Subwoofer


A couple of days ago I was talking to a dealer and he said that all speakers benefit from adding a subwoofer. What's are your thoughts? 
ricred1

All speakers? That’s a blanket statement which implies the person making the statement has heard all speakers with and without subwoofers.


That said, IME, I have generally preferred systems which properly use a subwoofer than those that do not. However, a poorly implemented subwoofer can do more harm than good.


In my own system, I use a pair of Vandersteen 2Wq subs with the battery biased MHP5 crossovers. I will never let go of these high-value, highly underrated subwoofers, no mater which speakers I will own. My mains extend into the low 30Hz range on their own, but when dialed-in properly, the Vandy subs are simply stunning in their ability to fill out the lowest octave, add depth and width to the soundstage, and produce a wonderful foundation for the rest of the range. YMMV.

bondmanp,
I think what he was saying is, no matter what the listed frequency response of a speaker is, in his experience all speakers benefit from using a sub.
The question is, will spending an equivalent amount on better speakers yield similar results as adding a sub?
The beauty of a subwoofer is in it's ability to be placed in the best location for your room . Your mains are restricted in a fixed immovable location due to a triangle listening setup .
the difficult part of subwoofers is not messing up the upper bass, lower midrange...
If you want helicopters in your listening/TV room, a sub is wonderful. I have experimented for years and prefer no sum except when required for extra bass impact. All salesmen say that anything they sell helps.