Do you use a subwoofer with music? Why or Why Not?

Do you use a subwoofer when listening to music

  • Yes, Bass is a must

    Votes: 145 55.1%
  • No, Speakers only for me

    Votes: 100 38.0%
  • No, But I plan to

    Votes: 14 5.3%
  • Yes, But I am unhappy with the result

    Votes: 4 1.5%

  • Total voters
    263
I know the use of a sub woofer is highly subjective (and opinionated) but I am curious to why some to use or not use subs?

Why do I use a sub? Because the REL S/2 complements my 805D2 stand-mounts nicely. I couldn't ask for a better integration.

It's not about cost. Any of the 800 series floorstanders in the same position in my room would not have been ideal. The REL sub placed in the corner connected via High-Level input as REL recommends is ideal for my application.

REL is the sub that made me a believer.

 
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I have some full range drivers ( they are not full range cause they have zero output below 40hz just like 99% of a full range drivers ). But if you want realistic sound, you need a sub just like my signature says.
 
IME once set up correctly using measurements a sub woofer(s) need no further adjustment. Sure, they may sound overbearing with movies. They're supposed to. Why do you think movie soundtracks have a separate LFE (low frequency effects) channel?
 
IME once set up correctly using measurements a sub woofer(s) need no further adjustment. Sure, they may sound overbearing with movies. They're supposed to. Why do you think movie soundtracks have a separate LFE (low frequency effects) channel?
I agree with this. I added a sub plus DSP to my audio system and the improvement was stable and wonderful.
The original speakers were the ML Montis.
Here are some responses from a Stereophile review of the Montis and my own home measurements as the LF adjustment was made, including room treatment, sub and a MiniDSP.
1. The Montis review response with 0dB and -8dB of bass boost.

montis- bass boost set at 0 and -8dB.PNG

2. The Montis review full measured response 0dB bass boost

montis review- frequency response.PNG
I used an XTZ PRO II to measure the room response.

3.Without sub or room treatment, Montis set to -8dB- LF response
raw room without sub or treatment- LF sweep.PNG

4. Above with sub and treatment, no DSP.
room with sub and treatment.PNG
5. Room with everything including DSP
sub+DSP+-8dBfinal.JPG

6. Final full 1/3rd octave response of the room
home.PNG
The in room response is probably better than the review case.
The bass is taut, deep, extremely clean and musical and no one that has heard it can hear the integration of the units- it seems like a seamless whole.
The end result is a system that has the foundation that is really needed to make all kinds of music sound very realistic.
So, yes, sub woofers really can work well in an audio system and in my opinion are a necessary and essential addition to it.
 
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Sure, they may sound overbearing with movies. They're supposed to. Why do you think movie soundtracks have a separate LFE (low frequency effects) channel
One very important separate channel has been left out of this equation, the WAF channel. Adjustment of this channel is affected directly by the LFE channel. Overbearing LFE may cause a simultaneous, overbearing high frequency sound coming from the WAF channel. YMMV ;).
 
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I wonder if wives of that sort ever go to the movies. If they do, do they harangue the projectionist about the volume of the subwoofers or the speakers?:rolleyes:
 
No, they take earplugs.

I don't use tone controls. But that's not because I give a crap about what the 'artist' intended. As for movie and television producers as ' 'artists' ', I'll double down on the scare quotes...
 
I've found that subwoofer adjustments are de rigueur. They require regular work, and many just want to set up their system up once and forget it. The settings for my sub differ between music and movies, and I have to set them up properly whenever I change from one to another.

Not all subwoofers are great, so don't be disillusioned when yours doesn't cut the mustard. It could be that yours is not the perfect one for you. Spend some time looking / listening and you may find the perfect one.
I "used to have to do that also! And it was uh ,,, "annoying!" But it only started to happen when I took out my LX 5's, (Mid Fi/HTR and Sub) and going with the "score of the quarter thing!" :)

It was "annoying" but I finally got it right! And now the only way you know the sub is there (with Sansui SP 1200's) of all things??? Is when you turn the sub off! A certain dept and presence ... just sorta disappears???

And then what I found to be most intriguing, is a small simple looking, walnut "Concord Speakers??" That must have been from some Sear or something another, POC all in one rack system form the early 70's late 60's, for sure???

They were suppose to be "test speakers" for whatever "Mid Fi HTR, I happen to drag home! I thought they would be just an empty box with drivers ..but what I looked inside ... they had some "interesting baffle work??" Interesting, so I wound up hooking them up to in the bed room to the HTR in two channel mode by there. And I find them to be uh ... pretty freaking good!

They actually do very well for "TV/Movie" duty once I ... settle in to them as it were, they sound great! But ... and back on point ... if I go from "Sub" in the living room and no sub in the bed room. At first I do tend to notice even on the simple stuff ... there is no dept or weight to them??? I was kinda surprised at that??? You don't notice ... what you've never heard?/ And I think if a sub is "appropriately used" that is what it does?? As for little "Concords" after a few minuets adjust, I get "use to it" and they sound great again once! I do have a baby sub that I will hook to them and see how they do??

And yeah you know, it's hardly "a balanced" A/B kinda thing ... nothing is the same?? But I'm pretty sure that once I hook a sub up to those little "I don't really care" cast off's?? I'll like them even more?? Long way off saying ... that without a "sub" you'll never miss, what you never hear??? :)
 
Without for me as I want to hear the recording that the artist made as they wanted me to hear it. Personal preference and there is not correct answer. What you prefer is correct for you imo.
 
Without for me as I want to hear the recording that the artist made as they wanted me to hear it. Personal preference and there is not correct answer. What you prefer is correct for you imo.
LOL, well sure ...no one can dispute what one "prefers??" But ... is what hears on there "system" what was "actually recorded" at the time???

