Subwoofers: are they really necessary for home audio?

[murillollirum]

as for the sub, I'm seeing that is a 50pro 50con opinions about using it. For the 50pro, I would like to hear suggestion of a commercial or diy sub that can be used in hi-fi.

[murillollirum]

anyone know the SUNFIRE HRS-12?

[markus76]

Originally Posted by murillollirum

as for the sub, I'm seeing that is a 50pro 50con opinions about using it. For the 50pro, I would like to hear suggestion of a commercial or diy sub that can be used in hi-fi.

Any capable sub can be used in HiFi. The real question is how to optimally integrate subs. Here's a good read: Bass Integration Guide – Part 1

[DrDyna]

Originally Posted by JMFahey

If you have a good quality Hi Fi speaker system, you don't need subwoofers.
What for?
Your regular speakers reach low enough to reproduce what's recorded.

I dare anybody to play BT - Go(d)t on a speaker system without subwoofers and tell me they aren't missing anything. The second half of this song will make your walls breathe, and it's very much an intended part of the recording. If I played it without a high pass filter on my mains and turned the subs off, I'd be clanking coils off of backplates and destroying the clarity of everything else in the song, as well as wasting amplifier power trying to flop around the driver I'm using for midbass like a leaf in the wind, trying in futility to reproduce a note it has no hope of reproducing with any authority.

The truth is as music has evolved, along with reproduction equipment, artists have been producing more and more music that takes advantage of it. One could say the same about HD video, saying that it's not necessary because you personally only have SD DVDs in your collection, but you can't make a blanket statement that "nobody" needs it because you can't speak for what every person likes to listen to or what their favorite recordings might contain.

We could probably start a thread that could reach over 100 pages and talk about nothing but music and media that would give a proper ~20 cycle tuned subwoofer a workout.

[Soldermizer]

I had a Sunfire Mark IV sub that I experimented with, for a few years. I recently sold it. It did little for my music, and yes I do sometimes listen to the wall shaking stuff. Already mentioned are two main reasons for having (or not) a sub: Does your music have much in the lowest octave? Most of mine does not. Do your speakers reach reasonably low? I am still in my "Bose 901 series I/II" period and my answer is definitely "yes..." but I push the bottom end up to 30 dB, compared with about 18 dB with the default Bose EQ. Perhaps as a rule of thumb, if you can lift one of your mains, then yes, you may need a sub

[kevinh]

There is a link to a E Geddes presentation on Room modes and why multiple bass sources are required to have good low frequency response in a small room and why this is so it also touches on the process Earl uses with his subs.

GedLee LLC


2 speakers can give good bass response in 1 spot if you are 'lucky' but CANNOT give good coverage in a small room.

[Rullknufs]

My current speaker plays most music quite well but on some tracks they simply can't keep up. Well, it depends how loud you play too. Playing at 75dB average level no subwoofer is needed but if you play at concert levels you will most likely need a subwoofer.

It also depends on what you want. If you want to feel the bass in your body a pair of 6.5" drivers wont do it. Well, my dual 6.5" Morel drivers (per speaker) gives a good thump despite the limited cone area but the laws of physics still apply.

[tinitus]

well, yeah, I guess a sub is often on the want list because many common speakers lack the ordinary bass they actually should have, but for many good reasons haven't

but a substitute may not be the cure
meaning, lack of 'ordinary bass' and what a subwoofer does is not the same thing

[tinitus]

Originally Posted by kevinh

There is a link to a E Geddes presentation on Room modes and why multiple bass sources are required .....

maybe note this is especially aimed at surround setup for sound effects
not saying it doesn't work for music, but...

[markus76]

Originally Posted by tinitus

maybe note this is especially aimed at surround setup for sound effects

It is? I don't think so. It works for movies and music.