Why the fascination with subwoofers?


I have noticed many posts with questions about adding subwoofers to an audio system. Why the fascination with subwoofers? I guess I understand why any audiophile would want to hear more tight bass in their audio system, but why add a subwoofer to an existing audio system when they don’t always perform well, are costly, and are difficult to integrate with the many varied speakers offered. Additionally, why wouldn’t any audiophile first choose a speaker with a well designed bass driver designed, engineered and BUILT INTO that same cabinet? If anyone’s speakers were not giving enough tight bass, why wouldn’t that person sell those speakers and buy a pair that does have tight bass?
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Showing 2 responses by wolf_garcia

I have one of my subs near a wall and under a window in my listening room, and when I want sound on the deck I put a pair of speakers in the windows with that sub. The deck specific speakers (old KEF Q10s...great sounding things) are powered by a separate amp (a trusty 100 watt Adcom) getting its signal from the main preamp, and the sub's signal is from the indoor mains little tube amp so I have to turn the window sub up a little...I have a volume control on the outdoor amp as it's way hotter than the indoor speaker's amp...all of this works very well, and unlike mapman I get my deck bass goin' which is good for the plants and lets my neighbors know I'm having more fun than they are. 
The bass in "other parts" of the room aren't important particularly unless you curl up in the corner for a panic attack or some sort of modern dance move. I have a sloping high ceiling in my listening room, with one side opening up to a kitchen/dining area and the other side having large windows far enough away to make "first" reflections irrelevant, especially with horns that put the soundstage in front of me. In this arrangement my 2 subs work perfectly relative to the sound at the point where it matters...my pointy little head.