Do you think you need a subwoofer?

Dear Goatwuss: I'm sorry for my mistake about your REL question, the problem was not my english but my unknow REL concept about subs: but now I understand how the REL subs work.

I think that you can't run the RELs on true stereo fashion, but if exist that alternative it really does not help to a stereo sound reproduction because it dos not roll-off ( take-off ) the low bass from your main speakers.

The REL desing only cover one of the objectives of a subwoofer: better quality/quantity low end. Its use is more for HT than for a true stereo home aplications, it can't really help here.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Hi Doug: Do you think you need subwoofers? what is your opinion about?

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Rauliruegas...It happens that I have a spectrum analyser in my system, and can therefore give sure answers about frequency response.

The Maggie 1.6 low end rolls off rapidly around 40 Hz, which is exactly what Magneplanar says. For most music their low end sounds better than you would expect because it is very smooth, and the planar format means that SPL is quite uniform throughout the room (at least in my room).

My SW systems exhibit flat SPL to 1250 Hz. (And they are flat to 20 Hz). This is when driving them with a full range white noise signal. However, if you drive them with a swept-frequency tone, distortion becomes evident around 400 Hz. So the SPL is there at 1000Hz, but some of it is harmonic distortion.

Advocates of small drivers may find it hard to believe that a 15" driver can do 400 Hz or higher. Actually it is not the size (mass) of the cone that matters, but rather the ratio of the motor power to the cone mass. My 15" driver has a 4" voice coil, and about 20 pounds of magnet, driven by 600 watts, so it is not at all surprising that it can perform well up to 400 Hz. I also have a set of JBL LE15A drivers (used in some of their classic top-of-the-line systems) and they are good for 800Hz (but they won't do much below 30 Hz).

About the 200 to 300 Hz crossover...this is just for certain types of music, most notably theatre organ, but also brass bands and massed choral music. There is no way that three MG1.6 can deliver the impact of six big cones.

4yanx...The integral subwoofer that you describe in the Vandersteens is a very good approach. What you end up with is a four-way system. A passive crossover for a three way system is a tough design job, and a four way would be worse, hence the use of the electronic crossover and separate power amp. Also the inductor and capacitor values that would be needed for a passive SW crossover are large and expensive. Last, but not least, the all-in-one aspect has definite cosmetic benefits.

The only drawback that comes to mind is that the SW enclosure size is probably less than what you could use for a separate SW. When I built a tower system with integral powered SW I used the "isobaric" design (two drivers mounted one behind the other in a short tunnel) so as to cut the enclosure volume requirement in half.

Dear Eldartford: Tks for the Maggies info and ¡congratulations! you really do a great job with your self-design subwoofers.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.