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Have you moved away from full range to standmount speakers + subs?

I want to know if you have been on a journey moving from a large full range speaker to a smaller one paired wit subs, maybe even four subs.


Maybe you moved away from the big speakers because you had too much bass or you got a better soundstage from the smaller speakers. Let me know what motivated you and if you think it’s better now.


My motivation for wanting to try smaller speakers.


I have the Tekton DI and until a month ago I was using a LM845P SET amp to drive them.

It only sounded good on simple jazz and vocals but on complex music everything was falling apart.

I am not playing loud but I think it was the low 2 ohm load in the midrange that made the LM break down.


I bought a used PS Audio BHK250 and pre and it was like getting new speakers. Never ever had it occurred to me that speaker and amp matching could have such a profound effect.


So I am enjoying my speakers now and listen to music I have avoided like the plague and enjoying it (:


But all of this got me thinking, what if I paired my LM845P with an easy to drive speaker and paired it with some subs?


Then the LM845 could do what it's best at, playing glorious midrange and the subs could play the bass.

So that's my motivation for trying smaller speakers.


I am also hoping that maybe I could get better and more even bass with 2 or 4 subs. Maybe a better soundstage because the small speakers have a very small baffle.

martin-andersen
realworldaudio
174 posts
 
I agree with the inmates, bigger speakers have the potential to give a much more realistic sound stage than smaller speakers, which create the "porcelain muppet show". (Sorry, I did not coin that term but it's just so accurate!) The misnomer comes from the fact that at a budget price point it's easier to make a small speaker image sharper / crisper, but in general terms, it's quite misleading.

I think the main reasons are:1. much lower cost2. much better WAF
3. amplifiers have more and more power nowdays, so slap in high excursion drivers and advertise as same spl capacity. (With greater excursion comes greater distortion - if you see the cone move it's not high fidelity anymore... sure, it can be made to sound good, but slammer cone movement will sound better give same attention to design details...)
Some useful info on speakers size / imaging correlation:Small speakers do a fine job of imaging small, intimate, simple events.Really large scale performances need big cabinets.

2ndliner
27 posts
 
I have a fairly small listening room (13'x12'x8') with French doors behind my listening position that open into a kitchen (19'x9'). For a few years I was using floor standers, Raidho D2.1, and though they sounded great on most music I played there is a room mode at 43Hz that would rear its nasty head at times turning my room into a giant bass cabinet. I implemented the Bass Array system from James Romeyn along with placing a VH Audio capacitor between my preamp and mono blocs that created a roll off at 150Hz. With the help of JR from Wally Analog we used his room measuring software and strategically placed 4 passive subs in my room, dialing them in with external sub amps from Dayton Audio. This process afforded smooth, musical bass along with opening up more detail in the mid and high frequencies. JR was thinking that monitors would be a better fit given my room's size and since I really like the Raidho sound I went with their TD1.2's on Core Audio Design speaker stands. Lo and behold, he was right! They blend perfectly with the Bass Array delivering all the tonality and texture of the D2.1's but with more detail, better imaging and a deeper, wider soundstage. Couldn't be happier...for now!
shamus2211's avatar
shamus2211
47 posts
 
blkwrxwgn - I guess if you own a particular brand of speaker you are in a better position to talk about them than another brand you are not familiar with. You do realise that MC is living rent free in your head, you got it bad.  Me personally, I mostly find MC to be rather witty (too subtle for some) and quite knowledgable. I have no problem with him being a bit out there and although I disagree with him at times I don't get abusive or rude. You and your ilk get very rude and personal and that has no place on this site. If I never see another post from you again I won't miss you.
pcrhkr's avatar
pcrhkr
261 posts
 
The thing about subs. You can have small speakers which get voices and treble well but matching them with a sub can be tricky. I suggest audtioning with several.  Just throwing in any sub with any smaller speakers might not work well.  With larger speakers you can EQ the low end to get the job done without a sub. If your a bass head, then sub.  If not matched well it may sound unbalanced.  Just my opinion.  
stevenpettinga's avatar
stevenpettinga
6 posts
 
I still have my 1974 Advents (3 pair) 2 Yamaha Amps (750) watts each, my turntable & 2 CD players with a mixer & cd recorder to make mix tapes.  I sweetened the Advents up with 4 JBL concert tweeters (with the blue plastic triangle in them).  It still sounds incredible.  Maybe $2,500 in the whole set up.  Up in the living room I did not want a hulking stereo.  So I built the house with ceiling 5 channel speakers and an AV amp (which none of them really have enough connections).  Trying to hook it up is a nightmare and then the sound does not blow me away.   Two years ago, I bought a Techniques CD player, ported bass speakers and each speaker is independently powered and equalized with a total of 500 to 700 Real watts. Then I really wanted a stern experience, so I got a NAIM Mu So and companion.  They are similar except it does not have a built in CD player.  These little guys produce truly great sound, yet they are  foot deep, 5"tall and 18" wide.  They are a bit pricy, but what isn't?  The only real problem is not one remote will work my set up, so I need 3.  Sometimes I long for the 3 or 4 dial buttons and channel changer days, you just turned it on and it will play.  Now, I'm watching a lot of music videos on YouTube (Premium) which seems to get better by the day.  Gosh,  I love both set ups. - Steven Pettinga, Indianapolis
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