Searching for matching(?) Subwoofer solution


Hi folks,

I have a relatively new setup in my home office (12' x 14' with hardwood floor) and am seeking recommendations for a subwoofer solution.

Speakers: Ologe 5
Preamp:    Bryston P26 
Amp:         Forte 1A
Budget:     Flexible but just want something to provide a good match for the above components.
Music:       Mostly Classical and Jazz.  Some rock, some fusion.
Source:     Well, that's something else I am seeking advice on too and will post under the appropriate discussion topic

Problem is none of the local Hi Fi shops here in the Boston area have any experience with, let alone heard of Ologe speakers.  Couldn't get any recommendations there.

Has anyone owned or at least listened to these speakers? Or any of the other Ologe speakers?
The Ologe site (http://www.ologe-acoustic.com/) features a subwoofer called Ologe 20 at USD $8550.  
Just wanted to look into alternatives before dropping over 8 grand on the Ologe 20.
 I am open to but don't know much about subwoofer swarms.

I am not looking for anything overkill.  Just a subwoofer solution to nicely complement my somewhat modest home office system.

Thanks,
H
hleeid
Hleeid-

whatever you do, speaker setup and room should be considered  as well. Since your not doing a dedicated space, there’s going to be several issues by default.

You won’t know what your speakers will sound like until that’s found.


cleeds:
"noble100
You never stated this, ever?
Correct. I never stated there "are zero commercially available music recordings on any format with stereo bass content below 80 Hz" or that I "had to revert to recording (my) own content" to get stereo bass below 80 Hz.

I’m not sure why you keep insisting that I said that, but you’re free to believe whatever you like."

Hello cleeds,

My point or question is what did you mean when you posted this?:

"It’s amazing how just how common the "all bass is monophonic" canard is and how reluctant some audiophiles are to reject it. After all, it can be resolved by listening, especially if you make your own recordings."

Specifically, why would you state: "After all, it can be resolved by listening, especially if you make your own recordings."

It makes it sound like you couldn’t just play any commercially available recording that, according to you, generally have recorded stereo bass below 80 Hz. Then you don’t just state the question over whether stereo bass below 80 Hz actually exists or not can be resolved by listening to any commercially available recording, but you qualify it by adding "especially if you make your own recordings."
I’m not even sure what this means exactly. What are you recording? Commercially available music from another source or your garage band live? What recording device, what recording format, what is the format’s recording resolution and frequency range capability?

Thanks,
 Tim
Hi HLEEID, While these guys argue you should go to the TBI website and take a look at their subs, they are the most musical subs that I’ve ever heard. I used a pair with my Sonist Concerto 2’s and the bass sound was very organic sounding, they will totally disappear and it just sounds like your speakers have more bass with the same quality as the rest of the spectrum.
As far as stereo bass I don’t know the science, but when I used two of the TBI subs in stereo the sound stage increased in size or at least that was MY impression.
They do come up used from time to time and would be worth it to check them out.
good luck! TISH
Hi racamuti,

Will take a look.  I am also going to take a step back and address room concerns as indicated by tablejockey.  Perhaps move things around. Get some damping material ready, etc. before deciding on the actual subwoofers.

At this point, given the smallish room size and relatively dedicated chair (listening) position, I am leaning towards two versus four subs.

Seems like speaker placement is more important with main speakers versus subwoofers, no?

I realize the best way to determine placement is by experimentation but are there any guidelines to use as a starting point?  Don't dos? i.e.  don't place in corners or too close to walls, windows, etc?

Thanks everyone!
Hi hleed,

I think you’re already on the the right track because you’re just going to have to experiment. Once you figure out where your furniture can and cannot go, you already have an idea of where you want your main speakers, how far apart from each other and how far they should be from their back wall.

There is a misconception that all subs are ’omnidirectional’ only. That is not necessarily true. If you sit in your office chair and close your eyes with you main speakers turned off or unwired and play some music with only your subs you will sense where the subs are being played in your office room with your hearing whether they are coming from the left, right or center of the room with your ears alone and you will feel with your body which part of the room the tones are coming from.

Since I listen to mostly music than use my system for 4K dvd watching I have my front firing subs in the corner of the opposing walls about 4 to 5 inches from the back wall and the outside wall from the subs, if this makes any sense. This way I get a total enveloping of the bass sound in the entire room because they are in opposing corners and you have to leave room for you sub interconnects. This suits me quite well since I’m a bass head.

My subs are front firing and in the same general plane or in line with my main speakers along the same wall. In other words sitting on my couch I’m looking at my mains and subs. In my situation the mains will always be closer to each other than the subs are to each other. Some folks will put a sub directly behind their couch or chair for watching movies to feel the effects of the exploding bomb/space shuttle track rumble. But you also have to have the room for that too. I’ve even known people who didn’t have enough room to put their dual subs in opposing corners or one behind the couch stack them on top of each other, since they had the same footprint! And they actually sound damn good too!

Do you want front firing subs? Or down firing subs? Sealed, vented or ported? Here is a link for you to get a good visual idea of how forward firing, down firing, vented, ported and sealed subs look and there different sizes and price points:

https://www.powersoundaudio.com/pages/subwoofers

You’ve got some decisions to make!