Subwoofer

[JDL]

Huh?

 

[JDL]

With your fondness for classical I thought it would only be a matter of time before you explored the sub route. Standmounts are great but they do lack the scale needed for classical, my opinion of course.

You're right, it's really added to the sound stage. I'm very pleased. The most difficult thing for me about setting it up was the mass of the object. Not the easiest thing I ever lifted.

 

[JDL]

the characteristics of this acoustics are similar to marketing/hoax

If you say so.

 

[JDL]

the characteristics of this acoustics are similar to marketing/hoax

By the way, your grammar needs some work.

 

[JDL]

If you decided to take a spherical subwoofer, then why didn’t you buy acoustics of the same shape? The design should be uniform

Please explain.

 

[Al ears]

the characteristics of this acoustics are similar to marketing/hoax

Explain please.

 

[Al ears]

Please explain.

Agree he is coming out with some tosh....

 

[JDL]

The use of a subwoofer is of paramount importance. For eg. pic. below shows KEF Reference 3's which are perfectly capable of good quality low frequencies. However this system features a pair of JL Audio Fathom f112 v2 subwoofers and a JL Audio CR-1 active subwoofer crossover with a crossover point to the main speakers set at 90Hz, so the Reference 3's speakers are relieved of the need to produce deep bass. This crossover point relieves the main speakers of the bottom two octaves (20Hz - 40Hz and 40Hz - 80Hz) and more which lowers distortion in the main speakers. The Fathom f112 v2’s do a much better job in this region. As a result the system is more transparent and dynamic from bottom to top, at low volumes as well as at higher volumes and the space in the original recording is much better defined than the KEF Reference 3's on their own.

View attachment 5071

With all things being equal a subwoofer is the most important component. Ideally frequencies up to 90Hz should be unburdened from the mains and this LF burden passed on to a subwoofer to deal with.

I believe to achieve 'realism' requires power and even if the mains go down to 20Hz a subwoofer should still be incorporated because in my experience a subwoofer can inject power into and energise a system like no other component can.

The goal is to effectively align, calibrate, dial in a subwoofer so that the subwoofer integrates seamlessly with the mains and disappears into the soundstage with a deep, sharp, tight fisted, fast and powerful punchy sub bass.

That's a very impressive system you have there. In addition, thanks for your very good explanation about the set up and advantages of adding a subwoofer or two to a stereo system. Most interesting.

 

[JDL]

That's a very impressive system you have there. In addition, thanks for your very good explanation about the set up and advantages of adding a subwoofer or two to a stereo system. Most interesting.

The active subwoofer I have, has been wired in parallel with the speakers at the amplifier speaker output terminals.
Does this mean that the subwoofer will automatically relieve the speakers of playing the lower frequencies or would I need to buy an extra crossover.
I'm afraid I don't really know much about these things.

 

[Messiah]

Does this mean that the subwoofer will automatically relieve the speakers of playing the lower frequencies?

No. The way it is connected the speakers have no idea there is a sub connected and just carry on their merry way.

I'm not even sure 'relieving' them of something they were designed to do would make a massive difference but I guess it's hard to be sure unless you try it.

Apart from my current QA 3030i, I have always used a sub with stand-mounts and never felt the need to try and limit what the main speakers are doing.

 

[JDL]

No. The way it is connected the speakers have no idea there is a sub connected and just carry on their merry way.

I'm not even sure 'relieving' them of something they were designed to do would make a massive difference but I guess it's hard to be sure unless you try it.

Apart from my current QA 3030i, I have always used a sub with stand-mounts and never felt the need to try and limit what the main speakers are doing.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.
All that matters really, as I'm no technical expert, is that it's improved the sound of my Hi-Fi., which was what I was hoping for 👍🏻

 

[JDL]

You're right, it's really added to the sound stage. I'm very pleased. The most difficult thing for me about setting it up was the mass of the object. Not the easiest thing I ever lifted.

You're right, it's really added to the sound stage. I'm very pleased. The most difficult thing for me about setting it up was the mass of the object. Not the easiest thing I ever lifted.

My brother found me this rather interesting ancient cast iron gear wheel. He very kindly painted it for me and donated it as a stand for the subwoofer. It weighs about 25lbs.

You're right, it's really added to the sound stage. I'm very pleased. The most difficult thing for me about setting it up was the mass of the object. Not the easiest thing I ever lifted.

 

[nopiano]

Please explain.

I think if you substitute ’loudspeaker’ for the word ‘acoustics’ it makes more sense. Maybe this is a translation issue? (And at least they don’t call me ‘mate’!)

 

[JDL]

Good point. By the way the gearwheel plinth is going, that was just a bit of fun.
I think it can be put to better use.