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1 sub? 2 subs?

I'm interested in adding a sub(s) to my current system. My system is used for both music (75% of the time)and HT. In adding a subwoofer, I would like it to be as musical as possible...explosions etc for theater are less important since I think of those types of sound as more for entertainment vs. something that must sound exactly right (anyway, I have no idea what most of the explosions really sound like because I've never heard it in person). My front speakers are Sonus Faber Concertos. The room is 16x25 with 9 foot ceilings and opens up into another room that is just as big.

I've been following many of the threads here on Audiogon(which have been incredibly informative) and have noticed that some feel that 2 subwoofers are needed to obtain the best overall sound. I'd like some views on the issue of one vs two subs in this setup. If I go with two subs could I get smaller subs eg 2 Sunfire Trues instead of one large eg. 1 REL Storm. Also, any recommendations are welcome. I'd like to keep it under $2K and am willing to buy used. Thanks for all your help.
Dave
milo

Showing 4 responses by sedond

sedond
1,391 posts
 
you can buy two new vmps original subs w/all the add-ons, a new marchand deluxe wersion of the xm-9 x-over, and a decent used s/s amp (or two), & still keep it under $2k. this will also give ya better electronics than are in the powered subs. for a bit more money, ewe could get the vmps larger subs, but ya mite not really need it in your room. call/email brian cheney of vmps - see what he sez. oh, and the marchand x-over is extremely flexible & easy to mate w/most any monitor.

as many on this site are prolly tired of hearing, i tink the vmps are far & away the best subs going, unless ya wanna spend >$6k, at which point yule get something as good... ;~)

regards, doug

ps, for ease of placement, proper imaging, lower distortion, i *strongly* recommend two subs, whichever make/model ewe ultimately choose...

sedond
1,391 posts
 
while i still tink the best results will be obtained w/two subs (even in a smaller room - 2 subs will ameliorate standing-waves ewe can get w/only one), if ya have to get by w/only one, then it should absolutely be centered between the speakers. if ewe can get it into the near-field (ie: as your coffee-table/footrest/etc), even better - ewe can reduce the wolume & still get the same effect. also, keep the x-over as low as possible - critical for *all* sub usage; especially important w/only one.

ymmv, doug

sedond
1,391 posts
 
i've heard the 18" velodynes, the sunfires, the rel stratus - in all cases i was extremely underwhelmed: boomy one-note thump. then again, the set-up seemed to me to be less than optimal. the only time i ever heard a powered one-sub set-up integrate well was an old-style hsu (the short, fat model), centered between the speakers, & in the nearfield.

i'm a firm believer that the best way to do low-frequencies right is not to try & defy the laws of physics by cramming one or two drivers into a small box, & then using electronics to compensate, but to keep everything as simple as possible, and use big boxes, optimized to the drivers. thus, my preference for the vmps subs, which are far more accurate than the smaller powered-subs, and the equal to the largest way-expensive powered models. the only subs i've heard that competed on an equal footing to my pair of larger vmps' were the sub towers from the old infinity irs series, similar to the top-line genesis - six 12" servo-controlled drivers per side, in 75"-tall towers.

ymmv, doug

sedond
1,391 posts
 
gmorris,

i must confess that i've never tried using only one sub in *my* listening room - when i decided to sub-woof, i got two from the start. my reasons were based upon what seemed reasonable & logical to me: two subs means half the distortion for any given spl. two subs mean faster bass, that much easier to match w/your monitors (similar to distortion - half the work for a given spl). two subs means i can set them up in a proper stereo configuration, for better image/soudstage. two subs means easier to awoid standing-wave problems, as the sound is eminating from two distinct sources as opposed to one. this will work especially well, imho, if your speaker system is not directly centered on the wall behind them, but shifted over one way or the other a foot or three. also, summing a stereo signal to mono for bass frequencies may possibly lead to some signal cancellation, which is not what yure trying to do here...

again, my experience w/other single-sub systems has been that only when the summed-mono sub was centered between the speakers, & in the nearfield, did i get decent non-boomy, well-integrated bas response.

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