Will Sonus Faber Serafino G2 be too much speaker for my space?

gournard, bartsw

I found this discussion of subs vs. larger stand mount to be interesting.  Thanks for the input and sub suggestion.

I am surprised that a pair of $600 sub (SVS SB1000 pro) would measure up to the system quality that I have.  However a quick scan of a few reviews indicates that it does "punch above it's weight" and provide a decent level of low freq performance and great control-ability. Interestingly, the SVS website sub selector tool recommends subs that cost 4-6 times that of the SB1000 pro, and are in 15"-17" dia sub range.  They are much larger, heavier and obtrusive.  If I can convince myself that the SB1000 pro's can provide a noticeable level of performance improvement, I would be inclined to try them.  It's 1050 per pair with a 45 day money back guarantee.  Not much to lose.  Thanks again for the suggestions.

@bartsw, I made a mistake when I said:  I don't recall the OP mentioning 'Amati', when I should have said:  I recall the OP stating he does not want to afford the next level Amati's.  Let's not argue semantics.

I am not sure of your intent here or how you feel you are contributing positively to the initial post with mention of 1" speakers and hot spots on a pan.

I notice you chose not to answer the question I asked, which I underlined.  I'm afraid your post does not make sense and as the OP has not replied I do not wish to engage with you further.

@gournard I don't know anything about semantics. I responded to what you wrote, including room modes with an entire paragraph. There should be no issues if used as intended and not as a basshead.

@ddlux the SB1000 is fine. The outlet inventory is cheaper. Use the speaker level input from your speakers to the sub. It saves running long cables to the amp and it maintains the sound signature of the amp. Unlike REL which does not use DSP, there will be a delay between your speakers and the sub, but most will not notice it.

@ddlux, With a money back offer, I encourage you to try them, you'll not be dissapointed. As I mentioned previously, in a room slightly bigger than yours with a pair of 15" DIY open baffle speakers I'm getting some of the best bass I've heard, and I've been around. It's tight, detailed and authoritative and will rock out when I choose. You have a symmetrical layout which is relatively easy to dial in.

From the many set-ups I've done, including my 16ft x 21ft room, looking at yours, what will work well is to place one of the subs in the left rear corner behind the screen, although I don't know what's behind it, and the other in the middle the wall on the right behind the brown chair where it could maybe serve as a coffee table.

A line level connection is always best if the run is not too long. It looks like you can use that on the corner sub and take a high level feed from the amp or directly from the right hand speaker terminals to the sub on the right. As it's a high impedance load you do not need a heavy cable for the job.

The comment above stating:   Unlike REL which does not use DSP, there will be a delay between your speakers and the sub, but most will not notice it. Can be ignored. Any slight delay will be accommodated by the variable phase feature, meaning you can literally place the subs anywhere and by using measurement align them to provide a flat smooth response. That's the whole idea.

If you place them as suggested you'll get good sound, but when properly set via measurement you'll get great sound. The software REW is free, and for the cost of dinner for two you can buy a mic. There is a whole forum dedicated to using REW

However, if you have the budget get the SB3000 subs 

@ddlux  first, don’t think too much about delay. Where you are in this process, you’re not going to notice it.

2nd, ignore what that other kid said. I noticed he goes around insulting everyone, telling everyone to ignore everyone but him.

3rd, time delay and phase are two different things. DSP is basically a CPU. By the time it receives the signal and processes it can be 6 ms later until it produces the sound / attack. That is like a lip sync issue if you can visually see it. Phase is frequency dependent and is used to align the waves to the speaker. It can still be off by multiple time cycles and the bass can sound slow or muddy because it is misaligned in time with the speaker. Adjusting phase will add to time delay. There are pros and cons to DSP. For music, it’s more of a con. For movies, it’s a pro. Call REL and ask about it.

4th, your sub for music should ideally be near the speakers because you have it connected in stereo. The sound needs to be cohesive with the speaker. Depending on a higher crossover, you might be able to localize it. If so, it makes sense it is near the respective speaker. Also given that it is not at a perfect distance to the speaker (ie behind in a corner), you could have additional time delay.

5th, you are using a C-10X, not an AVR that has the flexibility to slow down the time alignment of the speakers to the sub.

6th, speaker level connection uses the same signal as your speaker, so if you have a tube amp or unique sounding amp, the sub is getting the same sound signature as the speaker. It’s more relevant at higher crossover points that can be localized. In your setup, it’s likely not a big deal either way but more a matter of convenience. Real 2 channel fans use this method, not RCA.

7th, this is about music. The speaker is the #1 actor on screen. The sub is the #3 actor. You should not even know the subwoofer is in the room when tuned correctly. If the sub is the #1 actor, including if the subs are too big for the space, you will have unsolvable issues.

@gournard please don’t respond to me or I will report it. I responded professionally to your comments.