Processing signals into BASSBOSS speakers

Should I process signals going into my BASSBOSS speakers?

Q: Can I use a DBX Drive Rack, or other signal processing gear in my BASSBOSS signal chain?

A: All BASSBOSS subs already have all the processing built in, so they don't need, and should not have, any additional processing added to the signal chain. If you need an external processor to control your non BASSBOSS tops, you could run the signal through a processor BUT without any filters on the outputs to the BASSBOSS sub. That way you could control their level without compromising their response and use the outputs for the tops to do what you need to do to them. (I'd recommend spending the cost of the external processor on a better loudspeaker, though.) Next question is, what do you need to do? And why do you need to do it?  

The BASSBOSS tops all have the necessary high-pass filters included and are always coherent with any of our subwoofers when used together.  When combining different brands of subs and tops, inevitably the challenge is to get the subs and tops coherently in-phase. (That's often also a challenge when combining the same brand of subs and tops, but that's a different discussion...)  

Bear in mind that just because your filter frequencies match (Eg: 100Hz High-pass and 100Hz Low-pass,) that doesn't mean that the speakers are going to be coherently in-phase. The filter frequencies are only one of a large number of variables that have to be taken into account. A partial list includes: The filter slope, (18, 24, 36, 48dB/octave,)  the filter form, (Butterworth, Linkwitz-Riley, etc.,) Equalization filter delay, (not inserted time delay but the filter delay, essentially phase shift that is the result of EQ filters,) the influence of ancillary filters, (such as the subwoofer's high-pass filter,) the processor latency (which is different from one DSP to another and from one sampling rate to another,) and, often forgotten, the inertia of the cone and resonant system as a whole.

Combining speakers that haven't had these things factored into the design and processing is not something to undertake without a measurement system and the skills to use it. Getting it wrong won't make the system completely unusable but it can result in a loss of level, a lack of impact and, in extreme cases, shorter service life for the drivers.  Whatever the case, the system almost certainly won't be optimized to the degree that it could be, or in my view, that it should be.

The true value of a system often comes down to how it makes you look to your customers and how it makes you feel. If you're confident and comfortable with the performance of your system, that's valuable. If you can get set up and packed up in record time, that's valuable. Adding more hardware and more places for things to go wrong doesn't generally make your life better...


    • Related Articles

    • Why don't you make passive speakers?

      Q: Why do you not make passive speakers and subs. I have so many amps and would prefer using passive as I have all the amps, crossovers, cabling. I can't afford the active equipment. All BASSBOSS products are sold with amplification and processing. ...

    • Video | 2-way vs. 3-way speakers - Unveiling the pros and cons

      Dive deep into the world of audio engineering as we unravel the ongoing debate surrounding the choice between 2-way and 3-way loudspeakers. What are the advantages of three-way versus two-way? And are there advantages to two-way versus three-way? ...

    • What types of connectors do BASSBOSS speakers use?

      MK3 Speakers: Signal: XLR in and Passthrough Control: etherCON in and through (for daisy chaining) Power*: powerCON to 3 prong Edison in and Passthrough Pre-MK3 Speakers: Signal: XLR in and Passthrough Power*: powerCON to 3 prong Edison (Some with ...

    • I'm using a non-BB top. Can I use filters via external processing with BASSBOSS subs?

      Q: I'm using a different brand of top with my BASSBOSS subs, and have 24dB/octave L/R filters set up between mains and subs, crossing over at 90Hz. I typically don’t put vocals, guitars, and other high-frequency instruments into the subs at all, ...

    • Can I use BASSBOSS subwoofers with turntables?

      When turntables are used in conjunction with powerful subwoofers, significant steps need to be taken to stabilize and isolate the turntables. In the more recent decades, turntables have been largely replaced with digital media. This is because the ...