Subwoofers in Stereo - Good or Bad?

[Colin L]

I too am thinking about 2.2 setups.

Ever since I moved to floor standing speakers, I discovered that I am a bit of a bass head - especially on electronica, I often had the "what the f*** was that!?"-experience when listening to a track and bass was revealed I did not know existed before.

The Dynaudios I am currently using have their -3dB at 35Hz (anechoic), so that's not exactly subterranean, compared to some subs which have their -3dB point at 20Hz or less, but they certainly go deeper than the Harbeths I was using before.

However, floor standing speakers going as low as 20Hz are usually expensive, huge, heavy, and need oodles of power to be driven adequately.

All this leaves me thinking if good stand mounts plus two subs, to be placed next to the stands, would not be a better, more cost effective solution, especially given that - natch - I would be combining it with room correction.

The Lyngdorf room correction would also allow me to use its digital XO functionality, diverting everything below, say, 50Hz to the subs, everything above to the power amp driving the standmounts, all in the digital domain.

Does somebody have experience WRT sub/sat driver integration, when the sub is sitting next to the speaker(s)? I could imagine that it is far easier to hear the sub/sat system as a whole (provided the XO frequency is chosen sensibly) in such a case, than when the sub is sitting somewhere behind the sofa or wherever.

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Much easier to integrate two subs when they are position next to the main speakers, and almost obligatory with stereo subs. For optimum integration Wilson Benesch recommend this set up, and with a single sub it should be positioned between the main speakers, the same distance to the listener. It works for me.

 

[speedysteve1]

So it's your problem rather than the systems. How unfortunate for you.

Amen to the 'sound good'.
So many, even so called uber systems are made to impress I think, rather than actually sound good. Could be implementation / set up too of course or just plain how the owners ears like them setup.
Setup to impress: can be true of horn systems, radiating cones or electrostatics too of course.

Why is the system a nameless one?
There are not that many commercial makers of multi way horn systems - Cessaro Gamma or Beethoven, I think is the latest, would qualify. Avantgarde do not do horn bass as far as I know but I could be wrong as I have not looked at their gear for a while and the rather poor subs they try to integrate with the Duo's really make liking the rest of their systems hard. Or was it another?

I'm strictly a passive crossover liker on upper channels - DSP on lowest channel is acceptable - above that I'm not so sure but am always willing to keep an open mind.

my car system is very good, and has been set up very carefully(extensive DSP features in the Stereo/Nav System) but my point is that the bass notes are so low in that track , that it makes me queasy.

same thing with bass drum in a parade, pipe organ live, etc.

i dont care about blowing ear drums or anything like that. i am a musician and recording engineer. ive been using my ears for 20 years now, so I want things to sound good, not "impress"

speaking of which, I was at a listening session last night for a release party for this mastering engineer I know. his home system has HUGE horns(a nameless uber hifi brand) , everything is handled by horns(bass too, though the details are lost on me as I dont know anything about horns) it sounded very "in your face" and dynamic, but over all, the experience was dreadful. ultra low bass at levels that part the hair, some fancy external crossover/ digital management, but I couldnt get out of there fast enough. it is the kind of experience I have every time with horns. absolutely hate them.... ALTHOUGH this is one(and the only one ive heard) that produced good bass. he had multiple bass units(4 i believe) and it was very well integrated..just not pleasing.