Comparison of various subwoofers for 2 channel audio

@vdotman 

What are your impressions about the KEF vs SVS dual opposed subwoofers?  (I realize that you also changed speakers, so a direct comparison may be difficult.)

Thanks.

@carlsbad2 

Just prefer the natural sound, as I only listen to acoustic music.

@james633 

The bass in the listening position is great.  Near perfect, although perhaps slightly loose on occasion.  I was just going to daisy chain the two subs off the first two, using only the incorporated LPF, and they’d probably only be a slightly different distance from the listening position.  This would be more of an auditory experiment, as I’m not sure it’s going to be any better, and I suppose it could be slightly worse, although I doubt it.  Many listeners have reported significant improvement with more than 2 subs, so I figured it should be worth a shot.  If it’s worse, I suppose I would then compare 2 different brands of subs running in pairs, as an A-B and keep the pair that I prefer.
 

@mofojo 

Since my first pair is balanced force 12” subs, I was leaning towards the Rythmik G22, which is also a 12” balanced force sub.  I’ve heard many say that they mix and match subs without any untoward effect.  I’m almost more curious to pair with a different brand to either validate or determine if my experience is different.

@gemoody 

The crossover would be quite dependent on your own speakers.  I have full range electrostats, and currently prefer the LPF set at 55 Hz, although I’ve tried everything from 25 to 55.  I do keep the volume rather low, set at 35% of max volume, but I suppose that’s highly dependent on size of the sub, how many subs, and size of room, amongst many other variables.

@decathlon1991 

That sounds like a rather unique solution:  3 high on each side!  One of many possible solutions, as the next post by @mrdecibel went from 2 subs to 1.  

It's great to hear the variety of approaches hear to 2 channel music.  I think I'm going to go with 4 dual opposed subwoofers, with the first 2 placed in a slightly staggered fashion just to the inside of the left and right speakers. 

@tcutter 

From what ai deduce from a cursory reading of that recommended presentation is that 4 subwoofers are best for most rectangular rooms, in most situations.  Interesting.  Thanks for sharing.

@rhg3

yes, it looks like the swarm arrangement for subwoofers was a popular topic about 5 years ago: seems like many agreed that 4 subwoofers was ideal, and that using 4 subwoofers even precluded the need for DSP.

@mijostyn

No crossovers in use: just the LPF on the subs set at 55 Hz, and the low frequency knob on the Sound Lab electrostatic speakers turned to its lowest setting of -6, which I assume works as some sort of low level HPF. I don’t have any DSP, as I did not want to affect the SQ, since the tone of my system is reproducing acoustic music is so sublime. Even when I tried the REQ for the subs, while the bass sounded slightly sharper, it also sounded more artificial, and caused listening fatigue, which I had not previously experienced.

Your bi-amping of the speakers sounds like a real project!

@mijostyn 

Yes, in the theoretical world, adding a passive HPF around 80 Hz would decrease distortion in the rest of the sound frequency for the electrostatic speakers, but the distortion is so low in the electrostatic speakers, that I'm not sure that it would be worth it, although, in the interest of experimentation, I should try it.  However, my next sonic experiment will be adding 2 more subwoofers to create a swarm. . .afterwards, I may look at creating a passive HPF using Duelund capacitors and a resistor in parallel, but that's another project.  (And there's no way am I going to get wrapped up into bi-amping the speakers, although I commend you for your industriousness.)