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Adding a sub. - can i start with one?

I’m pretty happy with my setup I’ve assembled over the past year. However I feel I am missing some oomph and I find I am turning up the volume a lot. My space is big (converted barn) with 18 ft vaulted ceilings and about 700 sq ft of space with hardwood floors and minimal soft furniture. 
 

So I am thinking adding a sub woofer will help increase the bass and maybe give me more of the kick in the sound I’m used to in my old room and prior older speakers and amp. 
 

I’ve read that most people add 2 subs to a system instead of one. I’d prefer to spend the 2500 per side over time and just get one for now. What’s the thinking on one channel sub vs two and can I consider going from 1 to 2 later on as another upgrade?

daveinpa
fatdaddy2
383 posts
 

+1 REL

corelli
977 posts
 

Change the E to an S.

That is, the RSL speedwoofer will be back in stock soon.  Compact yet potent bass for $449.  Considering your budget, imagine how a DBA including SIX(!) of these would sound.  May well be very very tough for one sub to keep up with the effortless sound these would produce.  

Also, they have a wireless option.  And, this company has refused to play the inflation card, keeping their costs unchanged  for years.  A huge value.

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
3,131 posts
 

That said the only downside of having only one sub, especially if you want the sub to add audibly to the bass, is that the imaging may distract you as the low bass might always seem to be coming from wherever the sun is despite the bass player actually being on the left or right side, so be prepared for that. 

Absolute BS. As long as you are using a subwoofer as a subwoofer and not a woofer, there will be no localization of bass instruments. None.

 

panzrwagn's avatar
panzrwagn
519 posts
 

Starting with one is fine. However, the issues of damaging the soundscape from a large subwoofer are typically due to running the sub too loud, using too high a crossover frequency, or too shallow a crossover slope. Likewise, localizing sound from the sub indicates it is outputting significant energy above ~200Hz. Even a 50Hz lowpass crossover at 6dB/octave will only be down 12dB at 200Hz and quite audiblle

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,448 posts
 

@daveinpa
Good call on REL S/510. Once you get the second one added, you be glad that you went with REL. And be sure to use high level connection with REL, other subwoofer manufacturers are trying to emulate this but it’s not even close in terms of seamless integration with your main speakers and not to mention outstanding build quality.

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