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Best SUB for KEF ls50 wireless II

CARLOICA

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Good morning everyone from Italy!
Very happy about these speakers but obviously they lack a bit of bass.
Any suggestion for a good sub with a budget of 500 dollars please?
Merry Christmas!
 

sfdoddsy

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Assuming the limitations of the new LS50 are the same as the old ones I used to own, and judging by the measurements on Stereophile they are, you need a sub that can play cleanly above 150Hz or so.

The LS50 starts rolling off well above 100Hz. You can play it lower, or EQ it lower like Wireless version, but distortion zooms up.

At the standard 80hz it is gasping.

Since that makes localization an issue, ideally you need two subs.

Of those I've measured when I was looking for a high crossover with the LS50, the Rythmik LS12 certainly goes high enough and low enough. The FM8 would be ideal too and can be used as a stand, but is twice the price.

The SVS SB1000 also goes high enough, but not as low.

If $500 is your limit, I'd buy an LS12 now, and then another when funds permit.

If you are in Europe, BK has subs using the Peerless XLS driver which will go high enough.
 
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CJH

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Surprisingly, the sub output on the LS 50 WII is mono only.
CJH
 
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CARLOICA

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So do you think Bk or rhythmic?
D you think it should be sufficiently easy to setup with KEF?
 

phoenixdogfan

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The answer is something like a miniDSP SHD and two SVS SB2000 or SB3000s crossed over at 150 hz, with Maiky 76s eq applied, and a 24db per octave LW High/Low pass, and then using Dirac Live 3 over the top to clean things up.
 
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CARLOICA

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The answer is something like a miniDSP SHD and two SVS SB2000 or SB3000s crossed over at 150 hz, with Maiky 76s eq applied, and a 24db per octave LW High/Low pass, and then using Dirac Live 3 over the top to clean things up.
Not so cheap I expect
 

o2so

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The answer is something like a miniDSP SHD and two SVS SB2000 or SB3000s crossed over at 150 hz, with Maiky 76s eq applied, and a 24db per octave LW High/Low pass, and then using Dirac Live 3 over the top to clean things up.

I am confused as to why you are suggesting to cross over at 150 Hz. This FR looks pretty usable down to 80 Hz I would think?
 

o2so

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Scroll down to the THD+N graph at your link...
Yeah ok, but the point that was made is that the LS50s roll off well before 100 Hz which does not appear to be the case.
Besides, how audible is THD at 80-150 Hz? How much of an issue is this, really?
 

dc655321

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Yeah ok, but the point that was made is that the LS50s roll off well before 100 Hz which does not appear to be the case.

Note that the resonant frequency of the woofer is ~90Hz (see impedance plot?).
The frequency plot clearly begins to roll off starting at ~120Hz.
Still, that is an anechoic measurement: in-room will extend somewhat deeper.

Besides, how audible is THD at 80-150 Hz? How much of an issue is this, really?

From that THD+N plot, distortion is already 10% (-20dB) at 100Hz at only 90dB input.
I can't speak to the audibility... But, maybe?
That is certainly showing strain for not a lot of input...
 

o2so

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Note that the resonant frequency of the woofer is ~90Hz (see impedance plot?).
The frequency plot clearly begins to roll off starting at ~120Hz.
Still, that is an anechoic measurement: in-room will extend somewhat deeper.



From that THD+N plot, distortion is already 10% (-20dB) at 100Hz at only 90dB input.
I can't speak to the audibility... But, maybe?
That is certainly showing strain for not a lot of input...

OK thanks. The point of audibility is a key aspect though - and IMHO it should always be. I am inclined to think that sending spatially identifiable frequencies to a sub (or two) on the floor is more of an audible issue than dealing with a bit of distortion at 100 Hz, especially in smallish rooms, which is where I would think one would place the LS50s. I do however own the LS50 (meta), two SVS SB2000 and a MinidspSHD (currently crossing over at 80Hz), so I will give it a go.
 

dc655321

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The point of audibility is a key aspect though - and IMHO it should always be.

Sure. And FWIW, local measurements show ~1% distortion at 100Hz at 85dB input.
Make of that what you will.

I am inclined to think that sending spatially identifiable frequencies to a sub (or two) on the floor is more of an audible issue than dealing with a bit of distortion at 100 Hz, especially in smallish rooms, which is where I would think one would place the LS50s. I do however own the LS50 (meta), two SVS SB2000 and a MinidspSHD (currently crossing over at 80Hz), so I will give it a go.

Nice system.
I was considering similar components some time ago, although with a pair of Rythmik FM8 to act as stands for the bookshelf 2-ways.
Enjoy.
 

o2so

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Apparently, I am a master in hearing distortion :rolleyes: or more likely I am just lucky. But this was done with headphones.

1609300681012.png

Your Results:
You reached an audibility threshold of -51 dB. This value is -30 dB below the mean value of the audibility threshold of all listeners participated in the test. Apparently, you have been very sensitive in detecting signal distortion. You may be a trained listener and have sufficient experience in assessing sound quality, or you are just lucky by getting this good result on accident.
 

Darvis

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In Europe the value options are XTZ, BK and Arendal. You can't go wrong with these 3 musketeers.
 

o2so

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Sure. And FWIW, local measurements show ~1% distortion at 100Hz at 85dB input.
Make of that what you will.



Nice system.
I was considering similar components some time ago, although with a pair of Rythmik FM8 to act as stands for the bookshelf 2-ways.
Enjoy.
Tried crossing ver the Metas at 120 Hz to the two SVS subs and I have no localization issues. Distortion is quite good too (ignore the peak at 30 Hz which is my suspended floor rattling a bit I think. The small peak at 160 Hz is Dirac trying to fill a dip due to distance of speakers from side walls). Thanks for the tip.
ls50meta_SVSSB200_distortion.jpg
 
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