Two subs are better than one generally speaking. It’s not a myth in my experience. One quality sub may sound better than two cheap subs but two quality subs will sound better than one quality sub. I have two quality subs and the change from one was significant and apparent. The point of buying the best sub you can afford is solid advice but I would suggest buy the best you can afford with the intention of adding another when able. With your square room using two subs can be very effective in managing room modes and nodes.
Subwoofer recommendation and wisdom
So I have a relatively difficult room 19' x 19' x 9'. I have made a bunch of sound absorbing panels which made a massive improvement. I have worked on speaker placement and landed on the 5/8 ratio......5x from the back wall, 8x from the side walls. I use Harbeth 30.1 speakers on appropriate stands, driven by a Luxman L505 xII integrated. I am very pleased with the sound but sometimes wish I had a bit more foundation on the bottom end. I will listen mostly to classic rock and jazz. I would like to consider adding a sub, but not sure where to start. I don't want sledgehammer bass, I just want a nice, blended bottom end on my music. I think that is one of the only improvements I can reasonably and cost effectively make. Looking for recommendations on a sealed sub that would have a good chance of integrating well in my room.
My preference would be for a single sub solution. Thanks
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Your room looks like this... Now, you can see why these old men on audiophile forums touting their apparently "full range" speakers never escaped the physics of bass in rooms. Their "full range" didn’t freaking matter one bit....
Buy 2 of these best bang 4 the buck starke subs, $499 each. Set a crossover of around 90hz. You need that rotary phase knob (not some 0/180 flip switch), which these subs should come with...very (très très très) important.
(If you have 4 subs, you can get away with upto a 120hz crossover.) Start with placement as follows, sub1 @ 1/4th from left wall, sub2 @ 1/4th from right wall. Good luck.
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2 subs is better in my experience. I’ve had a positive experience with SVS sealed subs for music. They just came out with a new SB 3000. You get 5% off buying two and you get to buy, try for 45 days and return for free if you’re not satisfied. They also have excellent customer service. You can call and talk to a real person before, during and after the sale. |
@parkergetdean Yeah no, it’s not a myth at all and very well documented in research and by the experience of many here. Todd Welti is a foremost expert on subs and you can read his research and thoughts on why two subs are significantly better than one. I agree with @jastralfu that if you can only afford one decent sub then do that with the intention of adding a second at some point. |
Hello @stuartbmw3 , one question, several answers. Yes no doubt two is better than one, and I am a huge REL fan, and have pairs of Carbon Specials and Carbon Limiteds. But sometimes you can get lucky and one sub can work pretty well, especially if you can play with its location. You don’t node if you don’t node. In my family room I can unplug one and it still sounds great. In my basement two subs really evens it out, and I still got some booming I handled with corner traps. Get a good sealed sub and go from there, with the thought you may want another one. I avoid the DSP complication and appreciate my music least processed. I do run my basement subs with REL wireless and that allowed me to move them around very easily until they didn’t boom. It was not where I initially envisioned them! No one can draw a diagram that is sure to work unless maybe if you have a very very regular room. The REL wireless works extremely well. And, once dialed in, I find no need to mess with DSP and sub volume from my chair. Oh, and people that say their speakers don’t need subs, generally have not heard well integrated, musical subs. They add physical touch, recreate the real music, and support soundstage and imaging; especially two :) |
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