Speakers better without subwoofers? Crossover and synchronization issues? What do you do


 

I bought main speakers 25 years ago, spkrs seemed to have much larger bass drivers back then,  and nowadays subwoofers are a staple in audio systems, while bass drivers have tended to get smaller in diameter on main speakers, why is this?

Wouldnt it  be better to have a larger bass driver in a main speaker   rather than having timing issues with a pair of subwoofers? Also seems crossover designs might allow for a better sounding experience if they are part of a main speaker. I do have a Single subwoofer that I use to vibrate the room which works pretty well watching movies, simulating tank movement is really cool although don't use it in two channel listening at this point since it's older.

 

emergingsoul

Showing 1 response by knotscott

Proper subwoofer adjustment is key, and possibly rare. There are pros and cons with everything in audio, including woofer size, mass, excursion, etc. Many, many that I’ve heard are used as the main attraction, which is fine if that’s what you like, but it’s not natural to acoustic instruments.

There are certain ranges that some woofers do well, and some that they don’t. The trick is trying to optimize what you have. Most subwoofers I’ve heard are set too loud relative to the output of the mains, and in many cases the low pass crossover frequency is set too high. The male vocal range can dip below 70 hz, which is not the best range for most subwoofers to operate in, yet many do. I try not to feature the sub, but use it only to augment what my main speakers do in the lowest octave or so. IME, subs work better set below 60hz, and when they’re barely noticeable except for passages that have deep heavy bass.