Subwoofer - is there one that would work in this situation?


My main speakers are the Janzsen Valentina P8s, which I love, they just lack a little low end punch. I'm thinking about adding a subwoofer but the only place I have for one is on the bottom shelf of the built in shelves below my TV.

Questions:

Given the location limitation is there a subwoofer that would work? 

If so, Im thinking a small forward facing sub with DSP. Suggestions?

Thanks in advance....

cdc2

single sub can work, but not if you don't have ability to place it anywhere in room...in recent interview David Chesky uses REL T/7's with modified Quads...

Everyone is gonna say you need two.  Two are better.  But one is better than zero if you can adjust the roll off and volume to 'barely there'.  I had one single sub exactly where you describe in a Salamander three wide cabinet under the TV.  Even had a door with acoustic panel in front of it and it worked fine.  Good luck!

I think you will struggle with a single small sub in a locked location. DSP for the sub through internal or external like a Mini DSP would really help. 
 

if you plan to just come in under your mains, say 40hz or less, one can be ok. If you want to do a proper highpass at 60hz or higher two is much better/needed. 

Boxing in a sub sounds is a recipe for disaster. Adding vibration to your other equipment in the same shelf? No No Nanette!!

Buy the smaller REL T5x I use. I can be hidden many places.

 

Mr. Chesky's -6dB minimally controlled sub-bass speakers are extremely forgiving of room placement simply because they don't output frequency low enough to excite a rooms bass modes.

A properly positioned and optimized -3dB subwoofer can provide the delicate subsonic presentation for almost half the price. Some offer remote dsp control and a few customizable presets to compensate for Cheskey's or your own personal taste. Way more fun.

 

IMO, you’ll be wasting your time and money adding a subwoofer to those beautiful Janzens. Those speakers go down to 30hz +-3db. Adding a sub might ruin what you have!

I just read the measurements in Stereophile. This is a speaker which you want to put a DSP crossover in front of your amp. You need to tame it’s peaky behavior around 70 Hz and the location of your sub will also cause you some further issues.

A DSP crossover, set to HP at 80 Hz And smooth out the bass peak + the appropriate EQ for the subwoofer is going to be your best bet. Of course, it’s a difficult location. Try the AM Acoustics room mode simulator to give you the best places to put your speakers and sub.

I’d forego doing this at all unless you put an EQ in front of your amp.  that peak will make it much harder to integrate well with a sub, but.... and this is key, rooms turn all bass specs into a hot mess, so measurement first is going to save you.

A Norwegian company called Sigberg Audio makes a very high quality and very slim subwoofer called the "Inkognito" which is designed to fit behind or underneath furniture, and would probably work great on a shelf below a TV. 

No affiliation.

Duke