Do I need a subwoofer??

 

New member
Username: Jamshed

Mumbai, Maharashtra India

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-06
I am using a Harman/Kardon amp (H/K 670) with B&W bookshelf speakers (DM 601 S3- 2 way vented box). My living room (where the system is set up)is quite small with furniure and drapes.
The frequency range of the speakers is -6dB at 50Hz and 30kHz.
Though the sound is excellent, I have noticed that what i am hearing is not real bass, but merely a 'boom', as my speakers are placed quite near the walls and towards the corners.
I am planning in investing in a B& W Sub, but am worried that this may lead to an overdose of bass.
What I really want is punch to the music, and not sound distorted with heavy bass once the sub is installed.
What frequency range should I be looking for in a sub for a small- medium sized room like mine?
I have got my eye on the B&W AS 1 or maybe the ASW 300.
Can I reduce the level of bass output from my speakers once the sub is attached?
Also my amp does not have a sub- out. How does one go about installing an active sub in such a case?
Please advise... Thanks
 

Gold Member
Username: Petergalbraith

Rimouski, Quebec Canada

Post Number: 1472
Registered: Feb-04
Also my amp does not have a sub- out. How does one go about installing an active sub in such a case?

Pick a sub with speaker level inputs. The speaker wires from your H/K 670 then go to the sub instead of to the speakers. Then a different set of speaker wire runs from your sub to the speakers. You then control the low cut-off frequency of the content reaching your DM 601 S3.
 

Gold Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 7429
Registered: May-04


"Though the sound is excellent, I have noticed that what i am hearing is not real bass, but merely a 'boom', as my speakers are placed quite near the walls and towards the corners."


Then the sound is not "excellent"; is it? Corner placement is not where the majority of speakers are intended to sit. With a majority of the speakers on the market, you will hear one note boom when the speakers are not properly sited. The few that won't do this either have no bass to boom or they will boom regardless of position. The B&W's you own are capable of impressive bass response for the package size, if you work at extracting it from the box.


Put "speaker placement" in a search engine and find the various methods for extracting top performance from the speakers you paid good money to own. Spending time and effort getting the most out of what you presently own is the only way to properly assess what you need to improve. Just buying more stuff is a more likely way to further realizations that the sound is not as excellent as you thought you were buying.



 

New member
Username: Jamshed

Mumbai, Maharashtra India

Post Number: 2
Registered: Feb-06
Thanks a lot for the info. Really appreciate it. Undoubtedly speaker placement is important; unfortunately since my listening room is pretty small, moving the speakers is really not an option.
Will however, have to think twice before setting out on my sub- quest...
Once again, thanks for the
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