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Speakers with bass response?

I have a decent speaker system, BW N804's but they seem a little bass shy at times, so I tried adding a sub, to see the difference. First; the BW asw500, real muddy at any volume, it's really designed for small HT, next was the BW asw1000, plenty of kick but no clarity or real "musicality", then I went up to their asw 2000, well, it occassionally added some musical low frequency, but muddy, and it seems to clip and pop at any volume. I wonder if I need different speakers to really get that bass I'm looking for, or will a good sub do it, or is it something else in my system?
Components: Classe CA300 amp, Classe cp50 pre-amp, pro-silway xlr interconnects, BW N.804's and the weak link: Technics CD.
joeb
joeb
buckingham
333 posts
 
I was in your position a couple of months ago. I had some B&W bookshelf speakers and wasn't happy with the bass response. Get an all-in one box speaker, don't go the sub route. You will be happier with stereo bass than just a sub. There are tonnes of great speakers in the 804 price range that have great bass and will kill the 804. Check the forums for speaker threads.
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
Buying a cheap sub with the N804s kind of defeats the purpose of buying good speakers. (Cheap bass sound) A REL Storm III or better is really needed.
dnlyko
26 posts
 
Sell the N and pick up Matrix 802 Series 3 for around 2500.00. You will have your bass and save some money. Do not get a sub. A DAC may be money better spent or a Rega CD player. IMO
2001impala's avatar
2001impala
102 posts
 
If you like the general sound of the 804s it would be dumb to give them up. Other speakers may offer better bass response but they won't sound the same. Go with sagarbrie's suggestion and also loose the technics player. It's an injustice to your speakers.

Damon
joeb OP
121 posts
 
thanks to all who offered advice. Of all the options, the best tweak, and best use of funds, is to get a good cd player. these speakers really are quite remarkeable in their price range, and I don't know of many speakers that can get that good of bass without jumping up quite a bit in price. Although there has been some good comparisons offered. These BW 804's offer execptional imaging, clarity
and depth of highs and midrange, and even good bass response, depending on the recording. but there is a bit of a trade off in "depth" and sound stage in the bass department. but again, this is a very subjective business.
thanks,
joeb
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