Towers with built in subs vs separate subs
I debating on upgrading my paradigm founders 100f speakers to 120H speakers as they have built in subs and my space is limited. I would love to incorporateca a rel s510 but im concerned that i may not get my moneys worth out of it because placement is very limited. I own rel ht1205 which i am very happy with for movies but i want something better for music. Plan is to remote my 1205 to the back of the room for movies and either trade up for the 120H paradigm with built in subs or add a s510 to my current paradigm 100 f's.
Any thoughts?
@ditusa , That is not the case at all. For subwoofers to perform their best they need to be in multiples and positioned differently than the main speakers. Subwoofers can be integrated perfectly with appropriate time, phase and amplitude management. All done perfectly with digital bass management. What more effective than an analog crossover. |
fuzztone is exactly right. Ported or sealed no amount of room optimization, correction or equalization will ameliorate the sound stage optimized null location of your speakers and allow the ability of -3dB subwoofers their full potential for room and system integration and performance. Your REL isn't nearly as restricted by room positioning often placed next to speakers. Since their lowest frequencies are down -6dB sub-bass speakers simply do not excite a rooms modes like subwoofers, at the expense of extra low frequency detail and heft. Save your money and just use the REL. In the mean time try and organize an in home comparison audition of dealer positioned Vandersteen Trio's. With your family present you'll easily hear Paradigm's coherence paradigm. For me this became a far greater priority after living with three of the Canadian's top models. |
I don’t think this can be said so universally. Often times in a given room the flexibility to place the subs where the bass sounds best in the context of a given room is extremely important and consequential in determining the final performance results. If you do the proven “sub crawl” method to determine where subs/low bass work best in a room I highly doubt those locations will end up being within the confines of the front L/R speakers. In short, you’re largely fighting room physics by requiring the subs/low bass to reside within the main speakers. |
@ditusa , multiples simply aren't an option unless i stack them. I have 2 options as to placement...next to the R or next to the L. My first choice would be to get a bad ass rel s series, but.....if placement is that important ,Im limited. So why spend the $$ |
