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Others experience re: subs and Magmepan 20

I have a pair of Magnepan 20r’s. Have enjoyed them for years. In my room they go to about 30Hz, response way down at 25Hz.

I am experimenting with a pair of Janis subs. This gets the response to about 25 Hz then down a lot at at 20Hz. It adds a little something but not I am not bowled. over. I hear and feel a bit (in my chest) on some music.

I would like to hear about others have experience with adding subs to nearly full range speakers?

Did you feel you got your money’s worth for "a few silly Hz"?

Thanks
imdoc
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
OP, at what freq. is the 20R 3 db down?

and what music do you listen to that has much energy at or below that freq.?
gdnrbob
4,411 posts
 
@imdoc , I think you are crossing over too low and the 3rd order crossover (correct me if I'm wrong) is a bit extreme. I would use something less drastic, like a 1st order crossover (-6db) starting at 70-80hz. If you have a well made powered sub, it should integrate and provide you with the bass you are looking for.
Not to beat a dead horse, that is why the Vandersteen crossover and subs do so well in terms of integration.
@akg_ca , If I, or 98% of the Audiogon readers could afford a $10K sub, then, yes, it might make a difference, but considering the OP has a pair of not quite current Maggies (and I wish I had 'em), I doubt he/she would entertain a pair of ATC C1's.
For comparison, I have an office system with a pair of Hsu VTF-1's paired with Zu Omen bookshelves. The Hsu, in no way compete with a pair of Vandy subs (which I used with a pair of Zu Union). I was blown away when I played music on them with my Atma's. So, using your Janis subs would kind of be like using my Hsu's, but YMMV.
B

sfall
346 posts
 
"My question is less about what equipment and integration issues (that would a whole, complicated discussion alone) but rather other folks experiences who have tried this and do they feel they got substantial benefit from an extra half octave added to (almost) full range speakers to justify the expense, hassle and real estate taken up in the music room."

You can't separate the two. If you put 2 different solutions in your system that both get that extra half octive, they can sound completely different. It's a matter of quality and system matching. Just getting the system to play lower notes won't cut it in your system. I'm not a huge fan of Magnepan, but if there's one thing they do well, its bass. They take the quality over quantity path, and it sounds great. The only downside is that it's harder to integrate a sub.
imdoc OP
17 posts
 
randy-11

Stereophile test CD with 50, 40, 31.5, 25 and 20 HZ tones and a Radio Shack analog meter at the listening position I am pretty flat at the 31.5 Hz band (compared to the higher frequencies) and down 10 db or so at 25 without the subs


Music is virtually all/any but mainly rock, folk, classical.

But there are certain songs that I think I'm missing a bit of really low end:

Quick examples

"With God on our side" Neville Brothers

"Sista"  Rachelle Ferrell

"Solomon Sang" Cassandra Wilson


With or without the subs, things sound great;  I can't identify where the sub is located. Two of us listening can identify a little more low end with the subs, but not much.

With the subs, there is a bit of vibration in my chest - sort of fun (at first) but not what I get at the symphony hall and I suspect it will wear thin.

The subs are down at least 10 db at 20 Hz.


sfall
346 posts
 
akg_ca

I was reading through The Chronicles of Narnia and came across this.

"It’s amazing! What’s even better is that the price of the system with the Model 5As and the VT-100 is under half the cost of the Ref 600s alone! Since this discovery, we have achieved the same kind of unbelievable dynamics and seamless blending with ProAc loudspeakers and twin Vandersteen 2Wq 300 watt powered subs. So, if you want the sound of Ref 600s but cannot afford them, buy a pair of Model 5As or your favorite pair of ProAcs plus a couple of 2Wq subwoofers and mate them with a VT100 and you’ll get surprisingly close. You can cut the cost even further by running a pair of Vandersteen 2Wq 300-watt subwoofers with your existing speakers. Or mate a pair of 2Wqs with your favorite ProAc. In any case, it is the magic of SUBWOOFERS that allows this to happen."

If you ever get a chance to hear a pair of Quicksilver V-4's in a system like this, thats based on a VT-100, try them. As much as I liked the VT-100, I felt that the V-4's performed at a higher level.
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