Do you think you need a subwoofer?


Why almost any one needs subwoofers in their audio systems?

I talk with my audio friends about and each one give me different answers, from: I don't need it, to : I love that.

Some of you use subwoofers and many do in the speakers forum and everywhere.

The question is: why we need subwoofers ? or don't?

My experience tell me that this subwoofers subject is a critical point in the music/sound reproduction in home audio systems.

What do you think?
Ag insider logo xs@2xrauliruegas
Dear @lewm : You brougth here a serious, for its importance, bass management subject and this is the way subwoofers are designed or loading cabinet: ported/reflex/transmision line, sealed-acoustic suspension, isobarik and other that escape to my mind.
Where you decided to go with transmision line loading your subs in the Beveridge room.

The best experiences I had and have are with sealed units: isobarik Linn ( the Sara model in between. ) design, my ADS acoustic suspension/sealed and Velodyne subs.

The Linn Isobarik that I heard was really really good ( very low distortions. ) in the bass frequency range even with not to big speaker cabinets/box.
I remember heard the IMF and TDL transmision line speaker designs and like it a lot but that " laberynth/tunneling design at the end is open, yes it has lower distortion than a reflex or other vented designs and as the Isobarik with not big cabinets/boxes where my ADS to achieve its bass quality and efficiency needs a big box and very special design to go low on distortion levels.

I don’t doubt that your subs performs good but I’m sure it can’t performs better than the true bass expertes design on Velodyne and not only because I own it or because are sealed but because I made ( as I posted in this thread ) a deep investigation over the subs market and no one can compete ( even today ) with Velodyne. Remember that I’m talking here about quality bass reproduction and not bass quantity of the same.

Yes, there are more expensive units or best looking ones or that goes lower than Velodyne like JL , Rel ( only to name two of many out there. ) and others but no one can " live " not even near the Velodyne when we are talking of DIDTORTION LEVELS.

I put an example: while the JL subs performs with over 6% of THD at 20hz at 110 dbs on SPL Velodynes performs at only 0.5% ! ! thank’s that the unit is monitoring the woofer excursion over 16k times each second.

I know for sure that after my Velodynes be connected through those electrical regulators that DISTORTION LEVELS goes even lower and this is the main subject here: QUALITY LEVEL.


Btw, last nigth I really pushed my Velodynes through recordings that are not specific because its bass range stand alone but because use synthetizers between other instruments including full symphonic orchestras.
What I want to achieve is if at some SPL I can have in my listening room or outside it some kind of rattle in diferent things that are in that living room.

So, I push it at very high SPL that I measured at my seat position as : 105 db with peaks over 112 dbs ( even I " closed " my ears at this volume. ) and no single rattle, glass resonances or rare vibations or that something collapsed not even the soundstage and focus. !!!!

That is unbeliable for any one ( nas I said: distortions gone really lower ! ! !. ) but me that experienced it and this tell me that I’m in a new audio era/century/reborn.

@lewm till you can achieve that experience in your system you can’t know how much you ( everyone. ) are losting of MUSIC as I did it for more than 40+ audio years mand that audio losted years was thanks to that AHEE.




Regards and enjoy the music,
R.







Raul,

     I'm sorry but I'm having a hard time reading and making sense of your posts.  I think I'm getting the general idea but I'm not certain.

Thanks,
   Tim
Dear @noble100 : Sorry, my english is to bad but as you said I think you have the whole " idea ".

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
Raul,

     I think I'm getting the gist (main idea) of what you are saying but please correct me if I seem not to understand.

     You are making the effort to communicate in writing in English as a 2nd language which I understand must be difficult.  The least I can do is make the effort and take the time to understand your meaning as best as I can.

     I do not want you to stop posting, since practice is likely only going to improve your English written skills.

Thank you, 
  Tim

       .  
Dear friends: I already connected my main monoblok amps to each one electrical power regulators I bougth.

I decided to buy it after I discovery the huge ( no words to explain it. ) improvement inj the quality level performance of my Velodyne’s.
I had several doubts that really could be a real improvement and not only a diferent kind of sound because my 20.6s are fully regulated input to output.

So why external electrical power regulators for?, I have no precise explanation why I bougth it even the amps kind of design other that " curiosity " and after connected and gave a deep listening I would like to know what is happening. Let me explain it for you can give an opinion or share similar experiences:


for years my amps were connected directly from the inside electrical power amp input through my 30A electrical dedicated line power box, no single connector in between. When I did it the improvement was inmediatly, connectors even here and even top ones degrade the quality system level performance. Why?, I don’t know for sure.

Before the amps wre connected to the electrical line regulators I made it some usually ( for me. ) tweaks: changed its stock power cable by passing all connectors all from inside input to the line power box.

What happened when I switch-on the system and started to listen through my personal test evaluation process?:

something unexpected for me and it happened and still does just from the very first MUSIC " note " in the LP tracks and CD ones:

first thing I was aware is that my system already very low noise gone not even lower but now exist NO noise floor level. I just can’t detect it.

That " simple " fact makes several things in my MUSIC everyday listening sessions. When you hear my today system performance, believe or not, you can think you are enjoying MUSIC in " wonderland ". Like me you can’t believe it till you can have this kind of unique experiences.

It’s not only that no-noise floor characteristic but if with the experiences I shared here with my subwoofers the ROOM interaction goes down at this moment/time that same ROOM just gone. I can’t explain it in other way.

I’m feel like a Symphonic Director’s Orchestra at his stage position whre exist only HE and the near field sources/instruments ! ! ! !

That sesation can be understand it only if you been listening in a true Music Hall at that position that as I posted somewhere in this forum I been there twice.

In that listening position there is no ROOM/venue but direct MUSIC and t’s almost here where the recording microphones are seated.

That’s why I said : listen to the recording and not your ROOM that’s what you are doing rigth now in the same way I did it.

Room treatments?, the best room is NO ROOM.

I think I already posted here: for me the audio/MUSIC hobby just begin with and I’m discovering so many things that I really can’t assimilated and I can’t be sure about explanations yet.

One thing is sure: I have to re-set the whole tonearm/cartridge set up that I was thinking was fine when was wrong ! !, go figure.
This time the word ACCURACY have a true and real meaning on that subject and this time more than ever the MINT LP protractor has its real necessity.
Now there is no " land " where any minimum mistake can hide it and not only in the whole system performance but today I’m aware of recording errors and the already analog limitations goes higher too or at least more real than ever and my many years touted digital alternative shows its several advantages at a higher levels.

How can be that my so hard work on system set up been plain wrong for so many years?
I think because the ignorance levels we have that impede to grow up and stay sticky with what we thougth is " great " when in reality is not that way.

WHAT A KIND OF AUDIO LESSONS and I’m fortunate to discovery all those and many things to come trhough my listening times.

Yes, I only want to listen MUSIC as never before and we will see what I can share over time.


Regards and enjoy the music,
R.