Why are subwoofers so polarizing?

I now see clearly and correctly now.

Because they are often problematic to get set up well and essentially an optional accessory and not necessarily always a core part of a good sounding system.

There are three scenarios one can follow regarding subwoofers:

1) pass on the lowest octave of sound and get the rest working really well, which is typically the easiest approach to getting good sound.

2) buy a more "full range" design that can cover the lowest octave alone (essentially subwoofer is already integrated by the designer)

3) buy a separate sub and set it up/integrate it yourself.

Options 2) and 3) both of which address the lowest octave by design can be a challenge to get set up really well in any particular room.

So really its all that is involved to get the lowest octave of sound working right along with all the rest that is a challenge in general. SUbs just provide a separate device, but the problem is still often the same and may or may not be any easier to solve case by case.

There is no simple one size fits all solution. Does that make it "polarizing" maybe?

Mapman, well said.

While some manufactures are offering more and better subwoofer equalization to aid in subwoofer installation and improve integration with the main system there is still an amount of effort involved.

On the other hand taking the time and making the effort can reward the user not only with a seamless integration but a much better understanding of the relationship between their room and extra low frequency.

So the answer to sub integration is making adjustments by listening. Who knew? Also, note that bass information differs infinitely relative to the recording, so I suggest continued listening and finding a way for easy adjusting. I have an easily accessable Chicken Head knob on my REL's level pot (no need to mess with the range pot...so the chicken head is free of range...get it?) and it is needed for the aforementioned differences. Not much, not aleays, but needed. If you don't think you need to adjust a sub, it's either run at very low level or you don't mind Peter Washington's hotly mixed double bass knocking the paintings off the wall and prompting the neighbor to come over to shoot you (this may even be legal in Florida). A friend just bought a digital room correction gizmo and likes it but noticed he has to turn his sub up when using the gizmo, but then he's not a very mixing intuitive...this (clinically known as Knob Turner Syndrome) issue could be common among many and goes far to explain why some people can't adjust audio parameters easily, and explains why I'm overpaid to mix live music.

When I use a sub, I try to set it so it sounds right with the more bass heavy recordings first. That means it may do little or nothing with other recordings that do not have much going on in the lowest octave. IT seems to be a reasonable and relatively easy strategy to take that works well for me. The goal is to help when appropriate but not try to make something out of nothing if its not there in the first place. Good full range recordings can benefit greatly from a well set up sub, but many recordings may benefit just marginally or not much at all really.