Originally Posted by turtle64b

Would the trade-off here be long-term damage to either component?

If you leave the filter off and run the 8lb pulley, you preserve the longevity of the supercharger by not spinning it faster (i.e. 9lb pulley) at the risk of engine damage from debris.

If you put a filter on and run the 9lb pulley, you save the engine from the debris, but run the risk of quicker degradation of the Supercharger due to the faster speed.