What ever sub you get make sure its adjustable because Id say some recording will like more boost then others.
Some recordings you will wan to keep clean, some need more boost and you wont care about the coloration just the punch
Add sub to 802D4s?
I’ve been thinking about adding a sub to my newish B&W 802D4s. They’re driven by a McIntosh 462. I love the tightness and quick response of the speakers, and I love the thump of the bass. I listen to mostly rock, new, old, alternative, and less often to chill, jazz or blues, piano or classical. I have a friend who is quite knowledgeable that thinks it’s a bad idea, as the speakers are very capable and well balanced, so a sub would not only be superfluous but counterproductive. Any experts here agree, or disagree?
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Two 12” subs nothing less. every octave lower requires 4 times the throw or surface area for the same SPL. Your speakers have 100in2 of surface area each and a single 12 has 113”in2. So really even larger would be better…
Anyone who thinks subs don’t matter either has very large top of the line (I mean top of the line) speaker or has failed to integrate them right. A well integrated sub never needed adjust on a track by track basis. |
@cmb13 Not certain where you are located but if you are anywhere near Sarasota, Florida, visit Suncoast Audio. I was there back in May 2023 for a visit and spent a few hours with Mike Bovaird the proprietor listening to some gear. In one of the main listening rooms he has a pair of B&W 800 series speakers (I think they are the 802D4). When I listened the speakers were powered with Block Audio SE monos as well as several other amps we switched between (video below of the room but not at the time I was there). Mike is a big advocate of subwoofers (2 or more) to smooth out bass response in the room. The effect of the subs seems subtle until they are turned off. The the soundstage shrinks, air around the instruments diminishes and the presentation justs seems less relaxed and musical. He uses B&W DB1B subs in this room but also for his personal system in support of Kharma DB11s speakers. I am personally sold on the idea and trying to figure out which subs (REL or B&W) to fit in the room.
Wherever you are located hopefully there is a dealer near by where you can listen to the impact of subs on 2 channel music and judge for yourself. |
Unless you plan on integrating your subs with some type of external crossover, preferably an active one, you will be throwing your money away by adding subs to your current system. If you are not planning on using an external crossover it is usually considered best to set the low pass filter on the sub approximately at the 6db down point of your main speaker which in your case would be somewhere below 17 Hz which is below the threshold of human hearing. With the exception of “chill” in the music you list, you are most likely not reproducing anything under 40 Hz and with chill you are probably not going much below 30 to 35 Hz so you are still above the the subs low pass filter setting. If you did set the low pass filter on the sub higher without a crossover you will very likely have major phasing issues in the overlapping frequency range between the sub and your mains making the bass in that region close to unlistenable. People recommend two to four subs because multiple subs very much smooth out the peaks and nulls that can be created by low bass that room treatment can not do as well, not to mention it takes tremendous power to reproduce very low bass. If you like to listen at loud volumes you would want a sub 12” or larger. Also plug any ports in the B & W’s if there are any. This is a good read if you are new to subs. |
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