Why the fascination with subwoofers?

steakster,

     Subs in corners, since they couple to two walls, typically results in a 3 db+ bass boost.   It sounds like you're making the right moves, keeping your subs way from the corners and controlling the effects of a suspended floor, to keep the bass clean and accurate, detailed, smooth and natural.   


Enjoy,
 Tim

Hello brskie,

     I’d suggest going with the Treo and 1-4 moderately sized subs would definitely be the more versatile option when compared to a pair of Quatros with no subs. I’ve never compared the Treos to the Quatros by themselves but I’m still fairly certain that either’s overall performance would be improved with even just a pair of well positioned subs. I maintain this opinion even though I’m aware the Quatros have built in powered subs and claimed bass extension down to 24 Hz +/- 2 dB.
     The main issue, from my perspective, is that these are both floor standing tower speakers and that virtually every owner is going to position them in their rooms so that the optimum midrange/treble response and stereo imaging is attained at the designated listening seat.
     The bass drivers are just along for the ride, located in the room a matter of inches or feet directly below the midrange and treble drivers. The apparent assumption that this positioning will also provide optimal bass performance at the listening seat is highly unlikely bordering on fat chance and no way.  I believe it’s a distinct and very significant advantage to have independently positioned bass producing drivers in virtually any room and any system.
     I even suspect that a pair of Treos, combined with a $2,800 Audio Kinesis Swarm 4-sub distributed bass array(dba) system, would outperform a pair of Quatros without additional sub assistance. It’s also very possible a pair of Treos, combined with just a pair of good quality and well positioned subs (a used pair of Vandersteen 2wq subs for example), could outperform a pair of Quatros without additional sub assistance when judged from the designated listening seat.
     I should mention I highly respect the Quatros along with Vandersteen speakers in general and my intention is not to disparage them. It’s just that I know, through research and personal experience, the near sota bass response attainable with at least two and up to four good quality, well positioned and properly configured subs in virtually any room and system. I think a pair of Treos combined with a Swarm type bass system, at a combined price new of about $9,800, would be an excellent performer and a unique audio bargain.

Best wishes,
Tim

Hi Everyone,

     I just wanted to let you know I’ve just finished setting up my system with my new dspNexus crossover which operates 8 channels at 192K. Each channel has extremely high quality DACs and the DSP I was able to attain with my subs is like nothing I’ve ever seen. I’ve got the mains running full range and four subs measured with Room EQ Wizard and processed the results with Multi Sub Optimizer and entered the 12 biquads per channel generated into Audio Weaver which is completely customizable to any system design you have. The team at Danville Signal Processing has been awesome with their assistance. My stereo has never sounded better. The realism of the music is eerily real. This is a great addition for anyone wanting to take things to the ultimate level of signal processing with accurate powerful base. 

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Thanks,

Steve

I hate subwoofers!!!  That's why I own true full range, floor standing loudspeakers.

@kennymacc but many people are limited by their wife or girlfriend to small speakers.  Lots of skinny floorstanding offerings too that are not true full range.  thus the demand.