Speakers or Amplifier

What is it that has you so put off by subs? True, they are challenging to integrate perfectly seamlessly, but when done well, they offer compelling LF potentially at a fraction of what could be attained by a larger, more expensive speaker.

If you are set against subs, then you will have to change your speakers to achieve a sea change in bass. Swapping amps will give you some benefit potentially, but the twin 7" drivers simply are not capable of massive LF. This is true regardless of the brand. Having reviewed and owned speakers with bass drivers from 7-8" through 15" to obtain the LF you want, and at a quality you want, you will have to move up substantially in the cost of the upgrade, likely, and go to no less than a 10", and very preferably a 12" or 15" bass driver. Doing so, you will get your bass!

However, unless you do your homework, there is no assurance that the outcome will supersede that of adding quality subs to your current speakers.

When you say you want more bass I'm assuming that you mean more defined bass: that you want to hear more of what's going on instead of what I call 'musical smoke'.

I'm in the 'try different cabling' camp and encourage you to try out a pair of Darwin Ascension Plus ICs. They may still be on sale for the price of regular Ascensions. The detail, definition and see-through in the bass range is simply stunning, which aids in increase in extension.

All the best,
Nonoise

Thanks to everyone for their input. I have confirmed that I can connect subs through my M1 DAC and will be ordering a JL Audio F112. If I feel it integrates well, I will order another one.

Hi Richard, Here is a different opinion... Your Bricasti DAC is not yet broken in. I recommend that you stay put until the unit has at least 800 hours on it... Its bass performance is bound to change in one direction or another, and finally stabilize in a spot quite different from where it is now.

Once Bricasti is stable, you can assess with better accuracy how much bass is missing if any, and what to do about it.

If you upgrade speakers or amp right now, you will just end up in a different spot of the eternal audiophilic upgraditis merry-go-round... Still dissatisfied, just in a different way from right now.

G.

04-13-15: Ricred1
I have confirmed that I can connect subs through my M1 DAC and will be ordering a JL Audio F112.

Yes, that should work fine with your particular equipment, with respect to the signal interfaces that are involved. The M1's balanced and unbalanced outputs are driven from independent output stages, so addition of the sub won't have any effect on the main signal path. Also, the M1's output stages have very low output impedances, so driving the relatively low 10K input impedance of the F112's unbalanced inputs (which you will be using, given that your Rowland amp provides just balanced inputs) won't be a problem. And the optical isolation the F112 provides for its unbalanced inputs should eliminate any possibility of ground loop issues that might otherwise arise.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al