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will adding a subwoofer improve overall audio

hi. my question is: will adding a subwoofer to my audio system improve overall performance, soundstage, clarity, etc. my system is: jm labs focal 918's(8' triangle between speakers, and away from listening chair), bat amp and pre amp, rega saturn cd player, running springs power conditioner, jps audio interconnects, kimber kable speaker cable. i have a small listening room, and am thinking the sub would help. also, any sub recomendations? i'm thinkin rel, jl audio, or b&w. thanks for the input, gil
gilman6125
jp1208
502 posts
 
I have Electra 936's and 2 JL Audio F113's and it is a HUGE improvement. I would have never bought these subs from reading posts or reviews. What I was reading however made me find some to demo. These add a great deal of depth and you will feel like you have different speakers once dialed in. They handle the higher frequencies with extreme control so don't be afraid to cross these over at 80hz. The sub also hides well at these higher crossover points. I think you would be impressed with the F113. The Velodyne DD18 gets my vote as well but the JL fit my area.
ryder
1,690 posts
 
I have never been able to listen to any bookshelf speakers with woofers less than 5" on their own and always use a subwoofer to fill up the low registers. Yes, a subwoofer will make a huge difference to the overall sound especially if your speakers are small monitors or bookshelves with small drivers. Just make sure the subwoofer is of certain quality or standard and the setting-up is done correctly and you would be in for a treat.
jp1208
502 posts
 
I have tried running my mains (JM Lab 936) in full range with the JLA f113's. It did not work out as well. It seems that taking the strain off the amps opens things up in the upper mids and highs and these subs do a better job from 80 on down. More depth and very full.
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