How do I know if I need a sub woofer?

How do you know when you need a subwoofer?

After due diligence, including without limitation:

• Optimizing speaker placement for bass response to avoid reinforcement and cancellation effects and achieving as flat frequency response as possible. 
• Tanking room frequency measurements if possible to assist in room treatment.  
• Placing diffusers, absorbers, and bass traps and validating improvements by taking measurements again. 
• Using speaker decoupling devices (stands, platforms, footers). 
• Developing an understanding of how acoustic bass sounds (organ, percussion, string, and wind instruments) in both large and small venues.   Focus not only on bass detail, but on timbre, micro and macro dynamics, and how staging and imaging develops.  
• Identifying reference recordings to test your system.  

After due diligence, if you are left wanting for more low bass detail, more accurate timbre, more dynamic impact, better reproduction of bass micro dynamics, or more precise imaging and staging, you need a subwoofer.  If you believe you system sounds like live, acoustic bass response as it is, you do not need a subwoofer.  This is strictly subjective and based on your own perception.   There is only one axiom, if your speakers only go to 30-35hz +/- 3db, a subwoofer will open up the sound stage.   All other bass SQ attributes are subjective and you need to determine the benefit /cost ratio yourself   

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@gournard couldn't have said it better myself. Bravo. People think physics can be waved away like a fly lol

@gournard 

+1

@kofibaffour 

I have built my system based on science/physics but also with an eye (ear) toward what sounds best. I find sometimes that by going for the flattest frequency response or greatest reduction in a particular room mode, I just don't like the sound so there is always going to be that subjective aspect. But as everybody says, as long as you enjoy it, it doesn't really matter.

However, I believe you're more likely to enjoy it if you follow the science. And the science says that using multiple subwoofers will not only extend your frequency, it will also reduce your room modes. This to me is the greatest benefit. No more boomy, or at least less. Room modes are a tough cookie and to my ear, far more onerous than a less than perfectly flat frequency response.

@jsalerno277 “After due diligence, including without limitation”

Not a criticism by me…. Just an observation @ 01.02am 01.03am & 01.04am

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Publishing your post 3 times is really re-enforcing “due diligence”

@sounds_real_audio ”l guess if l get a sub or two my quest for a very good sound system will be over…thank god”

If anyone can’t see jsalerno277’s logical points of view now, God help them.