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


hi folks,
I just purchased a set of Focal Aria 906 speakers with stand, powered by a Bluestream PowerNode (not my ideal system but I had a limited budget).  I think it sounds really good, but am wondering if an upgrade to a subwoofer is worth it, and if so, what would pair well with this system -- my audio guy recommended the JL Audio D110 10" Dominion Subwoofer, but that's out of my price range.  Perhaps a SVSPB1000, for $499?  My room isn't very big, and I don't use the system for movies, just listening to mostly jazz and rock (and classical).
Thank you!
jazz99

Showing 1 response by jnorris2005

One thing to be aware of is that the sub will not add clarity to the main speakers unless the sub or the preamp provides a high pass filter to them, blocking out the bass that is now to be handled by the sub.  Otherwise you're just adding murk to the low end.

Also, if your room is small, chances are you don't need a subwoofer at all.  The addition of one will muddy up the sound and probably activate room nodes that will devastate the imaging and sound balance of your speakers.