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Have you moved away from full range to standmount speakers + subs?

I want to know if you have been on a journey moving from a large full range speaker to a smaller one paired wit subs, maybe even four subs.


Maybe you moved away from the big speakers because you had too much bass or you got a better soundstage from the smaller speakers. Let me know what motivated you and if you think it’s better now.


My motivation for wanting to try smaller speakers.


I have the Tekton DI and until a month ago I was using a LM845P SET amp to drive them.

It only sounded good on simple jazz and vocals but on complex music everything was falling apart.

I am not playing loud but I think it was the low 2 ohm load in the midrange that made the LM break down.


I bought a used PS Audio BHK250 and pre and it was like getting new speakers. Never ever had it occurred to me that speaker and amp matching could have such a profound effect.


So I am enjoying my speakers now and listen to music I have avoided like the plague and enjoying it (:


But all of this got me thinking, what if I paired my LM845P with an easy to drive speaker and paired it with some subs?


Then the LM845 could do what it's best at, playing glorious midrange and the subs could play the bass.

So that's my motivation for trying smaller speakers.


I am also hoping that maybe I could get better and more even bass with 2 or 4 subs. Maybe a better soundstage because the small speakers have a very small baffle.

martin-andersen
tanglewood
43 posts
 
I went the opposite direction.  I've had dynaudio C1's for years.  I recenlty bought dyn conf 30's, which are a floor stander.  The 30's beat the C1's in every way, including sound stage.  I also regularly listen to the 30's at very low volumes, and they sound fantastic in that setting too.
arch2
308 posts
 
I think it really boils down to room size and what it will accommodate. I have a 13’ by 17’ room with sloped ceilings and a bit of an irregular shaped rear wall and full size speakers just flat out over power the room. I sort of did the exact opposite of tanglewood and recently purchased Dynaudio C1’s and the bass is the best I’ve had in the room yet though I’m having issues with what seems to be a closed in high end with those speakers but that’s a different story. I also have two subs but frankly in my room with the C1’s I don’t need them. As far as staging the C1’s are excellent but I’ve had large speakers that are nearly as good if not as good.
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jrpnde
271 posts
 
   I've had setups of both kinds in different rooms. ROOMS..that's the key. A lot to read and learn about room treatments. But that's for another post. There's no way to determine whether tower or stand mounts will sound  best, worse, or the same in your room. But, I have learned that subs are necessary with stand mounts. The more..the better. Two subs may sound perfectly adequate for your room but, in most cases, four are better because room modes are more easily dealt with.
   I'm not familiar with your amp but, to incorporate the subs, some type of bass management is key.


arch2
308 posts
 
Excellent points steakster and my comment above just proves your point. In my last sentence I should have referenced imaging, not staging. 
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