Bookshelf speaker pairing with subwoofer

Why limit yourself to bookshelf speakers? There are slim floorstanders that have a similar size footprint. The advice to seal the ports is solid, better still is buy sealed speakers. You obviously intend to use subs which is the best way to get great sound but they should be sealed too. A ported sub is a lot more difficult to blend in and if you don't have variable phase then almost impossible.

A port resonates at just one frequency and there is no way to tune short of changing it's length, it's another invariant bass source and just presents problems.  With sealed speakers and sealed subs, which must have variable phase you'll be able to position the subs almost anywhere and dial them in for a nice smooth response. It helps to measure the room. REW and a microphone will get you there.

I hope your RELs don't only have 0 - 180 phase switch because you will spend all your time trying different placings.

@tony1954 you may not have a lot of experience w/bookshelf speakers, but you sure nailed it by getting the ATC SCM19s.

@desktopguy 

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

HAH!

(wait--I thought it was three times a day)

Dear Sir;

Bandwidth limiting, use a high pass filter.  Don't send all the bass to the satellite speakers.  Let the sub do the bottom octaves(20 to 40, 40 to 80hz.).  Intermodulation distortion from the satellite bass/midrange driver will be reduced resulting in clearer sound especially at higher sound presure levels (SPL).  Trying to guess the crossover point(blending) without measuring equipment is not good methodology.  I used woofers in the past without a high pass filter and was never able to obtain good results.  The sub I now use contains a high pass filter and I get good results from all my speakers(12 pairs) ported or not.

Hope this helps

Have a good one

Macguy audiophile since 1973