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Honest Experience on Effects of Subwoofer Please

I have read countless of threads on people’s experiences with subwoofers but am still confused. Although I don’t have any experience with high quality music subwoofers, I have been using a decent sub in my audio system for the past 18 years or so. The sub went in and out of the systems and various rooms throughout the years as I was not convinced if the sub was contributing anything to the system. At times I felt I could hear an improvement and at other times I thought the sub wasn’t doing anything. If I bump up the volume and crossover frequency on the sub to hear a larger impact, it’s overly done.

I am aware that a proper set up and/or quality of subwoofer is crucial to ensure a successful implementation of the sub(s) in a system. Let’s just assume that everything is done properly.

To cut to the chase, do people hear a small or appreciable difference with subwoofers, or it’s a big night and day difference? I know everyone’s expectations are different but I’m reading different opinions and experiences on this forum. For the first time in 15 years, I am considering a sub upgrade and have been in communication with the sub maker and dealer. I just wanted to get a clearer picture on the situation.

So, coming back to the question, just two questions;

1. Do people hear a small or appreciable difference with subwoofers, or it’s a big night and day difference?

2 Do subwoofers just fill up the missing deep bass below say 40Hz or 35Hz where the main speakers won’t reproduce, or they will also augment the mid bass and upper bass by producing a punchier sound with better kick, heft and dynamics? The drums or kick drums are usually in the region of the midbass and upper bass, not low bass.

Posts like the one below taken from another thread make me confused.

 

ryder
tony1954's avatar
tony1954
897 posts
 

Adding a distributed bass array consisting of three Rel subs and one SVS sub, corrected 90% of the issues I had with the low end in my system. The low end became "real", instead of uneven and limp. Previously I tried adding one sub, but it did very little to fix what was wrong. Do some research on distributed bass arrays (swarms) and consider this as an option.

delm
54 posts
 

The high pass filter is important to reduce the load on the mains (which are not handling the low frequencies well) and to better blend the subs with the mains.  Use a calibrated microphone and computer software, eg REW, to setup the sub positions, crossovers, levels, and phase. Be careful how the high pass filter is implemented.  If your mains are revealing you may need better than op amp circuits. A single stage passive works for me.

soix
8,729 posts
 

Absolutely night and day.  You either have a crap sub or don’t have it set up properly.  Filling out bass is only one aspect a good sub provides — it also improves imaging, expands the soundstage, and enhances an overall sense of space.  The effect is such that when the sub(s) is turned off the entire soundscape collapses significantly.  If you’re not experiencing this then you haven’t experienced what a good sub setup can do. 

lak's avatar
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lak
4,537 posts
 

Some excellent articles/videos here:

 

erik_squires
15,779 posts
 

A properly integrated sub, set up at 80 Hz or so, can be glorious.  As you have discovered however, it's hard to do well for everyone. It also matters what speakers you start with. 

Subs should do a few things:

  1. Improve dynamic range when the main speakers are high passed
  2. Give you extension to the lowest octaves
  3. Reduce distortion of the main speakers, espeically when those are 2-way speakers

Properly integrated a subwoofer should not make itself known, but the stereo should sound like it's capable of enormous, effortless sound. However, having said this, it is vitally important to measure where you are stating from, becuase the -3 dB points of speakers don't mean s**t when you get them in a room.

 

 

 

 

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