Lilu:
Very good topic and one where you should get a split in opinions. This is just my view: the benefit of using a sub woofer is that you can regulate your bass extension from one CD to the next by simply adjusting the settings on the back of the unit. This gives you I believe more flexibility than if you just had a large pair of speakers and just a bass control on your amp/receiver. It's simply amazing from one CD to the next how much I end up walking over to my sub woofer and adjusting it. For example, if I'm playing a CD by Four Play or Brian Culbertson (jazz), I have to turn the sub almost off. What size is your room and does it have thick carpet and much upholstered furniture? Is it on a first floor slab or wooden floor? In the $3K area, look at Rotel, NAD, Marantz, for integrateds. Is this to be a two channel system or home theater set up?
Very good topic and one where you should get a split in opinions. This is just my view: the benefit of using a sub woofer is that you can regulate your bass extension from one CD to the next by simply adjusting the settings on the back of the unit. This gives you I believe more flexibility than if you just had a large pair of speakers and just a bass control on your amp/receiver. It's simply amazing from one CD to the next how much I end up walking over to my sub woofer and adjusting it. For example, if I'm playing a CD by Four Play or Brian Culbertson (jazz), I have to turn the sub almost off. What size is your room and does it have thick carpet and much upholstered furniture? Is it on a first floor slab or wooden floor? In the $3K area, look at Rotel, NAD, Marantz, for integrateds. Is this to be a two channel system or home theater set up?