Oldpinkman
26-02-2014, 15:16
I am looking for some thoughts and experience on using sub-woofers in 2 channel stereo - as opposed to home cinema.
I guess, first pitch, on an "if you don't try - you'll never know" basis, is does anyone near to Maidstone have a sub-woofer they consider good that they could lend me to try for a few days?
Otherwise, what are recommendations for good products (I have a £200 Cambridge unit with my home cinema, which is fine for that purpose, but not floating my boat in the stereo)
I have a small room, 4.2mx3.5m with the speakers facing across the 3.5m width, and don't play too loud because we are semi-detached atm.
I tried Kef R700's to get more bass, which they supply, but whilst superficially very appealing, smooth and refined, swapping back to the Ventricals reveals the astonishing mid-range qualities (very, very , very like Quad Electrostatics) which the ventricals have. Whilst bass is probably a bit better than electrostatics, its still not Heavy Metal PA stuff. Hence the desire to blend in some sub-woofer
However, early experiments, before moving the Ventricals out really wide, led to a flattened sound stage. Instead of an expansive arc soaring above the speakers, the sound seemed to come from a 2 ft band running across the top of the speakers and between them. Take the SW out, and the sound stage arcs up again, but there is a tiny longing for a bit more bass. Its better since I moved the Ventricals wide (a lucky accident, due to wanting to compare them with the R700s, deemed too heavy to move, and hence the Ventricals placed outside them - works really well)
Do others get a narrow belt effect with a sub-woofer? (Particularly others using a SW with Quad ESL's). If not, which SW are you using?
Ta :cool:
I guess, first pitch, on an "if you don't try - you'll never know" basis, is does anyone near to Maidstone have a sub-woofer they consider good that they could lend me to try for a few days?
Otherwise, what are recommendations for good products (I have a £200 Cambridge unit with my home cinema, which is fine for that purpose, but not floating my boat in the stereo)
I have a small room, 4.2mx3.5m with the speakers facing across the 3.5m width, and don't play too loud because we are semi-detached atm.
I tried Kef R700's to get more bass, which they supply, but whilst superficially very appealing, smooth and refined, swapping back to the Ventricals reveals the astonishing mid-range qualities (very, very , very like Quad Electrostatics) which the ventricals have. Whilst bass is probably a bit better than electrostatics, its still not Heavy Metal PA stuff. Hence the desire to blend in some sub-woofer
However, early experiments, before moving the Ventricals out really wide, led to a flattened sound stage. Instead of an expansive arc soaring above the speakers, the sound seemed to come from a 2 ft band running across the top of the speakers and between them. Take the SW out, and the sound stage arcs up again, but there is a tiny longing for a bit more bass. Its better since I moved the Ventricals wide (a lucky accident, due to wanting to compare them with the R700s, deemed too heavy to move, and hence the Ventricals placed outside them - works really well)
Do others get a narrow belt effect with a sub-woofer? (Particularly others using a SW with Quad ESL's). If not, which SW are you using?
Ta :cool: