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is a subwoofer for music a good idea??


i have standmount speakers which go down to about 45-50hz.i feel my system lacks low end punch,specially at lower volumes. now i need to know if:
1. a subwoofer for music is a good idea in the first place
2. will buying a budget sub($400) really add sufficient low end
3.is there much info in music below 40 hz
4.will i lose imaging if i add a sub to my 2 channel set up

all you experts out there, plese help.
dazedandconfused

Showing 2 responses by eldartford

eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Marakanetz..Ok, I'll haul out the old war horse and keep track of SW activity.

Your comment about warped vinyl really refers to mixing the LF to mono, as when a single SW is used. Actually, if you have two SW, record warp and rumble will drive you crazy. Even though I have several SWI I also have a rumble filter that does the mix-to-mono thing, and it always is necessary when playing LPs.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Depends on the music. Some music (Classical chamber music)leaves the SW completely quiet, while some (organ music) keeps it busy. Pop/Rock benefits from a SW. Most Clasical music does not require a SW, although it is occasionally helpful.

And what frequency range are we talking about? There really isn't much below 30 Hz, so a SW that is good only from 30 Hz up, and perhaps is therefore capable of 200-300 Hz ("fast")may be a good idea. Getting the 100 Hz-and-down out of your main speakers and their amplifier is the greatest benefit.

Although some main speakers may reproduce 40 Hz, this does not always mean that they have a "full" sound in the sub 100Hz range. When you get a SW you may be discouraged that so much of the time that big expensive object it just sitting there like a rock, doing nothing. But it's like the fire department: you don't need it often, but it's nice to have on hand when needed.
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