| Subwoofers vs budget... where do you draw the line? [message #75241] |
Mon, 14 January 2013 15:44  |
j0nnyfive
Messages: 50
Registered: June 2012
Location: Arkansas
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Baron |
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I've been reading about the multiple and flanking sub approaches, and I am curious about where you draw the line in terms of how many subs, the price of those subs, and your own budget. What I mean is, for your average Joe income, where would be the point of diminished returns? Obviously, the fewer subs you use, the more money you can put into any one sub. Let's say I can spend up to about $2500 or so on subwoofers alone. I already have the 4 Pi speakers for my 3 mains (home theater), and I already have surrounds. Okay, I'm wanting to replicate real movie theater impact in my living room, so bass is important. How would you distribute this $2500? Two subs in the flanking positions? One monster 18" 'killer' sub front and center?
And let's say I'm trying to create a system to give me great home theater AND a great music experience (I really consider these 2 the same). It's a general movie/music/game entertainment system for general "everything" purpose in your "everyman" living room. lol
Also, I have a receiver with Audyssey calibration already. I'm worried that if I spread my budget out over 3 or 4 subwoofers, I won't have the impact because those subwoofers won't be large enough or dynamic/powerful enough to do the 4Pis justice in terms of theater.
Can you buy two subwoofers and combine the flanking "80-200hz" idea with the summed "20-80hz" idea? It sounds like you would ideally want 2 smaller subs up front with 2 bigger ones farther away if I'm understanding this correctly. But, could you simply get 2 big subs, flank them, and use them for ALL the bass? I feel like I get the theory part, but I'm wondering about money and practicality.
Set me straight guys!! 
Thanks!
p.s. Sorry if this has been discussed before. I searched for it but didn't find exactly what I was looking for. Feel free to shoot me a link if this has been done to death! Thanks!
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| Re: Subwoofers vs budget... where do you draw the line? [message #75245 is a reply to message #75241] |
Mon, 14 January 2013 17:11  |
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Wayne Parham
Messages: 18791
Registered: January 2001
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Illuminati (33rd Degree) |
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If I have DI-matched two-way speakers, I always start with flanking subs. I mean, you can run the speakers with no subs at all if you're making an apartment system or something like that, but if we're talking stepping up a notch or two, start with flanking subs first. Don't bother with one sub, start with two and set them up flanking the mains. Then add one or two more distributed subs if you have the budget and the space.
There are two setups that don't require flanking subs. One is constant directivity cornerhorns and the other is soffit mounted speakers. Those eliminate the reflection off the rear wall, so the main problem that is mitigated by flanking subs is removed. If you have constant directivity cornerhorns or soffit mounted mains, then just run three or four distributed multisubs.
Flanking subs go in a fixed place, a couple feet below, beside and behind the mains. But distributed subs are a little more flexible. Basically, you just want to put them "around the room" where they break up the modes most effectively. If you have four subs, it almost doesn't matter where you put them, as long as they aren't clusteted together. But the fewer subs you run, the more important their locations become. You might want to use CARA and/or measurements to help you find the best placements for them.
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