Searching for matching(?) Subwoofer solution


Hi folks,

I have a relatively new setup in my home office (12' x 14' with hardwood floor) and am seeking recommendations for a subwoofer solution.

Speakers: Ologe 5
Preamp:    Bryston P26 
Amp:         Forte 1A
Budget:     Flexible but just want something to provide a good match for the above components.
Music:       Mostly Classical and Jazz.  Some rock, some fusion.
Source:     Well, that's something else I am seeking advice on too and will post under the appropriate discussion topic

Problem is none of the local Hi Fi shops here in the Boston area have any experience with, let alone heard of Ologe speakers.  Couldn't get any recommendations there.

Has anyone owned or at least listened to these speakers? Or any of the other Ologe speakers?
The Ologe site (http://www.ologe-acoustic.com/) features a subwoofer called Ologe 20 at USD $8550.  
Just wanted to look into alternatives before dropping over 8 grand on the Ologe 20.
 I am open to but don't know much about subwoofer swarms.

I am not looking for anything overkill.  Just a subwoofer solution to nicely complement my somewhat modest home office system.

Thanks,
H
hleeid
Hello Hans,

     I just wanted to let you know that taking any of tyray's advice on his last post is done at your own peril.  There's so much bad advice and false information in his post that it would take me hours to catalog them all and explain each of them to you.  Unfortunately, I don't currently have the time to do this.  So, I suggest you're better off just disregarding his entire post
     He obviously lacks the knowledge and experience required to be giving good information or advice to anyone about attaining good in-room bass response performance.  I believe he just doesn't know what he doesn't know.
     From what I could learn online, your Ologe 5 are high quality speakers that are just lacking high quality low frequency output below about 48 Hz.
    I have no doubt that your overall office system sound quality performance will be significantly improved by a single good quality sub, properly positioned and configured, since it will provide the missing frequency range from 20 to about 50 Hz.  But my experience is that 2 subs will sound twice as good as 1 sub and 3-4 subs will sound twice as good as 2. 
     The reasons multiple subs perform so well is due to the total bass output duties being shared so that no single sub is operating near its limits, the combined bass power and impact being increased, there being increased power reserves for better bass dynamics and the presence of multiple points in the room producing bass results in the perception of smoother and faster bass response that better integrates or blends with the main speakers' midrange and treble output.
    In your situation, I would describe your choice as between good, better or best.  In other words, between 1 sub, 2 subs or 3-4 subs. 
     If you're currently unsure or don't want to take a risk, I'd suggest a good way to begin is with 2 SVS SB1000 subs, 2 SVS PB1000 subs or one of each because I'm certain this type of sub setup will deliver significantly better overall sound quality performance,  costs $1,000 or less with no shipping costs, allows a 45-day free in-office trial period and, if not completely satisfied with their performance, offers a full refund with free return shipping.  
     I understand you've decided to take some time to get your room straightened out.  When you're ready and whichever option you eventually choose, however, I'm still willing to help you with step by step procedures for optimum sub hookup, positioning and the setting of sub volume, crossover frequency and phase settings.  Just send me a pm when you're all set.

Later,
Tim

    
  
Dear @cleeds   @noble100  @hleeid : Atmasphere that has first hand experiences on the overall recording proccess posted in other thread what oput true ligth on that mono/stereo subs issue:

"""  Its not so much the limitations of the format as it costs a lot of money to pay an engineer to work a way around "out of phase bass". If you spend the time with the recording, you can usually find a way to master it without having to process it. But that takes time and at $500/hour most often bass processing is used. This is a simple circuit that senses when bass is out of phase and makes it mono below about 80Hz for a few milliseconds until the event has passed. This makes mastering LPs less expensive!
But CDs do exist where out of phase bass exists. This can happen because a microphone is out of phase with the rest of the recording when a bass guitar or bass drum is recorded. For this reason, the recording engineer has a phase inversion switch on every channel of his mixer but he may not have thought to use them.

If the recording is done in its entirety with only two mics, out of phase bass will not exist.  """

In the other side we can think that we can't be aware the direction where are generated  fundamental frequencies as low of 40hz-20hz or even lower.

Well certainly not through our ears but a human been not only hear through the ears but from all body: ears, skin, bones, skin hairs, head hair and the like. The skin hairs are truly sensitive to very low bass frequency and we have a fenomenal transducer name it brain.
So we can be totally sure we can't identify direction of very low bass frequencies.

