Odd subwoofer question.


I am not a sub woofer guy. Have played around with a few. Both high end and mid level. They never did much for my primary system (Aerial Acoustics 7B towers, AR tube pre, Levinson amp). But, I don’t really know anything about subs or how to optimize them.

Anyway, in my living room my secondary system for casual listening consists of a pair of inherited Aerial Acoustics 6T towers driven by a Sonos Amp. I know. Long story. But in truth the Sonos Amp does a really good job and ties the 6Ts into the house system.

I’d say 75% of the time I am totally happy with how this system sounds. At times I’m amazed how good it sounds. But, sometimes I do wonder if a sub would add anything.

My audio fetish is tight, precise bass.

I’m looking for advice on a sub woofer to try. Given the nature of this system I am not looking for anything high end or complicated. But also wondering if a modestly priced sub is just going to muddy the waters. All advice appreciated.

The Sonos Amp does have sub output.

Thanks.

 

n80

Showing 2 responses by jjss49

rel subs are best used with their high level input, but they do have lfe/rca inputs as well

it would be safe to say any modern rel sub would be plenty fast for any application where the main amp is a sonos amp (provided the user follows instructions and properly integrates it/them)

there are some people who don’t get the integration correct, while others unfortunately struggle with a sort of ’reverse placebo effect’ where they mentally can’t get their mind to get out of the way in allowing themselves to hear and accept that well done, subwoofer-supported bass is ’correct’...

while @mijostyn 's points are salient to any subwoofer discussion, in my view and experience they are not practical obstacles to having subs (at least rel subs in my personal experience, but i know there are other excellent subs out there) work in a totally satisfactory manner for very high end systems for very discriminating listeners

i would also add that sub bass infomation is also very much about helping the system develop a very palpable sense of space and natural propogation of transient information approximating a real life listening or performance venue