Do you need a subwoofer with the BP-9080X's?

[everettT]

.a

At over $1,700.00/speaker, I seriously doubt that the 12 in subwoofer in the BP9080X towers would be pathetic.

It's not that they are pathetic, it's just not a replacement for a good subwoofer in HT. My $6k speakers have 10" woofers and they are not a replacement for subs in HT, if we are going by price.

Also do you think the DTs can hit reference levels for subs below 32hz?

As a music only speaker it would be acceptable in terms of extension.

 

[shadyJ]

At over $1,700.00/speaker, I seriously doubt that the 12 in subwoofer in the BP9080X towers would be pathetic.

It's not likely pathetic, but given the cost, it won't be a monster either. It seems fine. The advantage of an inbuilt subwoofer in a speaker like this is that it saves floorspace. Subwoofers tend to have a fairly large footprint. However, if you can handle the larger footprint, a sub with a larger enclosure will be able to offer greater performance. The BP9080X is a bipole MTM design stacked on top of a subwoofer. If you were willing to forego the bipole aspect and also were willing to give up more floorspace to a subwoofer, you could get a system with more headroom and deeper extension for the same cost. Right now Outlaw Audio has their X13 on sale along with their LCRv2. You could get a pair of both, and stack the LCRv2 on top of the subs and you will have a pretty beefy stereo system using MTMs stacked on subs for about the same cost. The drawback is no Atmos modules and much larger footprint, but the advantage is more SPL headroom, much deeper extension, and very neutral sound.

 

[Paul DS]

It's not likely pathetic, but given the cost, it won't be a monster either. It seems fine. The advantage of an inbuilt subwoofer in a speaker like this is that it saves floorspace. Subwoofers tend to have a fairly large footprint. However, if you can handle the larger footprint, a sub with a larger enclosure will be able to offer greater performance. The BP9080X is a bipole MTM design stacked on top of a subwoofer. If you were willing to forego the bipole aspect and also were willing to give up more floorspace to a subwoofer, you could get a system with more headroom and deeper extension for the same cost. Right now Outlaw Audio has their X13 on sale along with their LCRv2. You could get a pair of both, and stack the LCRv2 on top of the subs and you will have a pretty beefy stereo system using MTMs stacked on subs for about the same cost. The drawback is no Atmos modules and much larger footprint, but the advantage is more SPL headroom, much deeper extension, and very neutral sound.

If I recall correctly bass is also limited by the size of a room. In a smaller room bass waves cancel each other out. Good bass doesn't have to blow your ears back. If I want the very best bass, I go to my local Imax theater where the sound is absolutely awesome.

 

[everettT]

If I recall correctly bass is also limited by the size of a room. In a smaller room bass waves cancel each other out. Good bass doesn't have to blow your ears back. If I want the very best bass, I go to my local Imax theater where the sound is absolutely awesome.

Why wouldn't you want the very best bass in your home? For the most part I have a much more enjoyable experience in my home as opposed to theaters. It doesnt have to blow your ears off, but it's real nice to listen at reference levels. It's not always about content below 20hz, but when you have the gear to get into the lower teens, it sure is fun when called for.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If I want the very best bass, I go to my local Imax theater where the sound is absolutely awesome.

Many of us feel that the bass (and Sound Quality and Atmos) in our home systems sound much better than the IMAX or other commercial theaters.

But there is also nothing wrong with enjoying the big bass at the IMAX. Different strokes for different folks, right?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

At over $1,700.00/speaker, I seriously doubt that the 12 in subwoofer in the BP9080X towers would be pathetic.

I've never heard the 9080x. But the DefTech BP7000SC and BP7001SC rattled the walls in my old house big time even without any additional subwoofers.

 

[Paul DS]

Why wouldn't you want the very best bass in your home? For the most part I have a much more enjoyable experience in my home as opposed to theaters. It doesnt have to blow your ears off, but it's real nice to listen at reference levels. It's not always about content below 20hz, but when you have the gear to get into the lower teens, it sure is fun when called for.

I seldom, if ever, play my system at "reference" levels. I have two 12 inch subs built into my towers. I used to have an addition M&K 12 inch subwoofer which I have since sold. I really have no need for more bass. An audio system shouldn't sound like a car backfiring. To get back to the OP post, I think the speakers he is getting will be more than fine in all respects.

 

[everettT]

I seldom, if ever, play my system at "reference" levels. I have two 12 inch subs built into my towers. I used to have an addition M&K 12 inch subwoofer which I have since sold. I really have no need for more bass. An audio system shouldn't sound like a car backfiring. To get back to the OP post, I think the speakers he is getting will be more than fine in all respects.

Who said anything about a car backfiring? Is that what your system sounds like? I mentioned reference levels with regards to movies and deep bass as it is written into the soundtrack.
Just because you think your setup is enough, most enthusiast wouldnt. This is audioholics btw.

Btw what speakers do you have?

 

[Paul DS]

Who said anything about a car backfiring? Is that what your system sounds like? I mentioned reference levels with regards to movies and deep bass as it is written into the soundtrack.
Just because you think your setup is enough, most enthusiast wouldnt. This audioholics btw.

Btw what speakers do you have?

The floor standing speakers that I have, you would have just about no reference to. They are a pair of Speakerlab 7, 12 inch 4 way speakers that weigh 83 pounds each, that I bought back in 1996. I loved them from the first minute I played them and haven't found any that I would really care to replace them with.

