Do you think you need a subwoofer?

In the golden age of vinyl playback (1965-1985 or so), subwoofers were practically unknown. And yet, my LP playback system uses little Mirage Omnisat satellites and a matching LF-150 150w 10" sub. These sats have the advantages of being linear down to 70 Hz and a power handling rating of 175w each. I think using a small, musical sub is the best-kept secret in vinyl playback.

First of all, we're all familiar with the advantages of mini-monitors and small speakers--the small front baffle makes for great imaging and the small size avoids most of the cabinet resonances that plague larger speakers. Second, a good sat/sub setup makes it easier to iron out anomalies that often plague vinyl playback.

My turntable setup seemed to increase the sensitivity to a 100 Hz in-room hump. All I had to do is lower the adjustable crossover point on the sub and it was fixed.

In system tuning, optimizing full-range speakers (let alone minimonitors) for imaging *and* bass response can drive you crazy. A sub enables you to tune for both. It also helps to compensate for mastering deficiencies. Some LPs have thin bass; I can goose it with the sub. OTOH, some LPs have rumble. I can dial that out with a sub as well, without affecting the response curve where the music is.

Matching a sub to a room and to satellites can be difficult too, but I've so far successfully optimized three different Mirage subs to three entirely different rooms and rigs. Their speed and natural musicality combined with adjustable crossover range, phase, and volume control make it relatively easy.

I agree with Stringreen and Raul. You can get an all passive full-range loudspeaker system to give you all the bass extension and coherency you could want, but it's difficult, very expensive, and the speaker remains room-dependent. Pick instead a speaker with built-in active sub like the GoldenEar Triton 2 and you get a similar level of performance for much less money *and* have the ability to adjust the bass level to the room and the speakers' positions in the room.

I just added a very fast, small sub (Mirage MM8) to my Mirage OMD-15 floorstanders. The OMD-15s have decent bass, but it's much better with the sub. If I had the coin I'd probably have a pair of JL Fathom F112's, one sitting right next to each OMD-15.

This is also a killer way to get the most out of a pair of Magnepans. Add some fast lively subs to some 1.7s or 3.7s. I heard a pair of Maggie 20.1s set up with a pair of JL Fathom F212s a couple years ago. Awesome sound and very easy to listen to on a wide variety of music, and very competitive performance-wise with any $24K pair of conventional speakers. Or consider a pair of 3.7's plus a pair of Fathom F112's. Total price is $11K and a value leader at that price point.

The really good active subs with continuous crossover and phase controls can be seamlessly integrated into a system. You have to work at it a bit but it's worth it.

11-12-11: Rauliruegas
Btw, Johnnyb53: maybe there is no " fast/slow " subs, please read this:

www.soundstage

Sounds to me like he *does* believe in faster bass, but somehow finds different words to express it. It's like saying that ice isn't slippery. Technically it's not, because the pressure of the object on top creates enough heat to melt a thin surface of water, which *is* slick. But it comes out the same place: step on ice, it's slippery.

By the same token, he can argue (speciously, I think) that the rise time at 40Hz isn't important, but a fast sub will have a fast rise time to mesh more easily with the rise times of the overtones of the bass note it's producing, and properly designed it should also stop quickly. This trait of speed makes it easier to blend the sub for musical purposes.

I agree that speed isn't all that important for car crashes and explosions in home theater (even there, better is better), but for music of most kinds it's absolutely essential.