B&W 608 sub with AVI Neutrons

[kusum65]

Thinking about getting a small sub just for that extra octave of bass but this sound as easy as i once thought. Room positioning , integrating the front speakers and so on. The B&W 608 is small and reviewed as fast and punchy which sounds promising and i could demo the unit. Am i expecting to much for such a cheap sub?

Im not interested in the Neutron sub as i dont need the dac, amp etc.

This is specifically for two channel music and i just want a little extra depth and extension.

 

[ear]

such cheap? dont think so.

 

[kusum65]

I wouldnt say £340 is cheap but for music many audiophiles say you have to spend the best part of a grand on a top class REL to sound good . Ive never been a home cinema fan so no experience of subs so im totally blind here. All i know is i once owned B&W 602s and they went lower than the neutrons but were not as tight and clear.

 

[ear]

i have no experience with subs either.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I would try and stick to a sealed sub, as they tend to sound faster then ported ones. Only go for a ported one if you're after ultimate depth. A sealed sub will be easier to position in a room, and have a far more even in room response. The size of the sub won't matter too much if you're going to use it subtlely, as it will still add to what the AVi's do - mid/bass drivers on small bookshelf speakers aren't very effective below around 70/80Hz. And even if they were, they won't have the excursion or the area to get much below 50Hz. This what subs are designed to do.

 

[kusum65]

Thanks david, feel a bit more confidant about giving it a go. Can go to sevenoaks tomorrow if they are not to busy. The 608 is sealed i think but ill double check.

 

[ear]

the 608 is sealed isnt it? the bronze sub is also sealed?

 

[Frank Harvey]

It is sealed.

 

[kusum65]

My rotel 1062 amp has a pre out for power amp or sub use, would that be a good connection or should i budget for speaker wire and connect using high level speaker posts?

 

[Frank Harvey]

Passing the speaker cable through the sub will degrade the signal that reaches your speakers as it will be passing through the sub's filtering system - connect a stereo interconnect between the 1062 and the 608 for the best quality results, although this way does mean a little tweaking to get the crossover point set correctly on the sub.

 

[kusum65]

Thanks for the tip, been wondering about that one for a while. To adjust the crossover is it a matter of diong it by ear until it sounds right? I have read some complicated methods like reversing the phase on the front speakers which i found a little confusing.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Find some music with a bass sweep (or a test record) and set the crossover point to kick in were the speaker's bass starts to go quiet, or lose volume. As for volume, it's a case of getting the sub's volume correct in relation to the amplifiers (do this at your usual listening level). Start with the sub's volume down, then slowly bring it up until you can hear the sub, then take it back a bit so you can't hear it (best to get someone else to do this while you sit in the listening position). You want to use the sub in a subtle way - if the sub is intruding on the music, it's not set up correctly.

 

[kusum65]

Great, that sounds simple, just needs a bit of patience i presume. Is it advisable to invest in a riser or can i just plonk it on a rug?

 

[Frank Harvey]

You get the option of some rubber feet or spikes with the 608. I'd recommend the spikes as it will keep the sub more stable during use. I'd only use the rubber feet if you have a laminated floor.

 

[kusum65]

Ive got a bare wood floor

 

[ear]

million pound question: can these small subs give good sound in a big fast blast explosion in a movie?

 

[kusum65]

Only a guess here but the reviews of the 608 say it is low distortion and punchy so i imagine it would do a better job than something like a all in one system , Bose for example.

 

[ear]

good call

 

[Frank Harvey]

kusum65:Only a guess here but the reviews of the 608 say it is low distortion and punchy so i imagine it would do a better job than something like a all in one system , Bose for example.

As I said, that is a general description for sealed cabinet subwoofers