Bass quality from a subwoofer vs a bookself of comparable size

npxavar

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One of the reasons bought my Oberon 3's are for their low end, expecting that I would get the coveted "doesn't need a subwoofer" experience. Paired with the Cambridge Audio CXA80 it gives well controlled and full-sounding (without frequency dips) bass at all volumes. In the beginning I tried to combine it with my small 7" subwoofer but it didn't seem to add much to the sound.

A few days a go I combined the subwoofer with the 4" PC speakers just for the fun of it and the bass impact blew me away! Both the Oberon 3's and the Nubert subwoofer have a 7" woofer. Despite the bass being tight and well-defined in the case of the Oberon 3's it lacked the impact, which is generous in the case of the subwoofer. You cannot attribute it to the subwoofer having a Class D amp of 500W, it actually has a Class A/B amp with 100W RMS/150W peak. The Cambridge Audio CXA80 delivers 120WRMS per channel at 4Ohms, so you can't attribute the change to a more powerful amplifier or a different amplification class. Weight is another story though, 13kg for the subwoofer, 6kg each for the bookselfs, as is port dimensions: in the case of the subwoofer the port is around twice as wide and twice as deep and down firing.

Looks like if you focus the design of the speaker to the reproduction of low notes you can achieve way more than is possible with full-range speakers. Maybe floorstanders with internal cabinet isolation between the woofer and midrange drivers perform better, i.e. deliver the impactful sound that even a small subwoofer can have.
 
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One of the reasons bought my Oberon 3's are for their low end, expecting that I would get the coveted "doesn't need a subwoofer" experience. Paired with the Cambridge Audio CXA80 it gives well controlled and full-sounding (without frequency dips) bass at all volumes. In the beginning I tried to combine it with my small 7' inch subwoofer but it didn't seem to add much to the sound.

A few days a go I combined the subwoofer with the 4' PC speakers just for the fun of it and the bass impact blew me away! Both the Oberon 3's and the Nubert subwoofer have a 7' inch woofer. Despite the bass being tight and well-defined in the case of the Oberon 3's it lacked the impact, which is generous in the case of the subwoofer. You cannot attribute it to the subwoofer having a Class D amp of 500W, it actually has a Class A/B amp with 100W RMS/150W peak. The Cambridge Audio CXA80 delivers 120WRMS per channel at 4Ohms, so you can't attribute the change to a more powerful amplifier or a different amplification class. Weight is another story though, 13kg for the subwoofer, 6kg each for the bookselfs, as is port dimensions: in the case of the subwoofer the port is around twice as wide and twice as deep and down firing.

Looks like if you focus the design of the speaker to the reproduction of low notes you can achieve way more than is possible with full-range speakers. Maybe floorstanders with internal cabinet isolation between the woofer and midrange drivers perform better, i.e. deliver the impactful sound that even a small subwoofer can have.
Can't answer your question as I've never owned any subs. Other posters can advise you better.

However, as I own the Rubicon 2 they dig very deep for their respective size. But Dalis demand a amp with a good, clean current IME. What amp do you use?
 

daytona600

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Every speaker no matter the cost or size needs Subwoofers to reach down low
& your room needs to be very large with 15/18inch drivers
8-16hz needs serious powers 5/10,000 with 30/50inch drivers

Ideally used in multiples to cure room nodes ( pairs or quads )
20hz = 56.5feet long room
16hz = 75.4feet
Room treatment or DSP / Dirac also helps

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWZrBL7S6C0
 
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twinkletoes

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I have music in my collection that has 10hz tones, heck most modern speakers can't reproduce a bass guitar faithfully let alone a grand piano. There are very few speakers out there days that do this. For not much outlay you can get a full-range sound. SVS Mirco would do the trick its very small and has proper extension to 20hz in room.

You could do it cheaper with subwoofers like a Bk Gemini but the extension isn't any more than a sorted loudspeaker 40-30hx if you're lucky. but if you not after chest thumping lift your skirt up bass it will do the trick.

The problem comes with integration, and most stereo amps even the smart connected one lack any sort of high pass filtering and or delay controls. This will need to be done manually and in some case can prove impossible to set up correctly.
 

npxavar

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One of reasons the small 7" subwoofer performs so well must be the huge in diameter and length of the reflex port, along with the impressive 1"+ flaring at the end. This must help a lot in producing the effortless, immediate sound required for impactful bass. The frequencies that where producing this effect where around 70Hz.

It's not a question of generating the frequency, but of the extent that you are getting the bass "thump".
 

manicm

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A sub can work very well, but it will take you a few days of tinkering and setup. Get it wrong and you'll be scratching your head, get it right and it will be very good.

My trending forecast? Powered/active speakers will grow in popularity, as will speakers with built-in powered subwoofers, like Definitive Technology.
 

SeattleChris

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Good bass and what produces it is such a precarious thing. A couple times I've heard a familiar song on my Subaru Forester's stock stereo and thought the bass is tighter & more present than on my expensive home system with dual subs. It was specifically high-bass (would be surprised if it was under 100hz), but for those specific tones on that specific song in those specific plastic speaker enclosures with that garbage stereo it worked!

I think this kind of demonstrates how placement, room acoustics & speaker enclousures can be just as important as the drivers & electronics. Exprimentation is the only way to find what sounds best!
 
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