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I don't know a thing about subwoofers so I'm looking for a little advice. I have always been a "no subs ever" type 2-channel snob, but I would now like to give one a shot.
I'm looking for something that will work seamlessly with my restored Quad 57 ESL's. They have nice tuneful bass as is, but being the greedy audiophile I am, I'd love "just a bit more". :)
My concrete bunker basement man cave is approx 14'x 26' with 7' ceilings. I have basstraps in all four corners, and a few OC 703 panels on the walls and ceiling. Also a few thick area rugs on the floor.
My budget is $1500, and I am open to buying used.
I was researching the Velodyne Optimum 10 as suggested on another forum - I like the idea of a "smart" sub that can adjust its own EQ via test tones for optimal performance and integration.
Any and all suggestions welcome!
Follow Ups:
I run two Hsu STF-2 subs with my 57s. They are positioned right behind the mains and toward the inside. I'm not saying one cannot do better, but I like them. When crossed over at 45 Hz, they don't seem to take away anything from mid-bass clarity, but do add some weight to the bottom end, as on bass drums, and also seem to add to hall sound and ambience. Otherwise they are pretty much undetectable.
I tried a DSPeaker Anti-mode 8033 (only one, which meant summing to mono) with them, but it didn't seem to make much difference, probably because I have an open floor plan and am not in a box-shaped room.
Maybe someday I'll spring for a pair of Hsu ULS-15 MkII sealed subs!
Another older woofer system is the Entec sw-1. This works well and if you can find one it should be inexpensive. It also has a crossover unit. Unfortunately, they are old systems and parts not easy to find. It was designed for use with Quad 63 but works with the 57.
Two points-
I would second Airheadair's suggestion-
second- look at a 100 Hz crossover point- the '57s have a panel resonance @ 90Hz...
Happy Listening
You might look for a used REL sub, should be able to find a good one for less than $700. I would stick with the ones made in the UK before they sold the company.
Yes I have heard REL's are very nice. Is there a specific model I should look out for?
I got my REL storm III for $550 used, it is very flexible in setting crossover points. It integrates very well with my Magnepan 3.6s
For my Stax speakers I use the subwoofers Rodger Modjeski designed for use with his ELS's. You may recall that he used to work for Beveridge and helped design the woofers, amplifiers, and crossovers for those famous speakers. These woofers are a completely different design and supposedly much better. The outboard crossover is easily tuneable. The woofers are small, and integrate with ELS's very well, but the don't play terribly loud or go terribly low. I am quite satisfied.
You might also consider the Swarm system.
Good luck.
Thanks for the suggestions!
With the Quads, is it best to run them full range with a sub filling in the lower frequency range, or is there a way to take some of the bass load off of the Quads with the sub so the Quads can devote more amp power to the mids and highs?
Sorry if this is a dumb question, like I said I am clueless about subwoofers!
No- do not run the quads full range - feed them only 100Hz and up-
Happy Listening
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