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

I'm joining the subless while I demo a Genelec monitor that goes to 38hz, lower in-room. I'm discovering that I like the tighter integration. As long as there is enough bass SPL from the mains, I don't really need it to go home theater full range for music even with 'bass heavy' music.
 
I don’t use a sub in my small town house “open concept” main living room. I don’t think it’s possible to satisfactorily EQ the bass for the entire space as there is too much variation: kitchen, dining, and family room — not to mention people could be sitting or standing. In the basement where I have a dedicated listening room, however, I do use a sub (most of the time).
 
I also don’t use a subwoofer. But I have strong 50hz from my speakers at my listening position from 12” 2-ways on the floor.

Speaker’s f9 near 50hz, they are tuned at 50hz, and bass knob on receiver at 50hz.

I’d rather stick with my old receivers.

Since the bigger rig is downstairs, if I added a sub, it would really bother wife/family when upstairs with the sub bass going up the stairs, through or shaking the floor…..
 
In my experience subs in customers homes were rarely properly integrated, often playing so quietly that they may not have been there at all, if they were turned up they set off standing waves and the owners had no way of implementing eq.
Even today still easier to choose full range speakers particularly as contemporary. designs have eq built in.
Keith
 
When I joined ASR, and after a period of adjustment! I assumed that I'd get a sub or two (room nodes, and just because it's the "right" thing to do).
No subs - I've read too much about the difficulty of integrating them properly, there are very limited placement options, tricky WAF and I like the sound as it is.

One day - new room - I'll reconsider :)
 
Purité Audio said:
In my experience subs in customers homes were rarely properly integrated, often playing so quietly that they may not have been there at all, if they were turned up they set off standing waves and the owners had no way of implementing eq.
Even today still easier to choose full range speakers particularly as contemporary. designs have eq built in.
Keith
Click to expand...
Keith
Don't full range speakers with that amount of bass, start out at an expensive price level?
 
I don't currently due to not motivated :) I have subs available for placement.
I can also have a listening session on 2" full range driver
 
I do use a single sub with my AVR. For my stereo, no sub. And there are several whys involved.

First, it's a main room in the house, so I take down the speakers between use. Did I want to have to move my sub as well, and re-cable every time? No.

Second, I have an INSANE amount of room gain from a vertically compliant floor (soft, bouncy, lively, whatever). So it acts as a passive radiator. Lots of additional gain in the bass and infrasound. Knowing this I got Sierra LX speakers. I get flat to 30 with them with EQ... 5' off the wall behind them. The bass below 35 is not great, but not super bloated either at my normal listening volumes. And if I turn them up, the house will shake. Thank you 100 year old floor!

Third, subs tend to energize my floor more, being near the floor and on the floor. Even with isolation. And floor energy is my enemy.

Fourth, my goal with this system was simple, not perfection. I have played around with a lot of different configurations, I wanted something that was simple and effective. This is. Stunningly good in the triangle spot, and nice everywhere in the room and the rest of the house for that matter. And once I can open some windows in warmer weather, it will be better.

A sub would let me pull the LXs out 4' more into the room and get a deeper sound stage, based on experience. Eventually I will get something to allow that, but currently I would have to use my sub for the high pass, and I am not thrilled with the sound when I do that (SVS SB1000). I would only do that the few times a year my wife is out of town so I can leave them set up, since the right speaker would block her view of the TV.
 
My CBTs require a subwoofer, but my Purifi SPKs have sufficient bass to enjoy them without one (in a bedroom).
 
15'' drivers, 180 litre cabs, don't really feel the need to add subs.

Plus - cost, hassle of integrating them, neighbours probably wouldn't appreciate even lower bass. Get a (subjectively) even bass response anyway due to good room acoustics.

I do have a big Yamaha sub on the TV system as the speakers on that system are fairly small 3-ways, but I dismantled that system to take the speakers to a meet and haven't got around to rebuilding it yet.
 
Different rooms:

Main listening room - Sanders 10e. - no subs needed

Master bedroom. - KEF R3 with dual SVS subs

Office. - JBL 308 with single SVS Sub

Dining room. - JBL 305 - no sub, but needs one. Sadly, there is not space available due to room configuration
 
No subs. Only have a 2 channel setup running JBL 4329P, MLP approx 7.5 feet and only concerned about single listening position. Exclusive use is music, NO HT, and being an old guy mainly old music. Two songs I can thing of off hand with the lowest bass in my rotation is Come Together and Jump Into the Fire. I have had subs set up properly, previous speakers, and I don't miss anything which I assume is because my music is not bass heavy and being older hearing is not what it was. If I did try a sub I am limited to placement, basically right beside existing speakers.
 
I do not run subs & that's on stand mounts albeit they do have a bit of power. My MLP is 9' & I don't care about HT at this time in life. I don't hear a bass problem but know it's there from measurements. I'm good to 30 with EQ but I also do higher spl alot & am tempted to free up the chewed-up headroom from EQ. I suspect an expensive experiment as it will probably take 4 so still teetering on the fence.
Screenshot 2025-03-18 142332.png
 
The 8361A’s I had in my listening room were pretty flat down to 26hz or so at the mlp. Never felt I needed a sub(s) with them as I listened only to music and from one spot and the bass was so satisfying as is.
On axis from GLM, verified with REW:
IMG_0488.jpeg
IMG_0487.jpeg
 
I don't run subs because I like speakers to have sufficient bass capability so that subs aren't needed.

Keeping it all together in one speaker or assembly, makes for a tighter punchier sounding speaker ime/imo. Not a fan of multiple-sub bass envelopment smearing.
But I do need lots of bass for those balls to walls party moments...

Here's a couple of my latest speakers.
Recently "downsized" from the white rig to the blue.
although only had two of the white for stereo...and now have three of the blue for LCR ...so maybe not that much of a downsize :D

My speakers are not for everyone, huh? lol..

1742911217983.jpeg
 
I am not confident in my ability to integrate them correctly. If I sprung for something like a NAD M66 with all that fancy auto-calibration, I might feel differently.
 
After DSP/room correction i did got lows in abundance and a more balanced sound. So no need for hidous subs anymore.
 
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