How many subwoofers are you using in your main system or home theater?

[Sonnie Parker]

Tell as much or as little as you'd like.

How many subs do you use in your main listening room or home theater?
What are the brands?
How are you equalizing your subs?
Do you have plans to add more?

I'm currently satisfied with my setup of two JTR 4000ULF-TL Captivators + six 2400 Captivators. I'm using the two 4000 units with dual 18s as my main subwoofers, and the other six are support subs using Dirac Live ART.

22,400 watts powering ten 18-inch subs in a 19.5ft x 23.5ft x 8.5ft fully sealed room.

 

[Mike-48]

Happy New Year to Sonnie and everyone reading this. I do appreciate AN as a helpful resource.

To answer the question: My setup is audio only (no HT). I'm using four SVS SB-3000 with an Anthem STR Preamp. I do not plan to add more subs . . . four seems enough to get smooth and flat response down to about 15 Hz in my room, deeper than most any musical content.

With the Anthem STR, I get best results by ganging the subs together and presenting them as one mono sub to the Anthem. Before running Anthem ARC, I use REW to equalize the subs together and flatten combined frequency response. That manual EQ can be a lot of work. My shortcut is to place the subs with L-R symmetry and EQ one pair (L or R), assuming the same settings will be close enough for the other pair.

I believe it should be possible to get better results with more advanced algorithms, which at this point seem to be in early stages. Dirac LBC tries to optimize a bunch of subs all together, rather than one as a time like ARC, and Dirac's ART can go a step further by optimizing the subs together with the main speakers, rather than relying on a fixed crossover. This might help in letting the subs help fill room nodes half an octave above the usual crossover, for example. However, I haven't found an audio processor that implements those and is within my budget.

I hope to have a NAD M66 in my audio room soon to see how it and Dirac compare to the Anthem and ARC. So far, LBC is working on the M66, and ART is promised (but of course manufacturers don't always meet such promises, for a variety of reasons). Trying LBC will be informative.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

We have a pretty simple set up: A single Hsu ULS-15-MKII equalized with a Yamaha YDP-2006 digital parametric equalizer. Our living room is small so it’s sufficient.

Regards,
Wayne

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I have 3 subs, 2 KEF KC92 and 1 SVS SB-2000Pro, in a music-only system. They are equalized independently and integrated with the main speakers by DL-ART.

 

[ddude003]

I have one Martin Logan Dynamo 700 integrated Digital Room Corrected to a B & K house curve along with the rest of the stereo system via FIR filters utilizing the Accurate Sound HangLoose Convolver... To this I add one of several plug-in emulations of classic old-skool mastering parametric equalizers like the Manley Massive Passive, George Massenburg Labs GML 8200 or even the Hendyamps Michelangelo for additional mojo to taste...

I am looking to replace the ML sub in the near future... Moving from a 10" to a 12" woofer... Nothing fancy...

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I have 3 subs, 2 KEF KC92 and 1 SVS SB-2000Pro, in a music-only system. They are equalized independently and integrated with the main speakers by DL-ART.

I enjoyed reading your review of the KC92 subs, and it was evident you really liked them. I picked up a couple of new songs from that review... The Glass Hall and Concierto de Aranjuez.

 

[SRW1000]

I have four JTR Captivator 1400s (sadly long discontinued), two at quarter points of the front wall and two at quarter points along the rear wall. They're manually EQed with REW and then blended with my mains with Dirac Live BC.

Since there hasn't been any updates on the addition of Dirac ART to the HTP-1, I'll probably get around to using MSO to optimize the room's bass. Maybe that should be my New Year's resolution.

 

[Asere]

I have 2 PSA S3000i and 2 Kreisel DXD 12012.
I had 1 PSA with 2 Kreisel in the family room for HT but after adding a second PSA, I moved the Kreisel to the listening room.
PSA's EQ with Dirac BC. Kreisel no EQ
No plans to add more but I may move both Kreisel back in the family room to go along with the PSA subs and get another sub for the listening room.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Currently I have a pair of SVS SB2000 subs, being time aligned and flattened by a MiniDSP 2x4HD and then blended with everything else via Anthem ARC, but soon I'll have a pair of NextLevel Acoustics HV15 subs coming in. These will use the same setup. Not sure what I'll do with the SVS subs, whether I'll attempt to integrate sealed with ported, or if I'll just offload them.

