Dual subs and room size

Italian,

A single well integrated sub is invisible and works very well with stereo.
You cant tell where it is, at all. Just plan your EQ solution, or get a sub with very flexible eq bulit in.

IN fact, I'll say, you can't hear the difference of most good subs, but you sure can tell the difference of their auto-EQ. :)

A poorly integrated sub stands out like a sore thumb. :)

Best,

Erik

i run two sunfire hrs  ,and gik treatment they have takin awhile to dial in properly.I would have jl fathoms is i had the scratch.(pricey)

I hate to see you make a mistake due to some of the advice here. If you listen to music you will be much happier with the flatter FR and integration from 2 lower priced subs versus one higher priced regardless of your budget (as long as you are at a minimum quality level like the SVS you are considering). The improvement from the second sub is NOT about SPL's it is rather these other sound quality improvements and EQ alone will not get you there. You set the SPL's to your taste so you have no worries about being overpowered. The opposite occurs when you eliminate room modes via the second sub.

Regardless of what you are hearing this is not disputed in the scientific community. Do a little homework on room modes, nodes and antinodes and how standing waves behave below 60hz given that most room treatments have little effect in this range. You won't regret it. 

I generally agree with @wattsperchannel

I also very much agree that integration is much more important than getting the most massive or beautiful or well reviewed sub. Very good very powerful and capable subs are available relatively inexpensively. You may find a lot of information on that here:

http://www.data-bass.com/home

However.... proper bass traps and EQ get you very close to ideal, so much that you may not want the second sub. Buying 1 sub does not stop you from buying 30 more later. Subs are not rationed per family. :) and it’s your wallet, so buy as many as you’d like. I only mean to let you know what the cost/benefits are, and that there are diminishing returns after 1 "well integrated" sub.

Lastly, I keep saying "well integrated" because subs are a nightmare for some one who does not do this professionally, or build loudspeakers, to integrate well. Whatever you do, do not expect to drop it down and have it work. It takes time, measurement, and accessories such as appropriate room treatment and adjustment for EQ, crossover, delay, phase not to mention it takes muscle to locate the sub in the ideal place. More so with 2. When I set up a sub I don’t approach it as a sub but as part of the speaker.

I’m very happy with a Hsu VTS 15, and a miniDSP unit + GIK acoustics soffit traps, but I have a background in crossover design and audio that makes this relatively easy. A sub with a push button EQ may do much for you. If you go that route then I _DO_ encourage you to ask owners. Auto EQ systems are quite variable in quality. You’ll want to hear owners experiences.

Another good source of help is the Room EQ Wizard forums. There are many people there who will help you with measurement, interpreting and setting up subs.

Best,


Erik

Thank you all for your discussions and info, I appreciate it. Been doing much reading since thing thread started and have learned a lot. Haven't made any decisions yet. My budget is $950 so my options are somewhat limited. Any specific recommendations would be helpful.
 Reading about nodes/anti nodes was thinking about my room. The room is 17' X 10' that opens to a 10' X 10' room directly behind my seat. My chair is right on the line that separates the two. Next to me is a 13" X 8" pillar. The reason I bring this up, I never calculated the smaller room  as part of my listening space. One of the articles that I was reading mentioned that this type of space could act in a similar fashion to bass traps, the sine waves will travel past my listening position and dissapate. Conversely it may appear that I am sitting in the middle of a large room although on that score there is nothing that I can do. Think of the room as an inverted two layer wedding cake. Does this environment change how I should approach bass. Or the size/number of subs. Again thanks.