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"Musical" subwoofers? Advice please on comparing JL subs

I'm ready to be taught and I'm ready to be schooled. I've never owned a subwoofer and I'm not so hot with the physics of acoustics. I've had my eye on two 10" JL Audio subwoofers, the e110 ($1600) and the f110v2 ($3500). I hope this is a simple question: will the f110v2 be more "musical" than the e110?

Perhaps unnecessary details: I'm leaning into small bookshelf speakers, mini monitors with limited bass, for near-field listening in a small room. I don't want to rock the casbah and rattle the windows; I want to enhance the frequency range from roughly 28hZ to perhaps 90 or 100hZ: the lower notes of the piano, cello, bassoon, double bass, etc. I think I'm asking: will one of those subwoofers produce a more "musical" timbre in that range? Is spending the extra $2000 worth it in terms of acoustic warmth and pleasure? More generally, are some subs more musical than others? Or is that range just too low for the human ear to discern critically? 

I know there are a lot of variables and perhaps my question can't be answered in isolation. If it helps, let's put to the side topics such as room treatments, DSP and DARO, debates about multiple subs, debates about using subwoofers at all, and the difficulties of integration. Let's assume a fast main speaker with limited bass. I'm not going to put a 12" sub in the room. While I'm not going to put four subs in the small room, I would strongly consider putting in two, and it would of course be much more economical to put in two e110s. This, though, would only lead to the same question now doubled: would two f110v2 subs sound more musical than two e110s? Also, I'm sure there are other fine subs out there but I'm not looking for recommendations; if it helps to extrapolate, consider the REL S/510 and T/5i. 

I realize that I may be wildly off with all this, and I know that the best way to find out is to try them out. I'm not at that point yet. I'm simply curious about the "musicality" of different subwoofers. 
northman
jssmith
313 posts
 
@northman: And therein lies the problem. While you may think poetry is beautiful, I may think it's just a bunch of rhymes that bore the crap out of me (which it does). So terms that mean different things to different people are not useful when trying to pin down objective answers. That's why those terms should be thrown out. My "musical" is that it reproduces exactly what an instrument sounds like. If someone is a Beats headphone user, their idea of musical might be something completely different.
shakira
149 posts
 
A pair of Rel S510
northman OP
251 posts
 
@slimpikins5, thank you for all the great advice! I think the Model Ts might be a bit small for my space, and I'm not sure that 2000 watts is enough for my needs. I want my system to make a statement. And ... I am kidding... The room I'm setting up is tiny, 10' x 11', and I'm going with small stand-mounts for near-field listening. Still, maybe some day I could hear your set-up, which sounds incredible. I actually am in northern New England--outside of Burlington, VT. 

Also, I love how accessible the Bryston staff is. I've owned a lot of Bryston gear and I've emailed a few times with James Tanner as well as messaged with him on audiocircle. In fact, I just had an old amp spiffed up at the Bryston "repair center" near Montpelier. Forget a sterile office building; it's an old Victorian schoolhouse that's been converted to office space. It was fun seeing the amps and whatnot all over the place.

I like what you say about DSP. Needless to say, there are many opinions about all this!

@jssmith, it takes all kinds of universes, doesn't it? For me, the fact that terms have multiple meanings is hardly cause to throw them away; in fact, that's what makes them interesting (but not "subjective"). I like that "musical" can mean different things, and in fact that's the pleasure of art. That said, I was not only asking about "musical subwoofers" but also something that should have a clinical answer: at what point in the frequency range can most humans begin to discern notes, melody, tone, ... music? (Also, if you can identify poetry as "a bunch of rhymes" then you are in fact recognizing a genre, a type of expression with complexity and nuance, whether you like it or not.) I'll add that my son got a free pair of Beats when he bought some Apple product a few years ago; OMG, that woofy, vague bass is exactly what I don't want in a sub!
slimpikins5's avatar
slimpikins5
191 posts
 
That a boy Northman.... Burlington. My old stomping grounds when I was ski racing on the US pro tour. I was down in town by Sugarbush in Warren and had a place at Stratton. Green mountain had their first shop and roasting facility in the town parking lot on route 100. Spent a fair amount of time on Church Street at the French Bistro in Burlington with my then GF from Montreal. I think you have the movie. Fun!
I am down at the Maine Coast about 3 hours from you. Drop by and have a listen. I am spending what I have on this stuff as they say I cannot take it with me, but actually I have a deal worked out and I am.  No devil sticks 7000 watts
desktopguy
368 posts
 
I have the e110 & know it to be an excellent subwoofer. It is accurate; tuneful (standup bass vs electric bass vs baritone clarinet all sound quite different--as they do IRL); goes plenty low for me; and has more than enough power for me.

It lacks the room correction software than the Fathom (I believe) has, but I’m fine not having that.

For the application you describe, the e110 should be more than fine. In fact, it should be exemplary.

Where it would not be more than fine would be:
-- in a huge room
-- where you expect disco SPLs to happen at the lowest frequencies
-- and where you expect the lowest frequencies to be in the mid-to-upper teens (ie, 15 - 18 Hz). Subs that can go that low cost as much as a good used car & are worth the $$...

But for normal music listening, e110 is your friend.

It also has one considerable advantage over the Fathom: a filtered high pass output that goes from the sub to your power amp, carrying the main signal (for main speakers) sans all frequencies below 80 Hz. Believe me, this is an unusual feature. Unless you have a separate electronic crossover, or a receiver that does bass management, you will appreciate this feature.
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