 

[everettT]

The floor standing speakers that I have, you would have just about no reference to. They are a pair of Speakerlab 7, 12 inch 4 way speakers that weigh 83 pounds each, that I bought back in 1996. I loved them from the first minute I played them and haven't found any that I would really care to replace them with.

I remember their kits, but have never heard one.

 

[Verdinut]

Speakerlab had very good woofers, so did if I correctly recall, CTS. As a matter of fact, CTS woofers were in the same league as Altec and JBL drivers in the 1960's.

 

[Paul DS]

Many of us feel that the bass (and Sound Quality and Atmos) in our home systems sound much better than the IMAX or other commercial theaters.

But there is also nothing wrong with enjoying the big bass at the IMAX. Different strokes for different folks, right?

Can your home theater really even come close to an Imax? My local Imax has 12,000 watts of power and 44 very large speakers.

https://www.audicus.com/imax-big-screen-equals-big-sound/

 

[shadyJ]

Can your home theater really even come close to an Imax? My local Imax has 12,000 watts of power and 44 very large speakers.

https://www.audicus.com/imax-big-screen-equals-big-sound/

Yes, it could. It's all about room size and distance of listening position to speaker. Four every doubling of distance, a speaker loses 6 dB. A normal bookshelf speaker with a 6" woofer and 1" tweeter can match Imax system dynamic range at a close enough proximity to the listener. Consider the power difference of say, 6 feet away from the speaker vs 96 feet. That would need a 15x increase in amplitude to keep the same loudness level, and 24x the power. And that isn't even getting into bass, or the acoustics of small rooms vs big rooms, which creates a need for even more power in an Imax size auditorium for an equivalent listening experience.

 

[Paul DS]

Yes, it could. It's all about room size and distance of listening position to speaker. Four every doubling of distance, a speaker loses 6 dB. A normal bookshelf speaker with a 6" woofer and 1" tweeter can match Imax system dynamic range at a close enough proximity to the listener. Consider the power difference of say, 6 feet away from the speaker vs 96 feet. That would need a 15x increase in amplitude to keep the same loudness level, and 24x the power. And that isn't even getting into bass, or the acoustics of small rooms vs big rooms, which creates a need for even more power in an Imax size auditorium for an equivalent listening experience.

I would say that you haven't been to a modern Imax.

 

[shadyJ]

I would say that you haven't been to a modern Imax.

I have, and the one have have been to uses a Danley Labs Synergy horn system. It is a beast of a system that uses very good speakers of a very sophisticated design, and many kilowatts of amplification. It needs all of that for an auditorium environment. But you don't need all of that to get the same kind of headroom if you are not seated far away from your speakers in a small to medium sized room. The power and SPL needs increase rapidly with distance. Furthermore, Imax auditoriums get very little pressure vessel gain, whereas small rooms can get tons of it, so it is actually relatively easy to beat an Imax as far as very deep bass output/extension is concerned. Very few Imax systems are going after bass below 30 Hz.

 

[Paul DS]

I have, and the one have have been to uses a Danley Labs Synergy horn system. It is a beast of a system that uses very good speakers of a very sophisticated design, and many kilowatts of amplification. It needs all of that for an auditorium environment. But you don't need all of that to get the same kind of headroom if you are not seated far away from your speakers in a small to medium sized room. The power and SPL needs increase rapidly with distance. Furthermore, Imax auditoriums get very little pressure vessel gain, whereas small rooms can get tons of it, so it is actually relatively easy to beat an Imax as far as very deep bass output/extension is concerned. Very few Imax systems are going after bass below 30 Hz.

I would say that a 12,000 watt audio system installed by the best professionals in the movie industry would yield just about the best audio possible. It is also my understanding that you need a very large room to reproduce bass waves that don't cancel each other out. Most homes just aren't that large.

 

[shadyJ]

I would say that a 12,000 watt audio system installed by the best professionals in the movie industry would yield just about the best audio possible. It is also my understanding that you need a very large room to reproduce bass waves that don't cancel each other out. Most homes just aren't that large.

A properly calibrated Imax system is a very good sound, to be sure, but auditorium systems make some real compromises to get a reasonable sound across such a wide seating area. The nice thing about a home audio system is that the listening area is relatively narrow, so the sound can be optimized better. As far as bass waves canceling each other out, yes, that is a problem, but not an insurmountable one. The solution is multiple subs with equalization. I doubt there are many large venue industry professionals who would prefer to listen to auditorium systems over their home systems.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Can your home theater really even come close to an Imax? My local Imax has 12,000 watts of power and 44 very large speakers.

It's about actually hearing and feeling the sound/bass CLOSE TO YOU.

You could have many more speakers and subs. But if the room is so big and you have to sit so far away from all the speakers and subs, then you won't be able to hear and feel the sound as much.

 

[snakeeyes]

The good news is you can get a lot out of your current gear by adding a pair of decent subs. Nobody is saying you can’t run the towers large as well if you like.

 

[Pedro Alvarado]

Just curious, as i have 2 Subs now, and want to upgrade my main's to the BP-9080X's. I have heard that you do and you don't so wanted to know other's opinions and the why's and why not's.

Thanks,
Dave

on the ah homepage there's a link to the review of the dt 9080x's, just in case you missed it.