Can my set up be improved?

[f1eng]

One of the principle objectives of SAM was to reduce bass distortion, which is usually quite large even on pricy speakers.
The speakers are measured and the errors in cone movement mapped, as is the voice coil heating and safe travel of the cone.
The speaker is not really being asked to do more, in fact, since the mapping of the bass unit means the Devialet config will not allow it to be overloaded.
A transfer function of the error is calculated then inverted to make the SAM file, along with mapping the thermal limits and travel limits of the bass driver.
So SAM reduces distortion and prevents damage.
I would guess anybody hearing more distortion has either got the wrong SAM file, is so used to the sound of their speakers that losing the distortion sounds wrong or is driving the speakers so hard they are into the thermal or travel limits of the map and SAM is in "protect the speakers from abuse" mode.
I would guess anybody who has the latter problem needs speakers more suitable to their loudness requirements.

I was thinking specifically of a couple of reports of the LS50s, which suggested that there were immediately audible problems with some (admittedly bass-heavy) music, and that these problems disappeared when SAM was switched off. Now it may be that it wasn't actually driver distortion at all, as you seem to be arguing. It may just have been excitement of a room mode. Since I'm going on second-hand reports, I can't really say any more.

I hear what you say about how SAM works: but it remains the case that in getting deeper LF extension out of a small driver, SAM does walk a fine line.

I have LS 50s, but have only tried them once with the Devialet.
As you write there could be a room mode being excited (25Hz with SAM, 40Hz without).
The fact that SAM can allow a LS50 to achieve these frequencies does not actually give them more or less power handling capability and they certainly still won't go as loud in the bass as bigger speakers.
It would surely be quite likely that the problem of playing loud bass heavy music with the LS50 and SAM is that the thermal and/or travel limits programmed in would be likely to be exceeded for the teensy mid/bass unit and SAM be in protection mode, no?

I was very impressed by the bass of my LS50s on full range orchestral music.