One cannot "miss" what they never hear?? "Subs" can't reproduce ... "what is not there???" And "only" the original artist of a given piece of music, could say ... "as I recall" there was a bit more "Bass" content to that piece??"

These days it's "dirt simple" to see the difference between a system with a sub and a system with no sub?? Not something I was "looking to prove" but can hear hear it, on two comply different "HTR" based systems. And no has a sub and one does not!

I enjoy the sound of both ...but one is a "mid fi" pioneer based HTR, with Sansui SP1200's and a sub.The other is a mid fi, Sony based HTR, with the smallest little nondescript."Concord" ...something or nother?? I would have "swore" those "speakers" just had to be pieces of crap?? But it turns out "I" like them! I like them alot?? :)

But the lower "Bass" content in the "systems" is just not the same?? If I go back to back to with the same content ... the difference in the lack of bass content is pretty clear! You don't need "Golden Ears" to hear ... what is not there?? But after a few minuets, it does not matter and I still enjoy the content of "whatever" it is, I happen to be listening to. Subs for me are like that, you can't miss ... what you "never hear??"

And the fact that it is much harder to blow crap up for the truly clueless, that use a sub. Is just icing on the cake! Apparently with my newly discovered Sansui SP1200's back in the day ... 60 watts was a lot of power, who knew?? :)
 
Thinking about it I suppose it would depend on my system. If I was restricted by space and could not have large floor standing speakers then maybe I would add a sub to fill in the blanks but fortunately I am able to use large floor standers. Like I said, no right or wrong answer and if you prefer more bass then connect a sub. As long as it sounds good to you and enjoy. Cheers.
:bigok:
 
I wonder if wives of that sort ever go to the movies. If they do, do they harangue the projectionist about the volume of the subwoofers or the speakers?:rolleyes:
Ugh "F'ing" movies!! Sometimes some movie theaters ... lose there freaking Minds!!! The freaking movies can be so "LOUD" that they are on the point of "Pain!"

If I go to the "Movies" I try to remember to bring "Ear Plugs" ... just in case! :)
 
Kinda depends on the rest of your system doesn't it ??
Obviously planars or smaller drivers need the help that a powered sub offers but they're hard to integrate well ..
I've never felt the need for a sub listening to bi-amped JBL 4-ways with a 12" driver in a large enclosure .. but arguably the sub is integrated into the JBL's .. but not into my Magnepans ..
YMMV ...
One thing I do note though is that not many of the comments in this thread address the quality of the subwoofers used. I see a never ending procession of ported box subs in the pawns and thrift stores that I hunt, and unfortunately a ported box always sounds like a ported box .. booms at certain frequencies... Transmission lines sound smooth if u can find em, but good luck at that !!
 
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A good subwoofer, set up properly, can greatly improve your overall sound while adding a new dynamic to your sound. Once you start using one, you'll typically miss it when it's gone.

In my case, my sub takes over at 50 Hz and below using the bass management on my pre-amp (My towers are quite flat to 40Hz). This not only keeps the crossover between the two out of any critical frequencies, it frees up my mid-bass drivers to do what they do best. It took some time to get the right balance with placement and all, but the result is quite satisfying.
 
There's also a lot of ostensible SUB woofers that are really the only woofer in small monitor box setups.
They've proliferated ..
You can port a small monitor box with a 6" or 8" driver but it's still gonna lack bottom end ..
 
One thing I do note though is that not many of the comments in this thread address the quality of the subwoofers used. I see a never ending procession of ported box subs in the pawns and thrift stores that I hunt, and unfortunately a ported box always sounds like a ported box .. booms at certain frequencies... Transmission lines sound smooth if u can find em, but good luck at that !!
Well as you know there are "always " exceptions! :)

But not really going there as I have no high end "Ported Subs" to claim any "allegiance.to??" I have a lot of subs and by and large all of the larger ones are "acoustic suspension" and most are powered. As a general rule ... I don't really care for ported "Speakers??" But as it happens one of my favorite speakers the LX 5 a are "ported! Tiny little woofers in to small a box that can cause "issues??" But I have always used them with a "sub" so I have never heard there short comings???

And much to my surprise??? My latest score, .Sansui SP 1200's (now playing) apparently have not one but two ports??? I never noticed, as again they are hooked up to a "sub." :)

But back on point ... "Ported Subs" LOL well if you buy enough " used stuff" sooner or later you will run across something that just flat "SUCKS!" I finally found that in the form of a "Teac CD X9 Micro system!


It's used so I don't really know what it's suppose to sound like?? It has planar speakers and a powered "Ported Sub! And it sounds bad, really, really bad?? "Over whelming, "Muddiness" is the word that comes to mind?? Surely they can't all sound like this?? So I'm pretty sure there is "something wrong with mine??" But that is not my point!

I hook it up and continue to play with it anyway. But ... you know it sounds bad ... really, really bad! And I notice it has a port on the sub?? And thinking back on my LX 5's and one of the mod's I had no use of was ... stuffing the ports with straws!

Well I did not have any straws at hand but I am trying to listen to this little Teac thing ... and it is killing me!! In desperation ... I grab one of my dogs stuffed toys ... a "Shark" as it happens! And I cram it into the sub woofer port!! And ... lo and behold ... the "muddiness" disappears?? It became "enjoyable" to listen to this little thing???" And as I moved the "Stuffed Shark" in or out of the port it would increase or decrease the "muddiness??" "Port tuning "as it were! :)

Now I am not saying all those "Ported Pawn Sub's" are any good ... but hey I don't know stuff a "Dog Toy" in one of them ports and you might be surprised?? Yeah ... I do stuff. :)
 
subs allow me to use some small book shelf speakers (mission 700s) in the kitchen with a much bigger sound and save space compared to my mirage floor standers in the living room
 
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