 

[JStewart]

I’m using 3 Rythmik E15s in a 12.5’ x11’ room.
Two are front right and left inside the mains and at the 1/4 points. The 3rd on the right wall more towards the front.
More and more I find I like watching movies without any EQ or Dirac DLBC. When I’m not using Dirac I do use parametric EQ on the speakers up to about 200Hz. The 3 subs as a group sound pretty good to me and measure reasonably well without any EQ.

 

[DonH57]

Four Rythmik F12s in a 13'3" x 17'7" room with one irregular (angled) wall controlled by a JBL SDP-75 (Trinnov Altitude 32 with JBL tweaks and badging). Four subs to help smooth the frequency response; output is more than enough. REW says -3 dB around 7 Hz though have a couple of nulls I could not quite fix (have not tried real hard after getting the SDP-75).

 

[Stuart Drucker]

I have four HSU ULS-15s in a 24x15x8.5 room, controlled by a Trinnov Altitude 32. They're in 1/4 and 3/4 positions on the front and back walls, making them a bit of a work in progress using Trinnov's recent WaveForming algorithm. The "work in progress" part is trying to get both the time-related bass decay consistently under control from 20 to 120 Hz and the RT60 at the same time, which is the ultimate payoff from their technology.

 

[Dean]

Tell as much or as little as you'd like.

How many subs do you use in your main listening room or home theater?
What are the brands?
How are you equalizing your subs?
Do you have plans to add more?

I'm currently satisfied with my setup of two JTR 4000ULF-TL Captivators + six 2400 Captivators. I'm using the two 4000 units with dual 18s as my main subwoofers, and the other six are support subs using Dirac Live ART.

22,400 watts powering ten 18-inch subs in a 19.5ft x 23.5ft x 8.5ft fully sealed room.

Hy , I live in Italy and I have one subwoofer in my living room Energy ES-12XL with Infinity Alpha home theater system and I'm very satisfied with sound in living room 5.5 meters x 4.5 meters x 2.6 mt high . I think that don't need another SW ( another the same system with the same SW I have in my sleep room )

 

[Barry Rudolph]

I use a single Kali Audio Sub. My small, stereo music mix room is 9.5 feet wide X 12 ft long with an 8 foot ceiling and opens into my living room is difficult to get right. This sub is very quiet and only the very lowest notes are heard. My room is heavily acoustically treated with active PSI Audio AVAA active bass traps in the corners. No EQ yet and no plans to add more

 

[Chuck Gerlach]

At the moment, I have the equivalent of ten 18's [actually consists of 4 18s and 1 32"]. My room is 3400cf.

1 or 2 quality subs [in a reasonable sized room] will enable one to "hear" from 20Hz north.

Add more subs [room size dependent] , and one can begin to "experience" the bass , adding some "tactile" response by moving walls, or floor, or seating or....

The "ultimate" experience is to have enough quality subs that [again, room sized dependent], together, have the ability to instantly compress all of the air in the room, so that one can experience instant chest compressing bass with gun shots, explosions, etc - and also move enough air into the single digit frequencies so that one can experience even the very subtle, normally indistinguishable lowest bass notes.

Any of these 3 options are acceptable. Just depends on how much one wants to spend and how much real estate one wants to give up - and how much your significant other is willing to put up with.

 

[cardsdoc]

3 PSA TV1813 subs in a dedicated HT. Have been time aligning all subs using REW/miniDSP and EQing as one sub using Multeq-x on a Marantz SR8015 with a custom target curve. Then had to use REW for sub distance modification to better integrate subs to mains. Recently have been using A1 Evo with very good results. This eliminates the need to do sub to main integration manually. Just swapped out SR8015 for a Denon A10H and bought a Dirac/DLBC license so will give it a try. Also waiting on a second miniDSP as I need more inputs to keep using BEQ.

Forgot to add that I have Crowsons for all seats as well. Being on concrete they were transformative.

 

[Clayton]

Wow 10 18s and 22k watts, that would blow my house down!


In each room corner I have 2 Alpine type r 12 car subs in a diy dual opposed sealed cabinet plus 2 additional 15 inch subs in a sealed enclosure next to the front corners. They are powered by 3 EP4000s behringer amps and controlled by a minidsp 2x4HD using MSO (multiple subwoofer optimiser) free software. Flat response to 10hz at over 110db with plenty headroom( to scared to find the limit). Recently used OCAs A1 Neuron and was amazed how much better it made the bass, all speakers now crossed over above 100hz including fronts (capable of 40hz) and bass is tighter, harder hitting and louder with no localisation, boominess or muddiness.

 

[Pete Shirley]

Good Day Gents, Happy New Year.

