the analytical side of my brain, and just focus on what sounds good!

On most of my DIY builds I have labeled the highest and lowest frequencies, but nothing more. A friend who had one of those amps for a while hit me up to spitball where he was setting the HPF. His guess was just about an octave off, which oddly enough made it a pretty good guess in my eyes.

 

[jlepre]

Thanks everyone.

 

[jbd5015]

Just curious - why would you set it higher than the minimum fundamental frequency of the lowest note on your bass? Because the acoustics or the room or signal chain (amp/speakers) are over-emphasizing and amplifying the lower frequencies? Thanks

That is correct! It effectively removes troubling frequencies from the signal chain, thus reducing the issues that those frequencies can cause in the room or the cab.

 

[eriky4003]

I've been using this litttle guy, right after my tuner on the board.

https://www.broughtonaudio.com/product-page/always-on-high-pass-filter

There's no on/off. Even the frequency dial has no numbers on it! It forces me to just turn it until it sounds bad and then turn it back a little so it sounds good again. I don't even really know what frequency it is.

Scott, as I understand it you can use the picture of the Broughton HPF (with the footswitch) to see where you are dialled at. I believe about 8:30 and 9:00 is 40 Hz (if I'm wrong, someone, help a brother out!).

 

[JimChjones]

Am I right in thinking, though, that on the typical HPF the "frequency" is that of the knee of the filter, so at that frequency it will be doing next to nothing, its only at lower frequencies it will start to take effect?

 

[Passinwind]

Am I right in thinking, though, that on the typical HPF the "frequency" is that of the knee of the filter, so at that frequency it will be doing next to nothing, its only at lower frequencies it will start to take effect?

Standard enginering practice would be to spec the -3dB point, which is more or less where you begin to hear the effect.

 

[JimmyM]

Just curious - why would you set it higher than the minimum fundamental frequency of the lowest note on your bass? Because the acoustics or the room or signal chain (amp/speakers) are over-emphasizing and amplifying the lower frequencies? Thanks

I call certain frequencies "EDM" or "hip-hop" frequencies...that big deep low end that sounds way good with those types of music but just creates mud in the bands I usually play in. My tonal goals have long been established by the SVT 810e and the original double baffle B-15 cab, and all my cab choices reflect those preferences. But my DI signal sends full range, and I don't want sound techs to be able to use frequencies higher or lower than those cabs can go, because it's my experience that many of them invariably use them. So I use an HPF for cutting the lows, and an LPF for cutting the highs. Those low fundamental frequencies may get some folks off, but not me.

 

[Passinwind]

I call certain frequencies "EDM" or "hip-hop" frequencies...that big deep low end that sounds way good with those types of music but just creates mud in the bands I usually play in. My tonal goals have long been established by the SVT 810e and the original double baffle B-15 cab, and all my cab choices reflect those preferences. But my DI signal sends full range, and I don't want sound techs to be able to use frequencies higher or lower than those cabs can go, because it's my experience that many of them invariably use them. So I use an HPF for cutting the lows, and an LPF for cutting the highs. Those low fundamental frequencies may get some folks off, but not me.

The other senior house tech in the last club I worked in had a subharmonic generator hooked up to FOH, and triggers with a MIDI synth appliance, so he might have had his way with you...once, and probably briefly at that, I'm guessin'.

And Gramps here used to turn off half the subs pretty routinely, expecially for the Americana and Newgrass shows I got a lot of calls to work on. Hmm, wonder why I got those calls over the other dude?

 

[JimmyM]

The other senior house tech in tehhe last club I worked in had a subharmonic generator hooked up to FOH, and triggers with a MIDI synth appliance, so he might have had his way with you...once, and probably briefly at that, I'm guessin'.

And Gramps here used to turn off half the subs pretty routinely, expecially for the Americana and Newgrass shows I got a lot of calls to work on. Hmm, wonder why I got those calls over the other dude?

If I was doing the hiring, once would be it!

 

[jnewmark]

I know this is sort of off topic, but it should be mentioned that some bass amps, like the Genz Benz Shuttle Series, already have a built in HPF, typically set in the 30-35hz region. Adding an outboard HPF to an existing one is not as linear as it may seem depending on the specs of the onboard one. It may be helpful if a list of these amps was added to the mega HPF thread, but the Genz Benz amps are the only ones I know of. Agedhorse has said that there are other bass amps out there who have them.

 

[devnulljp]

HPF-Pre is cheap as chips and does what it says on the box.

HPF-Pre, updated December 16, 2018 - hpftechllc