I feel that REP selection, not to mention designing it as you personally would use it as stated, would just make it close to imposible for new steemers to build up a solid profile in an acceptable ammount of time. Although I do understand your logic, the usefulness of such a filter being obvious, I would go and suggest ranges of REP thus giving the opportunity to differentiate and explore content from all spectrums, new and fresh as well as reputable and reknown.