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Demise of bass quality in Main speakers

When I was shopping for new speakers in addition it became quite clear that modern day main speakers are being made with smaller bass drivers. And to get larger bass drivers you have to go up to alot more expensive models and still they or on the small side.

The Industry came up with a solution for bass challenged main speakers - buy two subwoofers to solve the problems of the modern age main speaker. And subwoofers now being sold in pairs have 8 inch or 10 inch driver sizes, which are still not big enough unless you spend a lot more money.

I bought a subwoofer with a 12 inch driver 20 years ago, thankfully. When I looked at the newer subwoofers the speaker manufacturer told me that he gets many comments stating that the fullness and rumble ability of modern day subwoofers have been substantially diminished, and he agreed. Isn’t this what subwoofers are all about. Why would I need a subwoofer for better define the lower base area. Fortunately I bought very nice main speakers which had a range spec down to 20 Hz and the bass driver size is 8 inches but I had to pay more to get this larger size.

Why do people put up with this? Put larger bass drivers in Main speakers and then you won’t have as many people complaining about Poor bass quality. Doesn’t this make sense?

emergingsoul

Showing 4 responses by emergingsoul

emergingsoul OP
960 posts
 

Omg, I can’t believe how people are rationalizing the use of subwoofers when their main speakers are not adequate to do a good job with bass.

Removing bass frequencies from the main speakers to allow them to perform better buy shifting burden over to subwoofers is crazy talk.

It just means the main speakers are not doing what they should be doing.

Maybe the Tweeter, mid range, and the various bass drivers should all have their separate cabinets, kind of like what Wilson does. And then maybe with all these individual cabinets we can better place them throughout the room. And go absolutely nutty in the process.

All this because bass drivers are getting smaller and somehow like frogs in warming water no one seems to notice how main speakers are becoming more and more inadequate to do what they need to do.

We want more bass and maybe the Recording just doesn’t have it to offer so we attempt to embellish it. From time to time certain recordings, moreso from the more recent recordings have all kinds of bass emphasis inserted into the music by sound engineers.

So like everything else in this world the consumer no longer is in control, with a good example being the decline Of main speaker bass quality. Of course you can solve this problem by paying a ton of money but you shouldn’t have to.

emergingsoul OP
960 posts
 

I can see bookshelves needing subwoofers as bookshelves probably aren't known for their Great bass experiences.

emergingsoul OP
960 posts
 

Lots of really Great answers throughout.

My overall impression from comments above is that subwoofers are being marketed and used inappropriately in many situations to solve bass driver Quality issues.  Subwoofers are not intended for this purpose. They are supposed to deal with sound ranging below 80 hz, which generally is not as detailed as sound waves above this.

It's not rocket science.

emergingsoul OP
960 posts
 

@dmbwire 

Maybe bass from your main speakers was enhanced by the subs.  I contend main speakers often struggle with bass Quality due to smaller drivers and cabinets. Subwoofers are now being used to correct all this.

Your initial comment about fullness at lower end are what subwoofers are all about and the new subwoofers tend to lack fullness because they also have smaller driver sizes.

 

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