Why full range speakers need subwoofers

Once again, Paul explains the benefits of a subwoofer.

[sideshowbilly]

Ive never been "into" audio or speakers or hi-fi. I just wanted a basic speaker upgrade for my PC and found this channel. Now, I just love watching this channel for a calm, relaxing experience. Paul is the Bob Ross of audio art.

[craighoffman]

Nice simple explanation.

A big problem for any floor standing speaker is "floor bounce" which has the bass reflecting off the floor and partially cancelling the bass coming out of the speakers. You can see it when running a REW sweep, there are always cancellation valleys in the bass that can't be EQ'd out. Adding boost to those spots in the EQ just make the room ring like a bell Having a sub can help greatly with this dilemma.

A strategy is to literally put the sub in your listening chair, move around the room and listen to where the bass sounds the best, then put the sub in that spot.

[johnsimpson]

Paul, I just wanted to say that yesterday I got “The Sound” from my system that I believe you (and others) are always describing. I have no words for it. I cannot believe it.

One way to quantify this new sound is to say that I have always been an advocate for using EQ, but with this sound there is no need for EQ (other than to adjust my sub volume for some recordings). Rich, 3D, width, depth are terms that could be used, but just scratch the surface of describing the sound.

[danab]

I used to look at loudspeakers and often think “no way am I paying that much for a speaker that only plays down to the mid forties”. Taking it onboard that a subwoofer is a room treatment tool as much as it is a low frequency attenuator has been the number one best bit of hifi advice I’ve ever gotten.

[delarageaz]

thank you. I will be sending this video to everybody that ask me why i use a sub even if on specs it doesn't get as low as my floor standers. I do have some bass problem in my less than perfect listening room and the sub placed in a very specific way was the only way to solve that, and the sound is beautiful now !

[JJ-noob]

As an alternative to expensive full range tower speakers, get a pair of stand mount or book shelf speakers with great imaging / soundstage/ resolving qualities (ie KEF R 3 or your preferred brand ). Add 2 subs and life is good!

[SantanKGhey]

So many people cant understand this... thanks Paul for explaining... again

[NateEll]

I’ve also experienced that a well set up subwoofer also widens the sound stage

[bartkdt]

About 6 years ago Paul advised me privately (via a series of emails) about the benefits of subwoofers.
I was a traditionalist. Two-way audio purist.
I bought a sub on Paul’s strong recommendation. He did not recommend the sub specifically. Changed everything.
Subwoofers get a bad wrap because of home theater kids blasting subs. IMO
If you do it right, you’ll never notice the sub. The sound will be much larger and deeper.
Get a sub. Get two. Game changers.
You’re welcome Paul.

[ChrisSchramm-btdo]

I was fortunate enough to sit in that room, the excellent tour guide played several tracks and let me play several more. I call it audio perfection. Until I listened to him answer this question I was not aware there was a sub in the room! Again perfection. If you can go take the tour, I felt like a little kid in a candy store.

[jozno]

Thanks Paul. In the future can you go into why, as a result of the shortcomings of a listening room, high fidelity satellite speaker setups wouldn’t be an answer?

[bayard]

I solved the room modes in my small room with 2 homemade subs and a DSP (in addition to passive treatment), now the mains speakers play (an untouched signal) and after I hear that my special sub invention, and it is something exceptionally rare and special, removes the used room mode frequencies from the sound so they do not reflect back and cause standing waves.

[TheodoreBreaux]

One subwoofer is an improvement, and a pair even better. Aside from relieving some of the mechanical loading from the FR speakers in the lowest octave, subs can be positioned to take advantage of room gain, improve LF integrity, and alleviate SBIR issues simultaneously. Well-deployed subwoofers are an asset in any modern, high quality audio system. This wasn't the case back in the analog era, but the digital music (and digital home theater) revolution changed everything.

[cuoresportivo]

Just added a subwoofer to my full range speakers, the result is wonderful. I can't hear the sub even when standing in front of it, and hear it filling in the low even while standing in front of the left speaker (the sub is on the far right). I rarely sit down while listening though. Downside is the sub carries much more into the kitchen than the speakers, so it can sound a bit droning there. keeping the door closed should help with that though

[tristandesade]

My experience with a small 2.1 setup (2-way front speakers). Once I have added a sub and set the crossover frequency at double of the lowest frequency reproducible by the front speakers, it had not only made a world of difference on the low end. Indeed, it had „opened“ the mid frequencies since the front speakers do not have to reproduce those lowest frequencies (lower than 80 Hz) which are anyway hard to acoustically localize.

[EJBert]

Good explanation! Of course all I can afford in that demo room is the stand the preamps are situated on!

[adriaticbatman]

Paul so then why do you build speakers with drivers that go down to subwoofer range when as you say "you do not hear it unless you have a subwoofer". Would it not be easier to design speakers that are great at imaging w/o going real low, and then have a sub woofer...

[nackguitleo]

Thnx Paul, best explanation, quick and short!!!

[TheDanEdwards]

Seems like Paul has to answer this question every six months or so.

[robinwilliams]

As per usual another mystery is is solved. Thanks Paul.