How many run a subwoofer w/ their 2 channel stereo?

[James F.]

So just got through refurbishing some Horizon speakers. While they have decent bass, I have always run that sub for that extra kick, but alas these sound so damned good.

 

[swechsler]

The trick is to adjust the sub so that it doesn't overlap with the main speakers' strengths. If your system has a preamp out, you could consider a subwoofer DSP. If you're using speaker-level input to the sub, you can get a speaker level to line level adapter to feed to the DSP from the speaker wires.

 

[Jack Keck]

My receiver has a sub output, so why not?

 

[hjames]

sure - depends on the quality of your speakers and how the sub is integrated into the overall mix.

 

[whoaru99]

I can't take the poll since my answer is "sometimes".

 

[hjames]

I can't take the poll since my answer is "sometimes".

Agreed - when I ran 2 Magnepans, I had a Volkswoofer sub; with the 2 Heathkit Altecs, or the Von Schweikerts, I don't need it.
Downstairs I have a JBL 18 inch sub running with the 4 UREI monitors and the 2 DCM TF600 in the rear -
then again, that's a multichannel system,

 

[Hobie1dog]

If a friend brings over some things to listen to and they contain 1812 Telarc Cannons, pipe organs with 16 hz tones, will your speakers fail? Woofers bottoming out? very few speakers have anything below 30hz. So 90% of all speakers needs subs,mand I'm talking subs that go down to 10 hz, because if your sub falls off at 25 hz, then you don't own a subwoofer, you just have a woofer.

 

[RossW]

My Thiels are flat into the high teens in my room even without the bass EQ, no sub required

 

[Chris Brown]

I run dual subs, in addition to my speakers. I think it's sort of a fallacy to assume that a subwoofer is only beneficial if your main speakers can't produce decent bass of their own. My JBLs produce plenty of bass on their own, yet I use the subs anyway. The more sources of bass in a room the better. Distributed Bass (aka bass that originates from many different locations) is a well known concept that helps even out room modes, giving you more consistent bass overall.

 

[Brett a]

I run two subs in stereo. One didn't cut it.

 

[JesusChrysler]

Me

 

[Tom Brennan]

I use a sub with my small Monitor Audios, not for bombastic effect but to get a more natural tonal balance with these rather high F3 speakers. I turn the sub up enough to hear its effect and then turn it down a hair.

 

[loudnoises]

My receiver has a sub output, so why not?

Sometimes that crossover point is fixed, and really high. Like 200hz. That's no good for music. It really depends on your receiver and main speakers.

For music, I expect most folks want to get as much out of the mains as possible and cross the sub at 80hz or lower. Plenty of folks just use em to fill in under 40hz.

 

[donprice]

The more sources of bass in a room the better. Distributed Bass (aka bass that originates from many different locations) is a well known concept that helps even out room modes, giving you more consistent bass overall.

And less risk of trashing your favorite speakers when you are trying to knock the paint off of the walls

 

[dcmfan]

I has sub

 

[gizzyman47]

A good sub not only gives you the low bass that your main speakers can't, it also lets you really hear more of the venue/room that the music was recorded in. The soundstage benefits also.

 

[jlovda]

My Mcintosh MX130 has a line level equalized subwoofer output. I use it to feed my JBL subwoofer in conjunction with my KLH Fives. The level is set to be very subtle, just adding a few Hz at the bottom. I like it.

 

[Guest159]

Most of the sub applications I've heard blow the bass WAY out of proportion to the overall sound. I've never used any. Never felt the need to. I haven't heard anything in speakers that reach down into the teens that makes me think I need subs with speakers that reach into the low 30's. I feel like a lot of subs get sold to people who don't want to be bothered with proper placement and just use brute force to get some kind of bass response. Bottom line for me is the hassle isn't worth the negligible benefits they'd bring to my stereo.

 

[bimasta]

A good sub not only gives you the low bass that your main speakers can't, it also lets you really hear more of the venue/room that the music was recorded in. The soundstage benefits.

An important point that is usually overlooked. For this, I use Stereo subs — 2 subs placed close to the Main speakers. I've used more than 2 subs to experiment with "bass distribution" but I don't have a ton of subs lying around.

I find that 2 small subs which reach down to 27Hz do wonders for all my 2-way monitors. Such subs are cheap, and small, no larger than the 2-ways themselves. Then adding a third, larger sub that reaches down to 20Hz enhances the System further,,, and at that low frequency only one such sub is needed.

Another overlooked virtue of Subs is they relieve the Mains of the attempt to go as low as possible. Bass is a big selling point for buyers, so designers try to squeeze as much Bass out as they can. Subs take over this burden and, as a result, the Main speakers sound more natural and relaxed, and can play louder. This was very evident when I added subs to my LS3/5As, and Quad 63's and (even moreso) Quad 57's. None of these three great classics go low, and I had to live within their narrow limits — their glorious midrange — or risk damaging them. Adding Subs transformed them completely, adding an entire octave of Music to the ESL 63s, and even more to the ESL 57's and LS3/5A's, and allowing all 3 to play far louder — the 4-inch "woofers" on the LS3/5A's didn't bottom out, or the Quad 57's "arc" against the stators, even at rock-concert levels.

It's the same with modern designs like the KEF LS50's. They deliver almost all the virtues of the old classics named above, at a lower (inflation adjusted) price — but need Subs to sound complete.

 

[parman]

I do with CD's, vinyl not so much