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
It depends on your listening preferences too, if you like to listen at high volume levels like i do, and you want clean, pounding bass, then you definately need a sub (or two), if you like listening close range at low volume levels, then you probably don't. my 2 cents
Raul,
You have a lot of time on your hands. The DD series subs from Velodyne sure are easy to setup and can keep up with just about any speaker made,If not any. Look at the Velodyne web site.

Tim
Hello Raul,I have full range speakers and dont feel the need for a subwoofer,but if i had moniters that did not reach down low ,it would drive me nuts not to have a sub on a lot of the music i listen to,then again on other music it would not bother me,i like to hear whats on the recording!I tend to get a stupid ear to ear grin when listening to well recorded low freq. right now my sub is being unused!
Actually, this is a great analogue question - Most RIAA equalizers are designed for roll off about the same place as a full range speaker. Here's the wierd part - records can and do go lower. I would be curious if anyone knows why this is even though the spec's for the RIAA say otherwise - maybe the gain/db matching is different? I think subs have more to do with your own ear and the music you prefer: undertones and overtones plus the way the music is engineered are very important. If you're listening to Living End or Charles Mingus you'e going to want one. If you like cello chamber music you are as well. However the only two good subs I've heard with crossover's that work and don't detract or overly color upper frequency output are the Paradigms and the REL's (this only holds true for the Paradigms if you have their speakers as well). Haven't heard Merlin's though. Otherwise if you are using papercones or something, other than Merlin's, I would just stay away, because generally it seems to me speakers in that $4000-$10000 range are better quality anyway. In the under three grand range I really haven't heard anything better than the Paradigms, a point of some contention, but I think it's held up by the fact that every salesperson I've seen posting anonymously here and on positive-feedback has a pair. The Vienna Acoustics, Sonus Farber's and Opera Piega's of the world have enough extension as it is. The Velodyne's to me just seemed to make an under-enthusiastic whomp-whomp sound - a real one note wonder. Of course if you're in a condo or apartment, why bother? A little tube integrated and a pair of bookshelves will fill up your room well enough. With analogue, it will be musical and satifying.