How many on ASR don't runs subs of any kind.? & why.....

[Jaxjax]

Interested in the thoughts of those who don't run subs in their systems & the why of it. I already get enough data on the reasons to do it but not much on reasons not too.

 

[amirm]

I run dual subs in our dedicated theater. For 2-channel music, my Revel Salon 2 speakers have perfect bass response so I feel no need to add a sub to them and go through all the trouble of integrating it. I also don't know if the family will put up with more bass.

 

[mj30250]

I would guess that most reasons fall under practical concerns and constraints:

Spouse/family/roommate/neighbor considerations
Lack of space/flexibility for placement
Budget limitations

And then there's the integration factor - some people try it without going to the trouble of learning how to do it right, with poor results..."Full range is best, subs are too boomy", etc.

For anyone unfettered by the above (or with a fair amount of flexibility), I can't think of many compelling reasons not to.

 

[VMAT4]

I chose my speakers, Philharmonic BMR Towers, so I wouldn't have the need.

 

[Steven Holt]

I can only comment on 2 channel stereo listening. If you take your time, and select the right speakers -- I'm not saying this is easy, as there are many factors involved -- then you will not need a subwoofer. In fact, the subwoofer may 'get in the way' of the speakers. If, however, you have a limited budget and just want to have a good, decent rig, a subwoofer can prove to be invaluable as it can give you that full, rich and deep sound which we all love. I also understand that if you have good room correction software, you can do wonders with getting sublime sound. I don't know as much as I should about that, so I will defer to our membership. Hope this helps.

 

[Jaxjax]

I would guess that most reasons fall under practical concerns and constraints:

Spouse/family/roommate/neighbor considerations
Lack of space/flexibility for placement
Budget limitations

And then there's the integration factor - some people try it without going to the trouble of learning how to do it right, with poor results..."Full range is best, subs are too boomy", etc.

For anyone unfettered by the above (or with a fair amount of flexibility), I can't think of many compelling reasons not to.

Is your main HT.? Thats 10k worth of subs your running.

 

[JFByers]

I use RSL Nevada XTs. They have a 30cm woofer, a 20cm woofer, and a 30cm passive radiator in a ~75L enclosure. Everything shares the enclosure and the crossover is a 3-way, meaning there is a separate midrange and the two woofers both cover the lower octaves.

Bass is good enough for me. I'd been tempted by the new-era RSL subs, to make a mixed-era RSL system, but can't justify the expense at this point.

 

[theREALdotnet]

I use three subs (hoping to add a fourth soon) with my stereo system, for reasons discussed in this current thread.

 

[mj30250]

Is your main HT.? Thats 10k worth of subs your running.

It's the primary system for both music and HT. If it were strictly for music, two of those subs would be plenty.

 

[Tio]

I'm using vintage MB Quart 600 speakers without a sub. These are 2-way speakers with 8-inch woofers that can easily reach down to 35Hz when properly EQed. The reasons I don't use a sub are a lack of space, no DSP to handle proper subwoofer integration, and, lastly, cost—since a good subwoofer is quite expensive where I live.

 

[Jim Creek]

I don’t run any subs with my MA Silver 100 6th generation speakers. They get down into the mid-low 40s which is good enough. The second reason is the wife frowns on cluttering up the living center with more ugly boxes.

 

[AnalogSteph]

Aside from the complications this would potentially bring to my signal chain (I don't seem to have any global bass management with my onboard audio), I literally have no idea where I would even put a sub here. OK, maybe in the spot currently taken up by a CBT under the desk. One more thing to consume power, yay. (Though auto-standby ought to be pretty standard, I think.) I guess I could use a studio sub with a built-in crossover for bass management, and a bypass switch connection.

 

[Martin]

I'll echo @amirm's response. I run dual subs in my family room home theater setup. The main speakers in my stereo setup, Von Schweikert VR-5 Anniversaries, produce prodigious bass and do not require low frequency augmentation. I did just purchase a JBL LSR310S to add to the JBL 306P MKII setup in my office hoping to add a little subterranean grunt.

Martin

 

[moonlight rainbow dream]

Low-key judging all of the people in this thread.

 

[Chrispy]

I only have one 2ch setup I haven't bothered with a sub as it lacks integration tools plus I just don't use it much. The others all have multiple subs (and tools to integrate). Rather have the capabilities than not....

 

[Philbo King]

Interested in the thoughts of those who don't run subs in their systems & the why of it. I already get enough data on the reasons to do it but not much on reasons not too.

I have one. It goes down to maybe 25 Hz. This adds a total of four or five notes below what my other four full range speakers already can do. So it doesn't do much, except during movie explosions. It's okay I guess; I could easily dump it and not miss it. It certainly doesn't add anything noticeable to music. (Sorry, subwoofer bros!)

 

[Keith_W]

I am guessing you guys aren't following the Bass and subwoofers thread. The reason to add subs is not for more bass. The reasons are:

1. Make the bass response more even for a wider listening area,
2. Provide "envelopment".

I have two DSP settings for my system. The first one has my speakers/subwoofers with an XO freq of 50Hz. The second setting has the main speakers equalised down to 20Hz. The subwoofers are positioned on the front left and right corners of my listening room, and the system is set up against the long wall (meaning there is very wide L/R separation between the subs). Here are the verification measurements of both DSP settings from 20Hz - 1kHz of both speakers together (i.e. mono measurement):

(Red: mono measurement with sub, Green: mono measurement with no sub)

As you can see, my main speakers can extend down to 20Hz no problem, but with a low Q 8dB suckout caused by the room. It sounds more different than the measurement would suggest. The DSP setting with the subwoofers on sounds dramatically more spacious, you feel as if you are bathed in the ambience of a concert hall.

To find out why, head over to that thread and see what JJ has to say about the matter.

 

[Count Dacula]

I run no subs on two mid range systems with tower speakers. It depends on the source music, but I tend to believe FR speakers can do the trick for normal listening. In the 'ol mancave, subs are a welcome addition, for no reason other than they get loud and obnoxious. The difference with the FR speakers is using a "punchy" amp. I'm coming off a 35 year run with my ADCOM 545-II, so the concept of getting that same sound from a receiver is a non-starter.

Sorry for a roundabout explanation. I guess you can enjoy good systems either way. I run my subs lightly, and just audible to reenforce my mains, so that shifts my bias away from being overly dependent on subs. It's different from everyone, listening style, expectations and the listening material itself.

 

[jonfitch]

I dont run subs on my near field setup with kef reference 1 metas. My normal listening level is only in the mid 60s db at nearfield, so I can boost the bass via dirac with no fear of excursion issues

 

[Avp1]

Interested in the thoughts of those who don't run subs in their systems & the why of it. I already get enough data on the reasons to do it but not much on reasons not too.

I have speakers with 12" bass drivers and always thought that I do not need a sub. But when I finally got it (18"), it made a huge difference. I had bad room mode at 40Hz and null at 80Hz, and had to use Dirac to correct them. With subwoofer I chose the location, crossover frequency and phase adjustment to compensate for room problems. Now I can happily live WITHOUT DSP.