2-channel listening with a sub-woofer

I use a B&W ASW800 with my B&W N804s. I have my sub cutoff set at 50Hz. This sub does a wonderful job of integrating with the mains. I have a second set of cables (Monster 400) running from my pre (RC-1090)to the sub. I like the 12" driver since it can be fast enough for 2 ch music.

I use a Martin Logan Depth with Von Schweikert VR-1's.
I'm getting a second Depth to do stereo subs.
It is not perfectly seamless but that is more a function of the room and the fact that I have to live around the equipment (can't set it up where it sounds as good as it could). It does sound very good though.

I use the high pass filter on the ML to filter out some of the low level information from the VR-1's. I can't hear any added vailing but the midrange did improve. Soundstage depth was also improved. Teh amplifier is not having to reproduce very low frequencies and neither is the midwoofer.

The ML sub uses three 8" woofers to give you the surface area of a large woofer but the speed of a small one. Vandersteen also uses three 8" woofers I think.

A good subwoofer can improove a 2ch set-up. Just be sure that there is not too great of an overlap between the LF rolloff of the speaker and the HF rolloff of the sub. This will cause cancelation and overall bad sound.

Good luck!

Yup, just inserted dual subs into the system.

Prior to this I tried, unsuccessfully, to integrate a single large driver subwoofer that never blended with the rest of the system. After that experience I just figured subs were not "high end" and it was better to not have low bass than to have low bass that was not "right".

After my recent experience using dual subs with smaller drivers I can now say that having that bottom octave is very addicting. The low bass, when present on the recording, adds so much more to the music. The subs have added a sense of ease and warmth to the music with a improved perception of space and soundstage.

I have things tuned more for speed and accuracy than for all out extension and the system sounds great. Simple A/B comparisons with and without the subs reveals that they blend VERY well with the main speakers. What I am hearing is certainly NOT one note bass eminating from two distinctive subwoofers. It really is hard to tell where the subs come in.

I am using nearly full range towers and running them full range. Connections are via jumpers from the speaker binding posts to the speaker level inputs of one channel on the sub. I then use jumpers on that sub to the other channel speaker level input and engage the crossover of the sub amp. This set up only augments the low bass and is out of the signal chain.

Basically, with the subs now in the system there is nothing subtracting from its performance only the added benefit of the lowest bass now being present.

My $0.02 is that 1. Dual subs load the room more evenly, 2. That last octave is very expensive to get in a one box solution so why not try subs, 3. Still take the amp that can drive your speakers well in the bass. Crossing over the sub lower and augmenting is easier than going up higher and filling in holes.

I have a Velodyne SPL-R 800 subwoofer with my pair of Paradigm Signature S2 speakers. The sub integrates well with my speakers and room. Just as Miner42, I have a second pair of preouts that is connected to the sub and therefore I do not use the high pass crossover to the Paredigms. I do set the low pass crossover to 52 Hz. sub

I use a sub with my V R4 JR's... an old ten inch Velodyne. I drive it off the preamp second set of outputs. It's old, not a seemless integration but it does add some weight to things and I like it... but like some military bases it's slated for closing... but yep, I'll probably always use a sub in two ch. Of course that is until I can swing speakers that do not require one... and maybe even then... just something about the authority it lends to the music.