Bookshelf speaker pairing with subwoofer

My last small speaker was the Revel M106 and before that the PSB M2 and the Studio Electric M4 is much more enjoyable.   I can't say enough good things about the M4.   Great speaker.  

From experience in my home office, you'll get the best match between bookshelf speakers & subs by having sealed/acoustic suspension bookshelf speakers.

I can think of 2 brands off the bat that I know work well:

ATC: SCM11 (smaller) or SCM19 (larger). If you can fit the SCM19, that's it

NHT: The C-3 would do the trick

I don't have a lot of experience with a variety of bookshelves, as My ATC SCM19's are my first. I will say that sounded before I added a bass array.

Now they are fabulous.

Sealed speaker with three subs.

Why limit yourself to bookshelf speakers? There are slim floorstanders that have a similar size footprint. The advice to seal the ports is solid, better still is buy sealed speakers. You obviously intend to use subs which is the best way to get great sound but they should be sealed too. A ported sub is a lot more difficult to blend in and if you don't have variable phase then almost impossible.

A port resonates at just one frequency and there is no way to tune short of changing it's length, it's another invariant bass source and just presents problems.  With sealed speakers and sealed subs, which must have variable phase you'll be able to position the subs almost anywhere and dial them in for a nice smooth response. It helps to measure the room. REW and a microphone will get you there.

I hope your RELs don't only have 0 - 180 phase switch because you will spend all your time trying different placings.

@tony1954 you may not have a lot of experience w/bookshelf speakers, but you sure nailed it by getting the ATC SCM19s.

@desktopguy 

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

HAH!

(wait--I thought it was three times a day)

Dear Sir;

Bandwidth limiting, use a high pass filter.  Don't send all the bass to the satellite speakers.  Let the sub do the bottom octaves(20 to 40, 40 to 80hz.).  Intermodulation distortion from the satellite bass/midrange driver will be reduced resulting in clearer sound especially at higher sound presure levels (SPL).  Trying to guess the crossover point(blending) without measuring equipment is not good methodology.  I used woofers in the past without a high pass filter and was never able to obtain good results.  The sub I now use contains a high pass filter and I get good results from all my speakers(12 pairs) ported or not.

Hope this helps

Have a good one

Macguy audiophile since 1973

Joseph Audio Pulsars pair beautifully with REL subs.

Fritz carbon 7se mk2.    I have a smaller room 13x14 with a sealed SVS SB3000, good electronics and just Rock and Roll. I have spoken with Fritz several times, and told him and others how happy I have been with them. They are in this system forever. Just my 2cents. Robert TN

I decided to go with pair of Genelec G3 active speakers. Stereophile A list. I receive them on Saturday. Let then burn in and then do some serious setup and listening.

Hello @m20j201,  How do you like the Genelecs?  I just accidentally replaced my venerable Revel Salon 2's with a pair of stand mount Dynaudio Contour 20i's.  Accidentally?  Yes.  I bought these Dynaudio's on a whim for my vacation house.  I set them up in my fairly large family room, and my wife was immediately smitten with their small size.  I always thought, why bother with stand mounts?  A floor stander can have the same footprint and better bass..  But the visual footprint of the stand mount is much less, blending more easily in a room's decor.  As I have two systems (at least), I have large speakers downstairs but thought I absolutely needed the large Salon 2's for this big room.  Note I do have a pair of large REL Carbon Specials in each system as well.

Well, I hooked up the Contour 20i's and was immediately blown away.  So much more detail and resolution, but no brightness or shrillness at all.  Beautiful midrange and impressive bass; Great imaging.  Needless to say, the wife asked if they could stay.  Well, never quick to agree, I switched back and forth for several days.  I did not need this time, but made sure I was not crazy.  The Contour 20i's (distinguished by the 'i') have Dynaudio's Esotar 2 tweeter, trickle down from their top of the line Confidence line.  Dynaudio had never been on my radar for their bigger speakers, but I don't know why.  Probably the looks of their previous modes front baffle.  I have read that they do respond well to good electronics, and fed by my Maklua preamp with Tambaqui and Audionet Max amps, they really shine.

I have now sold the Salons, and happy ears, happy wife.  I now listen to this upstairs system way more, as it just engages me.  BTW, I always love properly integrated subs, and these speakers, like most, benefit from their addition.  But, their bass is quite good and many would be pleased without the subs.

The Contour 20i's can be had used in the low to mid 3k range, and I think are easily re sellable if wanted. Their matching stand 20's from Dynaudio look great and hide the wires.   I may now  step up the line to Dynaudio's Confidence 20's!