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Adding a sub. - can i start with one?

I’m pretty happy with my setup I’ve assembled over the past year. However I feel I am missing some oomph and I find I am turning up the volume a lot. My space is big (converted barn) with 18 ft vaulted ceilings and about 700 sq ft of space with hardwood floors and minimal soft furniture. 
 

So I am thinking adding a sub woofer will help increase the bass and maybe give me more of the kick in the sound I’m used to in my old room and prior older speakers and amp. 
 

I’ve read that most people add 2 subs to a system instead of one. I’d prefer to spend the 2500 per side over time and just get one for now. What’s the thinking on one channel sub vs two and can I consider going from 1 to 2 later on as another upgrade?

daveinpa
bjp9738's avatar
bjp9738
67 posts
 

Yes, but two is almost always better.  And IME not just for larger rooms.  My room is on the small side and I have no single space that is best.  100Hz null here, 60 Hz null there.  Two (or more) subs in different locations helps smooth out the overall response.

If you do start with one, choose wisely in the sense that the make/model you choose now should be new enough in the lineup that it will still be available if/when you go to add the second one.  Not that you can't integrate non-matching subs, but it's much easier to integrate two of the same.

ryder
1,689 posts
 

In my limited experience, the best placement for a single sub is right in the middle between the speakers, not in one of the corners. I am aware that REL recommends the single sub to be placed in the corner of the room but I don’t follow. (I have the S/510)

jerryg123's avatar
jerryg123
3,429 posts
 

Sure why not?

tablejockey
3,893 posts
 

daveinpa-

As you can see, asking a seemingly simple question will never get a simple response back. Yes, no and maybe but...

A single sub properly setup will improve overall SQ-but it's subjective like EVERYTHING in audiophooland.

1:52 into the video. I experienced a couple of REL setups w/John Hunter. Even a single is quite convincing.

 

 

arafiq's avatar
arafiq
1,666 posts
 

One advice I can give, based on a recent personal experience, is to not skimp on subwoofer quality -- buy the best you can afford. Case in point: I used to have a single T9/i sub and added a second T9i after a few months. It definitely made an improvement but not as pronounced as I was hoping for. I then had an opportunity to buy a REL S/510, so I sold both my T9i's to help fund the purchase. I can tell you that a single S/510 was better (in my system) than the pair of T9s. It brought out more punch, nuance, authority, and a level of finesse that the T9's simply couldn't match. I now have two S/510's and couldn't be happier. If I could have afforded it, I probably would have gone for 812's ... but I do want to retire at some point :)

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