2-way speakers+ subwoofer vs 3-way speaker set

[admin_exported]

What is usually better: having a 2 way speaker (tweeter+woofer) and a subwoofer or having a 3 way speaker set (super tweeter+tweeter+woofer)? Moreover, will adding a subwoofer to 2-way speaker system make the speaker woofer act as a midrange?

TIA

 

[Anonymous]

a three way with tweeter, superweeter and bass driver , but a transmission line design ... bargains to be found on the old B&W DM2 speakers which are a good example

IMF used to make a 4-way transmission line design (IMF TLS50 and TLS80)... the transmission line gives you very good bass ...

just my opinion, and others may differ ... I'm old fashioned and prefer not to add an external dac or subwoofer to a hifi system

 

[wtaylorbasil]

I am of the old school Hi Fi. I thought my old Rogers Studio 1s had very good sound. Then I bought an IMF TLS 50 Mk 2s. It literally opened my ears to clean bass. I got hooked and bought the TLS 80 Mk 2s. What a joy to listen to the lower end sonics. Try Bela Fleck's Flight of the Cosmic Hippo, especially track 4. I felt the TLS 50s had to work very hard but the TLS 80s were full blooded and easy. Joy to listen. I also listen to High resolution SACD and DVD-A and must confess some of the multichannel (Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture etc. / Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops) makes me appreciate the pleasure my simple set-up givws. At the moment my Yahama RXV-363 Receiver drives the TL speakers but I intend to hook them up with retro Pioneer SA9100 or the SA 9800 I have a see what a difference it makes.

This post is a bit long in purpose just to invite others to share their experience and exchang ideas of what listening material each find most satisfaying.

Regards

William

 

[Anonymous]

Most people reckon 2 way speakers work best unless you have a very large room or a very large budget. I wouldn't use a subwoofer but invest the money in better 2 way speakers!

A 3way speaker is normally tweeter mid-range and bass cones. Of course you will get muich more bass and some people prefer floor mounted speakers for their looks! A sub woofer will still give you deeper bass especially for movies in a home cinema system.

 

[matthewpiano]

I like a large 2-way with big drivers and a sealed enclosure or a well executed 3-way. I would never use a subwoofer for music. I like the involvement that larger stand-mount speakers bring.

 

[scene]

5forwards:
What is usually better: having a 2 way speaker (tweeter+woofer) and a subwoofer or having a 3 way speaker set (super tweeter+tweeter+woofer)? Moreover, will adding a subwoofer to 2-way speaker system make the speaker woofer act as a midrange?

TIA

OK, I've got a pair of Monitor audio Silver 8i for Hi-Fi - Two bass drivers, rear ported in a separate internal cabinet, pretty much acting as a sub-woofer, with a tweeter and mid-range stop acting like a two-way. So in some way I've fudged the answer.

Two-ways tend to be very articulate, with fast response times and will sound tight and controlled. They tend to lack somewhat in power, and if you like loud music in a big room, then they may not have the oomph you want.

Adding a sub-woofer will add power, by will not make the speaker's woofer act as a mid-range, as that's not how it's been built and designed, even if you feed the signal through the woofer and feed through to the 2-ways from it. If it's not designed to work that way, you're likely to end up making the two way sound too weak. You'd be better to buy a sub-sat designed system.

However, if you want to add a sub-woofer to extend the low range and give more power, that may well work - but you'll get a tweeter-sub-sub system.

 

[drummerman]

matthewpiano: ... I would never use a subwoofer for music. ...

I used to think like you.