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2 subs in a small room?

I recently added a REL T/5i sub to my system and have been very happy with the results.  Integration was a breeze and I am now more engaged in my music than ever.  So of course being a typical audiophile, I got to thinking if 1 sub sounds this good will 2 sound even better?  The challenge is my room.  Its very small at 9' w x 10' l x 9' h.  The back wall is about 3' high, above which it opens up to the rest of my house.  I have bass traps in this room.  Right now, using just 1 sub, my freq response from 20-1000hz is +- 2db with a -4db dip at 200hz and a +4db hump at 40hz.  Not perfect but my system still sounds amazing.

I know the general consensus is a second sub will sound better but I am concerned with the size of my room.  Will adding a second sub in such a small space over power it or will it actually help to smooth out nodes?


128x128tboooe
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,464 posts
 
" These days, I use Audyssey. It’s certainly not an audiophile approved method, "

Which audiophile approval board is that again?

They may be too busy listening to fuse directions.  :^)

FWIW I approve any practical solution that works. Doesn’t matter what others think as long as it works for you. 
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Tbooe 

If my understanding of Dirac is correct, it should be a breeze to integrate a pair of subs.  If you're not using it yet, you may find that your existing, single sub set-up sounds much improved.
lancelock
1,099 posts
 
I have a 13.5 X 13.5' listening room and decided to bring up my JL  Audio e110 sub from the basement HT system to hear what it sounded like. It helped greatly, so I bought a second sub and have no regrets. I do have DIY bass traps in all 4 corners now and the crossovers on the subs turned down, just filling in the bottom octave. The biggest impact in my system so far.
tboooe's avatar
tboooe OP
1,009 posts
 
lancelock, may i ask where you placed the second sub relative to the first?  I understand the second one should not be placed in the same mirrored location.  
perfectpathtech's avatar
perfectpathtech
236 posts
 
I recently went from a single to stereo pair of subs, wanted to move more air, what I was not prepared for was the startling effect on midrange to high frequencies! More detail, wider stage, no joke it was jaw dropping. The explanation I found was there is a phase shift from summing 2 channels into one sub, or mono, masking information, had I known this years ago would have done a pair right from the start I second meerzistar's advice!   

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