Did you ever buy too much bass?


I talk a lot about bass and integration of subwoofers in a system and I realized that I need to hear more about the experiences auidphiles have when they go buy speakers and put them in a room.  Did you look at specs?  Did you audition in the home?  Did you end up with too little or too much bass compared to what you were expecting??

erik_squires

Subwoofers have adjustable crossovers and volume. The easiest thing to do is to set them too high. If properly adjusted, no you cannot have too much, within reason. The best bass is achieved with four subwoofers carefully placed to avoid standing waves.. this is typically mid wall on all sides… there are some great videos on the physics of this.
 

Most important rule… if you can hear them they are way too loud. They will completely screw up the imaging and soundstage if too loud. Poorly placed they will do no good.

I have gone through alot of subwoofers in my system and integration takes time if done right. For me to make it easier, I have used REW but I have used mostly A software called Smaart. Using the software just made easier if you know how to use it.  Currently I am not using a sub since my Vandersteen 2ci has adequate bass response for the size of my room.

I always have used subs in conjunction with crossovers, including LP for subs and HP for mains. Given level adjustments and room compensation, I can always make the subs undetectable (except for more solid bass).

Recently, I added 2 more subs. After many iterations I’m highly pleased with it. The bass FR is even at the sweet spot and now at other listening spots as well. When I have guests and I take a different seat, I now hear what they are hearing.

Four hefty subs would be too much for my 20 x 13 ft room without all the DSP.

I use Anthem’s ARC, which required a little tweaking with my 2 JL Audio F112, but considerably more after adding two SVS SB-3000. Once I reduced the LP filter for the subs from 130 Hz to 105 Hz, the sound was excellent. HP to the mains is 65 Hz. I don’t know why ARC sets them different from one another, but with subs that rolled off quicker on top, that worked fine; once I added the SVS, which play higher, it didn’t.

The only complaint I ever have about "too much bass" involves the recording, not my system.  There are a few recordings out there where they got really carried away.

IMO people us subs for the wrong reason. I do not want my sub to add mud to the mix. I like my bass tight fast and articulate. I also like my “powered” sub to add weight in the mid range of my mix so I set the crossover very high. Think about it even all good amps can’t always add that extra power when the mix is asking for it. This is when the amp in the sub can come to the rescue lending a helping hand where the main amp is asking for it. Play around with your sub this way. I am a rock guitar heavy listener. Love me a good Gibson with distorted hummbuckers. With my sub crossed high it adds weight or balls to the guitar like a punch to my gut. This is what I like about Rel as they have great a b amps. Would love for a manufacture to try a pure class a sub amp but with needing 250 to 500 watts you would need your own nuclear generator powering your home and heat sinks the size of my suv.