There's a lot more bass in a 6.5" driver than most of you think

The room.

My friend has a pair of custom speakers, each a pair of 6" woofers. Upstairs, very large room, high ceilings, no side walls, carpeted floor, the imaging was terrific, but a bit bass shy.

He moved his system to a smaller room, lower ceiling, closer walls, and the bass is definitely stronger, the imaging not as great as the big room.

Before, large room, he was thinking of adding a single subwoofer, now not feeling the need. If only 1 sub, I think it would add mud. A pair of small directional subs, say 10", self powered, adjustable crossover and individual volume, could extend the bass keeping it directional.

Bring music with strong clear bass you are familiar with. Listen, hmmm, sounds right. You cannot tell how showroom demos will sound in your room, if possible get the dealer to loan you his demos, (already broken in) even for a short time, or allow return of new pair. You will know ’essentially’ how much bass reinforcement your room will give right away (if new, perhaps break-in period needed).

Imaging. Small 6" allows a narrow front width, allows better imaging. Adding a pair of small self powered subs takes the bass load away from both the speakers and the amp, thus the smaller mains can do a better job.

noble100

I don’t like organ, so forget 20hz (I went for that like a nut when younger).

I love Jazz, the low instruments are piano say 30hz, double bass say 40hz, many instruments no lower than 60hz. I know where each musician, each bass player is standing, where the trombone is, ...

the thing about Bass is, despite all the proven physics, listening to my pair of 37 lb 15" woofers each with magnets 7" thick,

they can control the bass as much as make it.

And, better controlled 40hz gives better controlled overtones 80, 160, 320, ... (overones is why analog sounds more involving than digital IMO)

Bass IS or, CAN BE directional.

this is a sweet listen, I just got a fresh copy for Christmas).

https://www.amazon.com/Double-Bass-180-NIELS-HENNING-PEDERSEN/dp/B005CJQR8S/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=double+bass+pedersen&qid=1579746066&s=electronics&sr=8-1

Keeping bass, or as another member here clarified, the bass overtones directional is why I do not like ports. If ports, front facing.

Now lets get to producing bass without roll off, keeping it at proper volume to adjacent, other instruments. This is where smaller woofers cannot perform.

Sooooo, if getting some decent bass, IN YOUR ROOM, from 6", then a pair of DIRECTIONAL subs, located adjacent to the mains, Not too big (that’s why I mentioned i.e. 10"), can extend a STEREO experience to relatively equal lower bass!!!!

A single, or too large pair of subs, poorly located because too big, will lose the potential for directionallity, and lose the directionality the overtones of those fundamentals provide.

You are hearing 40hz at proper level to other instruments, by itself perhaps not directional, but it’s 80 and 160 and .... tell your mind where that 40 is originating! Especially if the fundamental 40 is tightly controlled, thus big magnet, servo, ...

’Cutting Edge Design’ starting with your existing 6" drivers.

look at the directional pair of monster woofers at the bottom of these 22k beauties:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9i01e-evolution-acoustics-mm2-full-range?utm_campaign=Saturday_Email_20200125&utm_content=saturday_email_20200125&utm_medium=email&utm_source=zaius

Your existing mains, (6" driver or two): Probably in cabinets or stands to get the tweeter at seated ear height. No way to get a directional pair of woofers matched with their l/r origin.

Cut your tall enclosure, reseal the bottom, put it on a self powered sub-woofer, same l/r. Or, toss the stands, put them on the pair of sub-woofers.

Of course you need to figure out vibrational connection/isolation, but that’s easy isn’t it. Hah.

Mains with tall cabinets ’shortened’ will have less volume, BUT, the 6" no longer trying to produce bass, so, larger volume, or disruptive or non-directional port not needed.

As I Punned, ’Cutting Edge Design’.