What are the best subwoofers to use with Magnepan 20.1s?


Hello all.  Which subwoofers would give the smoothest response/integration with Magnepan 20.1 speakers?  The rest of the system is Audio research Ref 3 preamp, Pass labs 600.5 amps, VPI ref scoutmaster turntable, Pass Labs XP 25 phonostage, UHA Tape Deck.  Thank you in advance for the help.
powerdoctor

Showing 1 response by bondmanp

I second the Vandersteen.  The 2Wq IMO has a big advantage over the RELs, in that the system high-passes your mains, reducing the deep bass the Maggies have to reproduce.  The rolloff is first order beginning at 80Hz, so your Maggies will need to work down to about 40Hz, but that last octave can really strain a lot of speakers and amps, especially panel speakers.


If you can swing it, the outboard battery-biased crossovers are much more transparent than the in-line filters, but if your amp or preamp has a first order crossover built in, you might be able to use that.  Check with Vandersteen to be sure.


I have owned a pair of the 2Wqs with the M-5HP crossovers for a while now, and I could not be happier.  Quick, deep bass that energizes the room, and they work perfectly in the room corners, as they are intended to, with no need for bass traps or EQ.  Your room might be different, of course, but my 2Wqs are in my system to stay.