Will a subwoofer add depth and clarity to my system, or just bass?

Umm ...

To OPTIMALLY separate the (low bass) subwoofer passband from the (mid-bass) main woofer passband, it's necessary to use a full 4th order (24dB/octave) active Linkwitz-Riley crossover.

The electro-acoustical sum is what matters, and it's more than just what you remove, it's how the subwoofer integrates with the rest of the system.

This is why THX used a sealed 80 Hz limited satellite as the standard.  Add 2nd order high pass filter, and voila, you have a total 24dB/octave roll off which would integrate nicely with a sub using a 4th order electrical low pass filter.

Honestly, only speaker makers and active room correction software does this anywhere near optimally, which is why I'm wary of recommending subs at all. It's not the tech is bad, it's the complications in the setup that I've so often heard as poor.

Best,
E

Subwoofers will not add clarity to a system. They will add impact in the form of notes you can feel as well as sound stage volume.

This is kind of true but kind of isn't. I mean, clearly, there is a low pass filter involved. However, the effects are a lot more than what you would expect from this description.

From a perception point of view, they make everything feel more open and larger.


I say this as a man who builds his own speakers, and does his own room correction. I know the measurements and the effects. Well integrated, a sub adds a lot more than just what I quoted above.


Best,

E

A well integrated sub can be transcendent. The key part being "well integrated."
Most hobbyists don't want to buy a sub. They want to buy room correction with a sub attached, and that room correction varies a great deal.

If you can swing it, treat your room first, it will make your speakers sound larger and fuller. It will also help your room like a variety of speakers, including subs.

Audition the sub's room correction. Pay attention to room treatment the dealer may have.

JL Audio has amazingly good room correction, but IMHO it's hard to justify their prices overall.