To SUB or not to SUB

[yannaros]

Well, that was the best description I believe that I could give to my newly purchased Magnepan MMG.

I hooked them up with I a rotel power amp RB 1080 2x200wpc@8ohms and a rotel pre amp RC 1082
The highs in the beginning were harsh feeling like a nail in me ear.
The base? Where is it?

After a week of burn in the highs mellowed and the base was starting standing up gradually. Impressed.
The midrange good too.

Now I am thinking about upgrading to better maggies.
Thats one thing, but better maggies need better better power and a better amp.
That goes to far on the budget.
Since I read on the forums that a sub would do it I think that I will do the sub way.

I will appreciate ( once more) your opinion and any advice on how to choose a sub especially for the MMG's.

One sub works or it needs two since its stereo?

Thank you very much for reading my post

 

[mtrycrafts]

Well, that was the best description I believe that I could give to my newly purchased Magnepan MMG.

I hooked them up with I a rotel power amp RB 1080 2x200wpc@8ohms and a rotel pre amp RC 1082
The highs in the beginning were harsh feeling like a nail in me ear.
The base? Where is it?

After a week of burn in the highs mellowed and the base was starting standing up gradually. Impressed.
The midrange good too.

Now I am thinking about upgrading to better maggies.
Thats one thing, but better maggies need better better power and a better amp.
That goes to far on the budget.
Since I read on the forums that a sub would do it I think that I will do the sub way.

I will appreciate ( once more) your opinion and any advice on how to choose a sub especially for the MMG's.

One sub works or it needs two since its stereo?

Thank you very much for reading my post

Well, since it looks like a 2 ch system, what music do you listen to and how much low frequency content does it usually contain? And, at what volume levels? Or, just just want more bass even if it is not there?

The sub, of course would depend on your budget and what is available to you wherever you might be. SVs has great subs

 

[R-Carpenter]

I've had 3.5R for 12 years or so. They are hard to integrate seamlessly with sub woofer due to the speaker being dipole, it's roll off and room mods.
1 sub or 2 depends on what frequency you will cross. I am not intimately familiar with MMG but if you cross anywhere over 130hz, 1 sub will create a problem with imaging. You will simply hear sub and the speakers not a coherent seamless system.
If you are listening to 2 channel stereo, I wouldn't bother with anything less then 1.6 or whatever the current model is. MG 20 is even better but pricey.
In terms of power, more the better. They like juice.
What kind of sub? I'd go with H or U frame dipole sub but I don't know if any are available on the commercial market. I would guess that acoustic suspension would work out easier with Maggies.
Parts Express sells a nice Dayton Reference kit. My friend just build one and it's great for money.
I think Velodines are pretty good too.