2-way speaker with best bass

Reference 3A DeCappo has much the same setup with an 8" woofer. Wonderful speaker.

"most successfully plumbs the depths, that provides the best full, but "tight and tuneful", bass, with good pitch definition, without completely messing up the higher registers?"

In your room ... Bass Traps correctly placed could help deliver those qualities your looking for

Don't forget Audio Note AN-E/SPe HE with the new Hemp 8 " driver. Possibly my next move for new two-way for "The Office."

Why not add a couple of small, but very good subwoofers behind the speakers you have now? This give you a three way design, without the internal crossover complexity your trying to stay away from....and, including bass flexibility gains overall.

30hz should be more than fine for music, subs with 10-12 drivers are good for this.

A little off topic maybe?....but thats the way I would fill your needs (if I were you of course :-))

Dave

The cone of a loudspeaker "breaks up" well below the frequency where it quits making sound. "Breaks up" means that different parts of the cone vibrate at frequencies that have more to do with the cone's mechanical caracteristics than the music. In other words, noise. This sound is undesirable, and should be eliminated by use of an electrical crossover of one kind or another. Output at the desired music frequencies aproaching breakup also exhibits large dips and spikes, also undesirable.

Some cone drivers are better than others. Exceptionally good ones are called "full range". They experience cone breakup too, but the spurious sound is of a pleasant nature that some people like.