[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Hi Bigdaddy,

Thanks for showing us your filter panel along with your response chart, as well as leaving on the filter effect – it tells us a lot.

Where to begin? You’re way over filtered. A good number of those are unnecessary.

First, I would eliminate flters #2, #4, #6, #7, and #10 – i.e., everything with a bandwidth less than the 5/60 setting. Filters that narrow accomplish nothing good (you might want to review the “How to recognize useless filters” section of my Minimal EQ article).

Next, since your crossover point is at 80 Hz, you can eliminate #11 at 93 Hz.

Your baseline response below 30 Hz looks pretty good, so I don’t think anything down there is useful.

Filter #8 at 63 Hz, I don’t see any reason for a boost there.

Keep in mind that REW’s auto equalizing is tailored towards addressing modal ringing, not overall response smoothing, which often requires some boosted filters (another topic I discussed in the above article). I don’t see how to avoid doing some boosting here, short of experiment with different placement options for your subs (occasionally separating them results in some response dips).

Plus, even with a majority of cut-only filters, you’ve ended up with a substantial boost below 25 Hz, which is going to tax your amplifier headroom. Whether or not this is a issue depends on how much reserve your sub amps currently have.

Overall, you have a rather problematic baseline curve. You’re facing either wholesale gain reduction below 35 Hz, using an assortment of filters, which is not good. Or, substantial boosting in the 40 Hz and 52 Hz areas. Also not good. I suggest trying some different placement options. One I would definitely look at is co-locating the subs in a corner, if that option’s available.

Regards,
Wayne