For those of you that use a high pass filter, what is the most effective location in the signal path? Do you place it before the amp, in the effects loop (of the amp) or somewhere in your pedalboard setup to tame things?
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Where is a high pass filter the most effective in the signal chain?
- Thread starter Smallmouth_Bass
- Start date
There were a few threads on this Q. I think the most popular is right at the start of the chain.
I use a HPF pre EQ. If the Amp has an effects loop with a pre EQ switch, I'd put it there. Or before the Amp itself if it doesn't. If you're using a preamp pedal, I'd put it before that. As a side note. The Neve Channel Strips goes Gain -> HPF -> Bass, Mid, Treble...
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I'm mostly here to hear replies. But I've been researching this for my new HPF and have heard cases to do it various ways:
Pre EQ, to avoid sending bass frequencies to the preamp.
FX loop, to get a different effect by boosting bass, then sending it to HPF.
I've also seen pedalboards with 2 HPFs, at the beginning and end of the pedal chain
Pre EQ, to avoid sending bass frequencies to the preamp.
FX loop, to get a different effect by boosting bass, then sending it to HPF.
I've also seen pedalboards with 2 HPFs, at the beginning and end of the pedal chain
there are different types/forms of HPFs. depending on the type, i use them this way:
anything/everything > HPF > amp.
-or-
anything/everything > amp > HPF > speaker
anything/everything > HPF > amp.
-or-
anything/everything > amp > HPF > speaker
I've seen a lot of people doing the "B" version of what JRA posted for direct to house applications. The theory being take all of your tone shaping devices to create an overall sound, then use the HPF to clean up any low end slop before sending to the house.
One after my tuner, before the compressor. Another on my preamp at the end of my chain. I go into the effects return of my amp.
If I use a HPF with a very low freq cut off (like the thumpinator) it'd be the first in the chain. If I use one with a higher cut off freq (to mimic vintage speakers etc.) that would be at the very end, right before the speaker.
Edit: by before the speaker, I meant the power amp->speaker.
Edit: by before the speaker, I meant the power amp->speaker.
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I am interested in general what everyone does.
My particular application at my next gig is for amp protection as I will be providing backline. I know putting it in front of the amp (and/or DI) will feed the front of house a tamer signal. I am worried on overzealous bassist might jack up the bass at the amp putting extra strain on my speakers (it's an outdoor gig and I will have two 1x12's), so am wondering if it might be more effective in the effects loop to counteract extreme bass boosting.
My particular application at my next gig is for amp protection as I will be providing backline. I know putting it in front of the amp (and/or DI) will feed the front of house a tamer signal. I am worried on overzealous bassist might jack up the bass at the amp putting extra strain on my speakers (it's an outdoor gig and I will have two 1x12's), so am wondering if it might be more effective in the effects loop to counteract extreme bass boosting.
Can most HPF's Deal with the Amp output power before delivering to speaker? I would think if you filter it out before the amp or in the case of some of the SWR's in the loop would be best? UI would not want to run amp power out through one without knowing in the person building it recommends doing that.
By this you mean crossover, basically, yes ?
I typically use my fDeck HPF/Pre first in the chain with the EUB, since I need its Hi-impedance input due to the piezo pickup.
Occasionally I'll use it in the EBG setup, in which case it usually goes last. It might not go last if I have something like a synth or octaver that could be making subsonic-range stuff that could swamp the input stage of something that follows it, such as a compressor.
It shocked me, to see someone put it between the amp and the speaker. In my case, it's mounted in my rack case, between the rack-mounted compressor and the amp.
Just an FYI. A lot of newer bass amps already have a built in, fixed HPF, like the Genz Benz Shuttles, which is set in the low 30's hz. If you add an outboard HPF, you get what Agedhorse call a " cascading " effect; one doesn't cancel out the other. From Agedhorse : "Yes, you do need to be aware that cascading filters changes the effective high-pass knee frequency. Depending on the filter alignments if can shift UP from 1/3 to as much as 1 octave. "
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It all depends on what you're trying to accomplish. You can insert one (or more) anywhere you want to attenuate the amount of low end frequencies reaching the next stage in the signal chain.
So you could place one before an effect that doesn't respond well to a lot of low frequency information such as an octave pedal to improve tracking. Or after an effect (like a fuzz) that generates a little too much low end in order to rein it in. There's quite a few things a HPF can help out with.
But I've generally found it's most useful immediately before the signal hits the power stage of your amp. That allows it to filter out any musically useless low end subsonic garbage that does nothing but put a needless strain on your amp and speakers resulting in a muddier sound. So placing one right before the return in the effects loop (on an amp that has a serial type loop - and most amps do) generally makes the most sense. At least to me.
So you could place one before an effect that doesn't respond well to a lot of low frequency information such as an octave pedal to improve tracking. Or after an effect (like a fuzz) that generates a little too much low end in order to rein it in. There's quite a few things a HPF can help out with.
But I've generally found it's most useful immediately before the signal hits the power stage of your amp. That allows it to filter out any musically useless low end subsonic garbage that does nothing but put a needless strain on your amp and speakers resulting in a muddier sound. So placing one right before the return in the effects loop (on an amp that has a serial type loop - and most amps do) generally makes the most sense. At least to me.
I'd be shocked too. Putting a HPF between the speaker output and the speaker is a good way to fry your amp and your HPF.
You want it before the amp's power stage. Not on the speaker output jack.
NO!!!!! they can't.
Like I mentioned earlier, a HPF inserted between an amp output and a speaker input is usually called a crossover.
Different name, different electrical implementation, same function.
yes: HPF in the speaker cabinet (passive). upside: they're cheap! downside: you have to know what you want/need.