Dear Lewm: You are right, subs are a good answer and yes always exist trade-offs that in my case I decided for the powered subs trade-offs.
Now, in my system ( and you could make the same in yours. ) I have almost no trade-offs with the subs integration because I'm not using the usual crossover for my main speakers/amplifiers. An explanation of this:
my ML 20.6 monoblocks are coupled at the input by caps and what I did is to change the value of the input cap that along an input reistor ( by design. ) makes the high pass crossover with the advantage that that cap now is of a smaller value and the best teflon kind I found out. I don't have to modify the amplifiers designs but as a fact I improve it.
In that way the main speakers/amplifiers sees only frequencies from 78hz and up and below that crossover frequency the Velodynes takes the task wit its own integrated crossover.
I can tell you that works truly fine and with a huge improvement lowering the IMD in the main speakers. You need to test it this way and if you don't like it just come back to original status.
I know you have the knowledge and skills level to do it.
Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
Now, in my system ( and you could make the same in yours. ) I have almost no trade-offs with the subs integration because I'm not using the usual crossover for my main speakers/amplifiers. An explanation of this:
my ML 20.6 monoblocks are coupled at the input by caps and what I did is to change the value of the input cap that along an input reistor ( by design. ) makes the high pass crossover with the advantage that that cap now is of a smaller value and the best teflon kind I found out. I don't have to modify the amplifiers designs but as a fact I improve it.
In that way the main speakers/amplifiers sees only frequencies from 78hz and up and below that crossover frequency the Velodynes takes the task wit its own integrated crossover.
I can tell you that works truly fine and with a huge improvement lowering the IMD in the main speakers. You need to test it this way and if you don't like it just come back to original status.
I know you have the knowledge and skills level to do it.
Regards and enjoy the music,
R.