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Have you moved away from full range to standmount speakers + subs?

I want to know if you have been on a journey moving from a large full range speaker to a smaller one paired wit subs, maybe even four subs.


Maybe you moved away from the big speakers because you had too much bass or you got a better soundstage from the smaller speakers. Let me know what motivated you and if you think it’s better now.


My motivation for wanting to try smaller speakers.


I have the Tekton DI and until a month ago I was using a LM845P SET amp to drive them.

It only sounded good on simple jazz and vocals but on complex music everything was falling apart.

I am not playing loud but I think it was the low 2 ohm load in the midrange that made the LM break down.


I bought a used PS Audio BHK250 and pre and it was like getting new speakers. Never ever had it occurred to me that speaker and amp matching could have such a profound effect.


So I am enjoying my speakers now and listen to music I have avoided like the plague and enjoying it (:


But all of this got me thinking, what if I paired my LM845P with an easy to drive speaker and paired it with some subs?


Then the LM845 could do what it's best at, playing glorious midrange and the subs could play the bass.

So that's my motivation for trying smaller speakers.


I am also hoping that maybe I could get better and more even bass with 2 or 4 subs. Maybe a better soundstage because the small speakers have a very small baffle.

martin-andersen
perazzi28's avatar
perazzi28
234 posts
 
The question for consideration has an undefined variable.... space.  I have moved locations and away from a large dedicated listening room to a home with a much smaller listening room...being just over 12'L x 11+'W with a trayed ceiling nearly 11' H.
My floor-standing speakers went to our HT room.  I ordered W-B Vertex that are 2-way on integrated stand mounted loudspeakers which are -2dB at 44Hz.  The mid/base driver is direct coupled to the amplifier with a 2nd order crossover to the tweeter at 5K Hz.  Imaging, soundstage, dynamics and details are quite amazing.  I've been augmenting the bass with a JL Audio f112.  I play both vinyl and digital music files.
I just took delivery of the W-B Torus system last evening and will unpack them today.  This should solve any integration issues and improve an already overachieving system.
So, the short answer is definitely yes, moving to a 2-way speaker system with subs can be much more desirable.  It just depends on the acoustic space and the way you execute it.

babedo
2 posts
 
Proac Tablettes (choose your edition) and and REL sub or 2 will make you very happy without bloated bass. 
wolfie62
353 posts
 
This question started being asked as far back as 1948, re: subs+satellites.

LOTS of articles in the 1950s. Subs+satellites are very efficient for room sizing/placement. They don’t require impossible “best placement” that large boxes/baffles get you into. And they don’t cause you to erect a “my shrine to the Audio Gods” in your house/listening room.
tony1954's avatar
tony1954
1,076 posts
 
I have Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand SE speakers (4ohm) which are towers with a relatively small footprint (8.5” x 13.5" x 38.25”).    

Originally I was driving them with  Simaudio Moon Neo 220i (80 wpc) and no subwoofer.   

I recently switched to a Musical Fidelity M6si (400 wpc) and a 4 subwoofer distributed bass array.   

The improvement in overall sound quality was orgasmic.     


jerryrocks's avatar
jerryrocks
63 posts
 
As stated by many, the room is the key. For mine, Magico A5's and a B&W DB3D placed behind the rack with each driver pointed at the side walls provide the best sound. Power is tube pre and amp. Sourced with VPI Aries and the experience continues to delight.
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