can subwoofers make things worse?


What tiny subwoofer should i mate with my Aerial 5T? I have a small room with very little space to put a subwoofer. I am very happy with my current sound, but I've read that adding the missing bottom end to stand mounts can add enjoyment).

I've been reading about:
1) Kef Kc62 (very expensive)
2) Rel T5X
3) SVS 3000 Micro
4) Do nothing because they aren't good enough and will make things worse.

Anyone own any of these or have an educated opinion?

(Associated equipment: Parasound Hint 6 integrated, Bluesound Node 2).

 

epz

The tools you need are DSP EQ and measurements.  Additionally, high pass filters and plugging ports in the main speakers, along with bass traps can also highly improve the integration and benefits of a sub, but the EQ and measurements alone are the minimum required to ensure any sub can go in without turning the room into a horrible sounding mess.

I picked up on this linkj reading  Audiogon.   His argument is that subwoofers are inherently out of phase alignment with the speakers.     Its worth checking out.

https://soundoctor.com/whitepapers/subs.htm

His argument is that subwoofers are inherently out of phase alignment with the speakers.

That’s why subs have phase adjustment.  Duh.

They certainly can make things worse! They can also make it much better if it’s dialed in correctly and time aligned with the mains. Also the type of bass. If you have a tight fast sub with a lazy bass speaker it will probably not blend well and vice versa.