The best answer is at least 3. On a speaker that goes deep the question isn't so much bass extension but countering room affects. The best place for the B&W speakers is almost certainly not the best place for the subs. Rooms have spots with bass resonances and with bass nulls. You can equalize resonances. There's nothing you can do about nulls except move the bass systems which you can only do with separate subs. In your system the subs are mainly to get rid of the nulls and you do this by moving the subs. The more subs the easier it is to do. Rule of thumb for your quality system is 3 subs to start. You could need 4.
One Sub or Two?
Hey folks, looking for some thoughts here on subs…
Putting together a system with B&W 801 D4s and a HTM81 D4. I don’t think B&W makes the best subs necessarily, so…
1. Looking for recommendations for other sub brands…I’ve heard good things about REL for example
2. Wonder whether I should get one “really good” sub or two “pretty good subs?”
System is for 2 channel listening to classic rock and also 5.1 audio for home theater purposes.
McIntosh amps and pre/pro.
Many thanks in advance for your advice…I appreciate it!