Will a subwoofer add depth and clarity to my system, or just bass?

Hello Jazz,

Beautiful speakers.  You have the thoughtfully matched stands.  I would not change a thing other than review placement and any 'treatment' you have in your listening area.  Maybe taming frequencies of 'higher' vocals and up might have the same effect from other end of the frequency spectrum.  Adding power is easy, but all that energy goes somewhere and not always in a productive way.

Speaker designers of "quality" brands take great pains in running standardized test batteries, anechoic chamber testing and rounds and rounds of reviewers (I could imagine) to sound natural and pensive on their own merits.  Adding a sub to B&W 805 speakers is another discussion I have seen often.  Bookshelf-size speakers are not intended to supplant full-range speakers, and additionally lack a mid-range separate.  Based upon the listening area, a smaller footprint has a great purpose in being a better match versus over-sized speakers that would generate too much unfocused sound pressure to be pleasing.

A question...

do you think that a subwoofer will still offer some benefits in enlarging
the soundscape and improving the sense of ambiance if combined
with some solid floor standers with a 30Hz (-3dB) bass?

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

racedoc,

Main thing to keep in mind is the difference between adding "a subwoofer" and adding several. I've had "a" sub as has Tim and others, and what we're all saying is there's a huge difference when going to the multiple sub/distributed bass array/swarm type setup. Your speakers go pretty deep already, but the value we're talking about is a lot more than that. In other words even if you gained zero in terms of extension and headroom (you will, but assume not for now) then you would still notice a lot of improvement just in terms of the bass being a lot more articulate, musical and lifelike. Its just hard to appreciate until you hear it because listening to only one or two subs in a system that's all you really get, a little more extension, a little more volume. With 4 you open a whole new dimension.

In terms of ambience and soundscape, there's two very different ways people hear or perceive that. There's the higher frequencies where timing is so important and we all pretty well get that part. But the way we perceive and interpret low frequencies is quite different in that timing hardly even matters its the speed and smoothness of the bass that counts. Smoothness comes from more sources that create more modes, which equates to faster bass.

What I'm hearing, or better experiencing because of this, is less like more/deeper bass than more/deeper immersion in the recording. You just feel more "in" the space than in your room.

So to answer your question no, I don't think that "a" subwoofer will do much for you. But three or four? Yes. Definitely.

Dear @skipskip :  """   'higher' vocals and up might have the same effect from other end of the frequency spectrum. Adding power is easy, but all that energy goes somewhere and not always in a productive way.  """

no it does not have the same effect, it has a way different efect nd when you add a pair of self powered subs wired in the system in true stereo fashion you don't do it just for " power " not at all.

The main target adding 2 subs is to reduce the IMD overall distortion levels developed in the main passive speakers, this is the main target and along that comes a better quality performance levels in the bass frequency range that no passive full range speakers can  gives you, no matter whats or whom is the name: Wilson, Magico, YG and the like: no matters.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/do-you-think-you-need-a-subwoofer/post?postid=310058#310058

To understand those statements and its real meaning you need to have first hand experiences about.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear @racedoc : Of course that adding two subs in true stereo fashion to your passive speakers will helps a lot to your whole room/system quality level performance. It’s not only about that " ambience/soundscape " but something integral to the overall system. Look could an audio system with the Wilson Alexandria speakers been improved with 2 added subs?, yes can be improved

Adding 2 self powered susbs means that your today main speakers will be converted in the satellites of your " new " speaker system: satellite speakers + 2 stereo subs, these are your new " speakers ". Obviously you need a high-pass filter to achieve that.

Please read the link I posted to skipskip gentleman.

Of course that if you want it in the future you can go from 2 subs to 3 or four subs but if those 2 subs are well integrated that could be all what you need for listening at your seat position. I don’t need evenly bass response at more than one seat position.

R.