[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

brucek wrote:

Is "using the fewest filters" our ultimate goal?

Getting the job done with the least amount of filters is standard equalizing protocol - common knowledge that can be found at any pro audio Forum.

Whether you apply gain filters to response dips (and turn the BFD's input level down to allow it), or you apply cut filters to areas around response dips, it makes no difference to the output signal level of the BFD. The former example reduces dynamic range and degrades signal to noise ratio, the latter example does not.

(Emphasis added.)
Applying only cutting filters does indeed lower the output signal level of any equalizer, analog or digital. Anyone can verify this with their BFD.

Lowering the equalizer’s output signal can only exact a noise penalty to the subwoofer when you (are forced to) increase its gain. The subwoofer is the weakest link in the signal chain anyway, WRT S/N, so it’s the component that can least afford an increase in S/N. There is no point in rigidly maintaining the BFD's 94 dB S/N ratio if the best the average subwoofer has to offer is 90 dB. And trust me, it’s a questionable 90 dB at that.

We haven’t even broached the topic of the receiver’s role in all this. Receivers also typically have poorer noise specs than the BFD. At the end of the day, the BFD is the component with S/N to spare.

I suggest looking into the fundamentals of gain structure...

Regards,
Wayne