Now, I read through the AK site the quality myths about low bass range and I disagree with.

When we are talking of two channels system MUSIC dedicated listen quality of the subs drivers and the overall subs design is way important because MUSIC start with the fundamental frequency but what we really listen is where MUSIC belongs that are the harmonics of that fundamental frequency/note and those harmonics will be developed with the quality level depending of the quality level of the fundamental note reproduced by the susb.
Harmonics are what put the color and rythm in live MUSIC and home systems. As better quaklty be the subs as better will be the room/system experiences we have.

The first 3-4 harmonics are the ones due its SPLs the ones normally we can listen but the 7-8 or even up harmonics puts some kind of small/tiny " colorations " to what we are perceiving.

So we can't disgard the quality of the subs. Not all drivers and driver materials has the same qualiity level that's why manufacturers choose diffrenet build materials from different metalic ones to kevlar or puilp-paper. Obviously that the amp and crossover electronic quality design and quality parts are very important too.

In a two channels MUSIC only normally we are looking for quality  because the main speakers have a high quality levels and if the harmonics developed by the subs are not at same quality level then we can't really enjoy the listening experiences.

@hleeid  , first determine where you can get the best ubication for your speakers through listening tests. Where do you achieve the best listening experiences in the mid/high frequency range? and after that it will be more easy to find out ( by tyesting it. ) the two self powered subs you need.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.


Finger mistake: "" So we can be totally sure we can’t identify direction of very low bass frequencies. """

must says:

We can’t be totally sure we can’t identify source direction of very low bass frequency range .

Additional to what I posted we have to remember that our body/skind body is full  ( by mm2. ) of nervous terminations that not only sense temperature or pain but SPLs level too and are really sensible about.

R.
Dear @noble100 : After reading your last post that I was unaware of I only can say that you are incredible?/terrible man, because before your post you posted to me:

" that I agree with you and then request you just cut it out. ""

even that the OP already posted he use his system only for MUSIC two chnnels experiences you insist in that the best " room bass response " ( 4 subs. ) when what the OP needs is only good bass response at one seat position, nothing else. Got it?

You posted in reference to other gentleman:

""" disregarding his entire post
He obviously lacks the knowledge and experience required to be giving good information or advice to anyone about attaining good in-room bass response performance .... """

I proved with your own statements/words that you neither has that knowledge levels you think you have but even that fact you diminished the opinion of that gentleman. Go figure ! ! !

Again, even the AK designer/owner from where came your 4 bass array configuration posted in this same forum that two subs for two channel stereo MUSIC are ENOUGH. But you follow/insist entilted in : " one solution good for all " and you ask for I cut about ! ? ! ? ! ? and till now you just do not understand why quality subs levels is so critical/vital to listen MUSIC ONLY ( not HT as you. ) in two channels room system at one seat position to blend to the mid/high one position frequency ranges.

QUALITY not quantity as you like. QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY , tha’s the name of the game. You are totally wrong not only because your 4 bass array but because you are accustomed to very very low quality levels in your room/system.

First learn and listen to room/system with top quality performance levels before following making posts with your true bs information.

Maybe you have some personal limitations that preclude your understanding about. Sorry for you.

R.




Hello rauliruegas,

     Regarding bass phase and recordings not done with only 2 mics or CDs with out of phase bass, my opinion is that we really have no control over that and can't do anything about it except avoid listening to poorly recorded music content.

     Regarding whether we can localize bass under 80 Hz using our ears and brains or any other body parts, I know I can often feel sharp 55 Hz strikes on a kick drum with my body but it doesn't inform me where it came from within my system soundstage. I believe I perceive the kick drum, that I can feel and hear, as being located in the rear center of my system soundstage because of the higher frequency harmonics/overtones of the 55 Hz fundamental tone, that reach above 80 Hz that we are able to localize, and our brains are able to relate or associate them to the fundamental tone of the kick drum strike and determine its location within my system soundstage.  In other words, we are only able to localize fundamental bass tones with frequencies below 80 Hz if the harmonics/overtones related to that fundamental deep bass tone that are above 80 Hz are also heard, usually through both of our main speakers.
     I understand this is a complex thought to convey and I hope you understand what I wrote.
     I don't consider this true stereo deep bass but rather what I've termed Psychoacoustic Phenomenon Psuedo Stereo Deep Bass.

    I agree with you that using better quality subs will only improve the quality of bass reproduced.  I think this is true whether one uses a single sub or multiple subs.

Tim