Question Do I need a subwoofer

[manukashyap]

I have the following set-up:
1. Rega Planar 3 turntable
2. Rega Brio R integrated amp
3. Rega RS 3 speakers - not the tallest ones.
4. Bluesound Node

Room size- 200 sq ft- open from one side.
I was told that I can improve the thump/thunk of the sound by getting a subwoofer and having it at low volume.
Three questions:
1. will it make a difference?
2. will these work? Whaferdale SW250
3. any other recommendation whose pricing is not a killer?

 

[Al ears]

I have the following set-up:
1. Rega Planar 3 turntable
2. Rega Brio R integrated amp
3. Rega RS 3 speakers - not the tallest ones.
4. Bluesound Node

Room size- 200 sq ft- open from one side.
I was told that I can improve the thump/thunk of the sound by getting a subwoofer and having it at low volume.
Three questions:
1. will it make a difference?
2. will these work? Whaferdale SW250
3. any other recommendation whose pricing is not a killer?

Are you currently lacking bass?

 

[manukashyap]

Slightly, yes.

 

[AndrewF]

I added a small sub to a 2 channel system and have been very pleased with the results. I also discovered that a lot of modern music is recorded with a simply staggering amount of bass.

 

[twinkletoes]

A common misconception is a subwoofer will just help with bass, and yes it obviously adds bass but it will help with whole spectrum. Some question the need for a subwoofer but when done right it’s a game changer. It’s not all about chest crushing sound.

The real problem is 2 channel amps lack the ability to adjust for distance ie timing meaning this has to be done manually and will take a level of patience/trial and error, it might be in certain rooms you’ll never able to match the timing leading to a muddy sound.

If you’re going to add a sub make sure it’s a good one. Second hand brands to look for are rel and svs. Brands such as bk are very affordable and better value in the long run.

 

[manukashyap]

I added a small sub to a 2 channel system and have been very pleased with the results. I also discovered that a lot of modern music is recorded with a simply staggering amount of bass.

Thanks. Which SW did you use?

 

[SeattleChris]

An overly simplistic answer from the bassaholics club: unless you live in an apartment or have a powerful system with big woofers you always need a sub. The punch a powered sub can add is dramatic even when your main woofers are decent, and I can't imagine the audio experience without it. As I've said before, I love a good bass thumping!

 

[AndrewF]

Thanks. Which SW did you use?

SVS micro 3000. highly recommended.

 

[Deliriumbassist]

Problem. Well, not a problem, but an exceptionally important consideration.

Your Rega does not have a variable line output. The record output is not governed by the volume control, meaning the subwoofer will not track volume wise with the main speakers. Unless you were to do a bass managed approach before the amplifier, you would need a subwoofer that has speaker level inputs.

If you were to do bass management beforehand (so sending some of the signal to the sub, some of the signal to the Riga's inputs) then you would need a separate phono preamp, as you would basically be doing:

Turntables->Phono ->Bass Management -> Rega -> Speakers
.............................. Node. -^.............................v
...........................................................................Subwoofer

Ignore the full stops, was the only way I could think of even remotely formatting the chain correctly.

 

[nopiano]

Problem. Well, not a problem, but an exceptionally important consideration.

Your Rega does not have a variable line output. The record output is not governed by the volume control, meaning the subwoofer will not track volume wise with the main speakers. Unless you were to do a bass managed approach before the amplifier, you would need a subwoofer that has speaker level inputs.

If you were to do bass management beforehand (so sending some of the signal to the sub, some of the signal to the Riga's inputs) then you would need a separate phono preamp, as you would basically be doing:

Turntables->Phono ->Bass Management -> Rega -> Speakers
.............................. Node. -^.............................v
...........................................................................Subwoofer

Ignore the full stops, was the only way I could think of even remotely formatting the chain correctly.

Does that mean the original poster needs a sub with a ‘high level’ option, so they can feed it from the speakers?

 

[Deliriumbassist]

Does that mean the original poster needs a sub with a ‘high level’ option, so they can feed it from the speakers?

Speaker level/high level is the same thing. If not utilising bass management, then a subwoofer with this connection (which I believe the Wharfedale does, going back to when I was a retailer for IAG. I'm just bringing up the point in case of other suggestions not having the feature.) would be necessary. Best to run it from the amplifier output rather than the speaker terminals though.

 

[manukashyap]

I added a small sub to a 2 channel system and have been very pleased with the results. I also discovered that a lot of modern music is recorded with a simply staggering amount of bass.

thanks.

 

[manukashyap]

Problem. Well, not a problem, but an exceptionally important consideration.

Your Rega does not have a variable line output. The record output is not governed by the volume control, meaning the subwoofer will not track volume wise with the main speakers. Unless you were to do a bass managed approach before the amplifier, you would need a subwoofer that has speaker level inputs.

If you were to do bass management beforehand (so sending some of the signal to the sub, some of the signal to the Riga's inputs) then you would need a separate phono preamp, as you would basically be doing:

Turntables->Phono ->Bass Management -> Rega -> Speakers
.............................. Node. -^.............................v
...........................................................................Subwoofer

Ignore the full stops, was the only way I could think of even remotely formatting the chain correctly.

thanks. Eventually got a SVS SB100 - still getting used to it.