So, I dont use subs in my home, I have a really nice, re-coned set of JBL-L100T speakers l purchased new in 1985 that still sound most excellent in my home.
However, I do run live sound for a medium size church (~500 seats) using about 5-9 instruments and additional vocalists.

I built a set of subs using Beyma's 18QLEX1600FE 1600 Watt RMS speakers.
Wow. The sound the enclosure and speaker produces exceeded my expectations.
Kick drum solid thuds that really pound, the low E note on a bass guitar, or the low synthesizer sounds really makes the sound come alive in the large sanctuary.
Each sub gets is signal from an Ashley Protea 4x8 processor which does the timing and electronic signal divisions using a standard 48dB/octave Linkwitz-Riley crossover.
The signal to each sub has its own bridged QSC CX-1102 amp providing 3400 Watt RMS at each sub.

Sanctuary room treatment consists of 3000 Sq Ft of 4" thick Owens/Corning SAFB (see the pic with the man lift).

Might be overkill for your living room!!

 

[AndyGR42]

The sub from the Samsung HW-Q995 for TV.
And working on a ripol sub for my full-range stereo speakers (the music part). Will be a 4x 12" ripol stack.

 

[schm66]

For my subs I use 2 JTR rs2. Each sub has 2 -18” drivers.

my other speakers are:
3 JTR 210HT (front stage)
8 JTR 110 HT (surround, back, atmos)

currently using the anthem avm 70 for all equalization. Have used mini dsp in the past but when I redone my theater just went with xlr cables to the subs and use anthem arc for equalizatio.

Future plan is to add 2 JTR 110HT-SL for front wide. Then I will be at my endgame for my home theater.

in the past I went from mirage speakers and inwalls (rear, and top) with 2 svs 13 ultra subs. It was for me a huge upgrade going to the JTR RS2. When using the mini dsp and REW. I was getting flat down to 5 hz in my room.

 

[Schaale]

I have 2 diy subs using 15" Dayton drivers in sealed enclosures driven by a pro amp.

 

[BobiM]

Tell as much or as little as you'd like.

How many subs do you use in your main listening room or home theater?
What are the brands?
How are you equalizing your subs?
Do you have plans to add more?

I'm currently satisfied with my setup of two JTR 4000ULF-TL Captivators + six 2400 Captivators. I'm using the two 4000 units with dual 18s as my main subwoofers, and the other six are support subs using Dirac Live ART.

22,400 watts powering ten 18-inch subs in a 19.5ft x 23.5ft x 8.5ft fully sealed room.

 

[Don Sauret]

I am using three subs in my home theater room, which is about 15' x 21' with a sloped ceiling. There are two Klipsch R-115SW's in the front and one Dayton 18" Ultimax in a home-built Full Marty enclosure in the rear. They are EQ'd with a Mini DSP, and the whole system EQ'd with Audyssey in a Denon AVR 6700H. The Dayton and the three front speakers are all driven by individual Audio Source Amp Three's in bridged mode. My listening is about 60% movies and 40% music, and can say I am not in need of any more bass! I have tactile transducers in my 4 theater seats, but after the installation of the Ultimax 18, they are completely irrelevant. REW says 3db down at 10hz, even though I have a high pass set at 14hz in the mini DSP. Gotta love room gain! I am very satisfied with my 9.1.4 theater setup and have no intention to add more subs. The Mini DSP with REW is truly the magic sauce.

 

[Xavier Sandoval]

Howdy,

Currently running 2 SVS PB16 Ultras with a Yamaha 3060. Set up a mini-dsp with REW to get the system aligned. Just recently upgraded my SVS Ultra Towers to the Ultra Evolution Pinnacles and needless to say it shakes everything very well. Do I need more subs…. No. Do I want more subs…. Heck yes!! But for kicks I’m running a couple of transducers to the bottom of my main listening position sofa for them low volume times for a little extra sensation when I want to feel the bass when everyone is asleep in the neighborhood. :-)

 

[Raymond_in_DC]

I’m currently running a single, modest Aperion S8-APR sub in my living room HT. Mains are currently compact Snell CLS .5 satellites. Ordinarily, I’d use Snell K7’s as as Mains with the CLS as surrounds. But after selling two sets of speakers, I had to move things around. The K7’s are now part of my analog system, while satellite duty is carried by Mirage OmniSats. Unusual with the Aperion, aside from the real Cherry finish (I hate the more common black finishes) is the use of passive radiators in place of a reflex port. Crossover, set by the receiver is 80 Hz. Sub doesn’t go real deep, but It takes a load off the Mains - more important with the CLS Than the K7. The CLS is really a remarkable little speaker. Too bad Snell is no more.