RE: Powered subs

["Qua Veda" <qua@oregon.com>]

Hi Bill, happy new year!
>From my audiophile days, my preference has been for very high quality full
range cabinets rather than 'satellites and sub'. The sub often needs to 
have
its volume adjusted relative to the smaller mains to keep it sounding
coherent through the crossover point.  But full range audiofile speakers
(e.g. Dunlavys, etc) require a lot of cabinetry and are quite large and
heavy, and can cost 10s of thousands of dollars.  In the music industry,
these kinds of speakers are usually only found in very high end recording
studios.   I've seen that in the live sound reinforcement industry, much
less attention is paid to the finer details of sound , and the equipment
needs to be road worthy.  This has lead to smaller cabinets which lack full
range (IMO), so subs have been added to regain the full range - or , even
make the low end an 'effect'.  Similarly in home theater, many people can't
cope with the expense and proper speaker placement of large main cabinets -
thus the rise of the satellites and subs suitable for earthquake movie
effects.   The biggest factor is the source material- your sonic goals for
reproducing it.

long live the low end!  
 -Qua

-----Original Message-----
From: William Walker [mailto:billwalker@baymoon.com] 
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 6:35 PM
To: 
Subject: RE: Powered subs



I personally don't understand the need for, or attraction to subs, unless 
it
is a design like the Bose Linear system that seems to need them, from what 
I
can hear, to sound full. Now I'm coming from the perspective of a 
guitarist,
but I personally feel the modern club and concert sound aesthetic places 
way
to much emphasis on Subsonics and a bass heavy mix. I've heard way to many
good bands me rendered muddy and indistinct from a rumbling overly loud 
bass
mix. For me too much low end can have an adverse effect when playing
acoustic guitars for the obvious reasons. So I ask you all who love subs, 
is
it a better musically experience for you when you can hear and feel that
bigger low end? Just curious,  and Happy New Year.
Bill