Two Subs Better Than One?

[Patrukas777]

This again demonstrates why it's better to have 2 decent subs rather than one great sub. You sacrifice some output, but you can't match the quality and correction you get.

How about 2 great subs

 

[TheFactor]

How about 2 great subs

Thats how I roll

 

[Patrukas777]

Thats how I roll

haha...sounds like the only way to roll

 

[gene]

This may be a great way to make up for the inadequacies of less than full range primary speakers but hardly the ideal solution for ideal subwoofer placement, maximizing frequency response in the room, or providing a flatter frequency response over a greater seating area.

You can get very respectable bass response running dual subs 1/3rd to 1/4th distance into each side of the front wall, especially in long rooms when the seating area isn't close to the back wall. Talk to the fine folks at JL Audio, they tend to favor this sub placement over placing 2 or 4 subs mid wall around the room. In many cases, I agree with them!

Check:
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/get-good-bass/subwoofer-connection-guide

 

[Patrukas777]

You can get very respectable bass response running dual subs 1/3rd to 1/4th distance into each side of the front wall, especially in long rooms when the seating area isn't close to the back wall. Talk to the fine folks at JL Audio, they tend to favor this sub placement over placing 2 or 4 subs mid wall around the room. In many cases, I agree with them!

Check:
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/get-good-bass/subwoofer-connection-guide

what's your thoughts on stacking??? SVS told me the PB13 is good stacked....would that go with Wmax's previous post?

 

[gene]

what's your thoughts on stacking??? SVS told me the PB13 is good stacked....would that go with Wmax's previous post?

Stacking is a waste when you already have a high output sub like the SVS. You are better off tactically placing both subs in the proper locations of your room to smooth out bass performance to benefit all of your seats.

 

[Patrukas777]

Stacking is a waste when you already have a high output sub like the SVS. You are better off tactically placing both subs in the proper locations of your room to smooth out bass performance to benefit all of your seats.

Interesting...My setup is a little difficult because my living room opens up into the kitchen (left side of my HT). I would love to place it as you posted above. The only other options I have is placing them in the right front and rear, stacking....

 

[gene]

Interesting...My setup is a little difficult because my living room opens up into the kitchen (left side of my HT). I would love to place it as you posted above. The only other options I have is placing them in the right front and rear, stacking....

Then place one right front and the other rear and see how it integrates.

 

[WallisH]

So here is my variant on the question. Due to WAF issues, I have to go with subs inside my built-in cabinet at the front of the room. (I previously owned a PB-12, which my wife hated.) Looking at my size constraints, I'm probably going to go with the SVS SB12-NSD when it comes out this summer. The sub will go in a cabinet in the corner of the room. Room is over 5000 cubic feet, has hard wood floors, and opens to kitchen, stairs, and hallway. I will use the sub primarily for Home Theater. Will listen some to music, but rarely above the moderate level, if even that high. I also found my old SVS had far more power than I actually used (which, of course, was fine with me). I've ordered SBS-01s for the speaker system.

I know that the SB12-NSD will be underpowered, and am toying with the idea of getting a second SB12-NSD and putting it in the cabinet next to the first sub. What do people think about that? Also, is there any advantage of getting the SVS AS-EQ-1, either for one SB12-NSD by itself or dual SB12-NSDs?

 

[westcott]

So here is my variant on the question. Due to WAF issues, I have to go with subs inside my built-in cabinet at the front of the room. (I previously owned a PB-12, which my wife hated.) Looking at my size constraints, I'm probably going to go with the SVS SB12-NSD when it comes out this summer. The sub will go in a cabinet in the corner of the room. Room is over 5000 cubic feet, has hard wood floors, and opens to kitchen, stairs, and hallway. I will use the sub primarily for Home Theater. Will listen some to music, but rarely above the moderate level, if even that high. I also found my old SVS had far more power than I actually used (which, of course, was fine with me). I've ordered SBS-01s for the speaker system.

I know that the SB12-NSD will be underpowered, and am toying with the idea of getting a second SB12-NSD and putting it in the cabinet next to the first sub. What do people think about that? Also, is there any advantage of getting the SVS AS-EQ-1, either for one SB12-NSD by itself or dual SB12-NSDs?

I would just tell her that subs can not be placed in an enclosure. Simple as that.

 

[WallisH]

I would just tell her that subs can not be placed in an enclosure. Simple as that.

Your definition of simple is different than my definition of simple.

Unfortunately, I have no choice but to try the enclosure. If it doesn't work, then I can revisit the issue with her, but I need to do everything I can to make the enclosure work.

On a related note, I also have a special needs son who might damage a subwoofer that was left out; he previously damaged the connections on my PB12-Plus, so I have that very practical issue in addition to the aesthetic issue.

 

[audioholic212]

If its a hard sell to your wife, tell her you're not doing it for yourself but for the benefit of your mother-in-law.

Read: Are Two Subs Better than One?

I did and guess what Gene, it worked!!!

 

[chesbak]

I know everybody says that you should only use identical subs, but I had awesome results running my PB12-Plus and STF-3 in tandem. Even when the situation isn't ideal, experimentation can be your friend.

How did you place yours?

 

[Dave54321]

Very old thread but new joiner! Just want to add that a good reason for having two subs—particularly for 2-channel stereo music—is the benefit of not having to fold down the two channels into one. Why does this matter? Well, if the only music you listen to has consistently equal bass energy on both sides, e.g. most modern pop and rock recordings, then it doesn't matter. But if your music collection has widely varying bass placement, i.e. sometimes placed dead centre but sometimes placed more to one side or another, as is often the case with vintage recordings or classical music, then a single sub will produce widely varying amounts of bass energy depending on how much bass energy from each side is being folded down into the single mono channel. I place each of my two subs as close to possible to their respective bookshelf partners, and it works great for me. Happily they take speaker-level inputs, which is essential as my amp's RCA sub-out is just a single mono one (as I guess most are).