baffle step in serial filter
 

I need some help with the filter.

First some fact's

I build a speaker with the following drivers:
scanspeak d2905/97000 tweeter
vifa pl11wh09 4" midwoofer
scanspeak 18w/8545-00 6,5" woofer

They are build in a 1 meter high pvc pipe with a 19 cm diameter.
The front is small (13 cm) with nice rond edges.
The vifa unit is build in a closed enclosere and works until 160 hz (filterd by enclosure only).
The woofer is downfiring and is filtered with 6 db paralell at 160hz

At first several filter design between tweeter and midwoofer were having a peak in the 1500-2500hz region.
I tried parallel and serial filters of various orders and designs.
Adding a coil of various values for baffle step compensation in a 6 db serial config. didn't solve my problem.
At last i got a very good result ( by ear) with a 6db serial filter crossed at 3000 khz with no baffle step comp.

At this point i am not satisfied with the downfiring woofer and the sound in the lower frequencies. I also suspect that the midwoofer has to work very hard in the lower frequencies, so i want to cross it at a higher frequency. So i am planning to build a new enclosure (probably mdf) where the woofer is in the front baffle.

Now the question:
If i let the midwoofer start where the baffle step begin's (somewhere at 600hz still needs to be checked), can i ajust the higher level due to baffle step merely by adding a resister or l-pad to the midwoofer ( because the increase in output level due to baffle step only affects the midwoofer?)

Should i also cross where the baffle step stop's? (around 2500 Hz)
so only the mid woofer is affected with baffle step compensation)