Subwoofer speed is in the room, not the box

@gdaddy1 

“Using my ears (crazy isn't it?) I concluded that if your main speakers produce good bass down to 50hz why restrict them? Why? Because it sounded better, fuller, more glorious. Plugging ports and making a sealed cabinet restricts cone movement. Makes the main speaker sound thin and anemic. IMO... if you want a sealed main speaker then it should be properly designed to work that way. Sealing ports and restricting quality speakers as an after thought is a mistake.”

I can rationalize that statement as I feel the same way. I was not sure if the original post is specific to home theater or two channel audio. 
 

My use of subs with my current speakers is only to exaggerate bass from old rock albums. Something like Back in the Saddle by Aerosmith or any glam rock bands of the 80s where double kick drum was predominant in the music. Def Leopard and Aldo Nova come to mind as well. During those sessions I rock out and am not really interested in the audiophile aspect per se, since the music is loud. When listing to more settled music such as jazz, or easy listening, say Eagles or Fleetwood Mac, I find myself turning the subs down or off..unless of course I want to feel that added bass because we are partying. 

I love the overall sound of my speakers as is, Classic Audio Field Coil Loudspeakers T. 1-5 Reference with 18” downward bass and 15” front mid bass, horn loaded with Fostex beryllium tweeter. 

I have been using the Velodyne SMS-1 bass EQ with great success to tackle optimization of 4 SVS 3000 13” subs..well, at my last room. My new room is much larger and I have a pair of 18” Rhtymicaudio subs coming soon for parties. Otherwise, I use the subs when I feel that I might  need extra bass which is occasionally and when experimenting. 

What Erik Squires mentioned about bass being omnipresent in way that feels as if it’s an event is usually realized when the subs are playing louder and providing that emphasis, or the main speakers have been castrated and a portion of the bass region output has been shifted to the subs. It’s definitely a feeling and sometimes more is more and maybe better. I just don’t see me adding another layer of crossover complexity to my straight audio chain since the designers of very capable speakers meant for their speakers to be driven with their designed crossovers to give the best sound for their speaker.,

I hate taking the time to see if this piece of music sounds better with that added feeling, when before, it sounded great as is, especially with big big extra large speakers that can play thunderously loud with pronounced bass depth when required. So, for me, bass augmentation is used sparingly. I am long past the crawl method, injuries  prevent that, but situating subs in good locations as a starting point and measuring away goes a long way. Check phase, and don’t be afraid to aim subs in directions that are not typical. Also, to add more complexity, what about Speaker Boundary Interference Response (SBIR)? This will surely come into play when setting up subwoofers. 

@mijostyn "If subwoofers and main speakers are integrated correctly there is no reason to turn the subs up or down with any genre of music. A system that is tuned correctly does not care what genre you are playing. When I use the term , system I include the room in that category.

Most audiophiles are ball parking it with their ears which are extremely poor calibration devices. There is no substitute for measurement/ "

I completely understand the audiophile aspect but that is not the point I was trying to convey. I use technical measurements, not all ears either. It is entirely irrelevant for me to put an audiophile hat on when I want gut wrenching bass that overwhelms the room and senses. I am literally talking loud parties, disco bass, chest thumping rock, not wine sipping bourbon tasking listening sessions where I am trying to listen to the wood thwack on the drum set or listen for the shimmer of the cymbals. That all goes out the window for me when I am in party mode. Yes, a properly EQed system will provide some of what I am looking for, but this does not fit my lifestyle 100%. I believe OP implies not all things are equal for everyone. I have spent in excess of 100K in building a new listening room in our new retirement house with acoustics in mind. Trust me, I get the bass rationalization. However, I don’t feel the need to split the main audio signals when I can take accurate measurements and feel just as content in my own world. I have had drummers come to the house and listen to my system and tell me this was the only system they ever heard that played drums the most realistic they have ever heard, outside of a live drum session. That is enough for me. I will conclude that yes, the OP has a valid point and something that audio enthusiasts should be aware of but there are many aspects to consider when getting your system optimized. Been doing this for 40 years.

Remember, there is world of counterfactuals out there.

@mijostyn

"I listen to everything from Nine Inch Nails and The Red Hot Chili Peppers to Cherubini String Quartets. I have eight 12 inch drivers in a 16 X 30 foot room, each one powered by 2500 watts. I am into chest thumping as much as anyone. My subwoofers are EQed up about 6 dB so I can get the live concert experience at more reasonable levels. They run up to 100 Hz and are cut off at 48 dB/oct. I never change settings for any type of music and I can thump your chest into the next state and soar with The Lark Ascending, all on the same settings. The music has the choice of how it wants to sound."

That is great, I mean fantastic, and I don’t doubt you are having an excellent listening experience...I just need more than that. Liberal volume adjustments of the subs via the SMS do that for me. These are two different perspectives, and my way works great for my use. My new subs are a quad of 18" which will be added to the stereo setup. If I can’t shake the foundation, then 21" drivers are next. This of course is way off topic. Look, I am not speaking against optimizing the listening room and integrating subs as best as possible. We all must take the time to do that ensure we are getting the best from our systems. Been there done that and I feel okay with the way I integrate the subs. It just so happens to be different than that of others. There is no one way or the highway or absolutes in doing some things, it is all subjective, regardless of measuring. My ears will tell me and if they contradict measurements, so be it. I am not going to lose sleep or fret about it. I just want to enjoy what I have and tweak like the rest of us to our "own" satisfaction.

Sounds like you have eclectic musical tastes, same here. I could easily listen to Rush, Queensrÿche, Avenged Sevenfold, Bad Wolves, as well as Miles Davis, Rodrigo, John Coltrane, 1812 Overture, Pachelbel’s Canon, Wagner, etc.

BTW, listen to Tears Are Falling from Kiss and hear that drum by Eric Carr, the drummer at the time. Incredible playing. Sadly, he passed away from cancer. This is the type of drum beat that I like. In your system, I am sure it will be thunderous.

Happy listening.