Monitors+Sub or Full Range Speakers???

at $2k retail, go for the monitors - ewe can always get a sub set-up at a later date, as budget allows. too many compromises at this price point for either full-range *or* monitor + subs (need two for audio), if ya insist on paying retail. - *my* opinion... doug

I was in the same boat as you. Tried going with the monitor + sub routine and found that getting a sub to match well with monitors was a real challenge. Just when you get the sub adjusted/placed with one recording you put in another and have to go back and tweak the output of the sub to get it to dissapear. I gave up and bought the Hales Revelation 3s. Then had to buy a better amp to drive them. It is nice when the speaker designer has control over the whole freq range. (most of it at least) Are the Hales perfect? By no means. They do set a soundstage as well as my former monitors and they go down low... not into to the nether regions but they really are more than tasty for music. Had to blow some extra cash on an amp to drive them whereas the monitors you have more flexibility on choosing amplification. Buy a good tube setup for the top and use powered subs for the bottom is how I used to think but I never did pull it off successfully. I'm sure it is possible, just not easy.

kev, you are right - up to a point. you need an *excellent* crossover, usually not found on active subs, and you need two subs. that way, no tweeking, once it's set-up properly. my sub system consists of a pair of vmps larger subs, a marchand xm-9 deluxe x-over (24db/octave, adjustable x-over frequency w/plug-in chips, adjustable volume for bass/treble/crossover-point), and a pair of bridged adcom gfa 555 amps. everything was purchased new, w/exception of one of the amps (the other, i paid $450 for, back in '84!). the total expenditure was ~$2400. the only time i've had to fiddle w/the x-over, was when changing the monitors. never had an integration problem w/this set-up. doug