Subwoofers

nitro

nitro

Hi,

I have B&W speakers, and I want to add a subwoofer to make it a more complete home theatre.

It is my understanding that B&W is not particularly good when it comes to subwoofers. Also it is my understanding that getting subs to perform adequately with movie soundtracks isn't much of a challenge. But getting subs to perform admirably with music is another matter altogether.

I have been told that you should not mix speakers from different manufacturers, but that mixing a subwoofer is ok. Is this true?

So here is my question: Can someone recommend a good subwoofer for $500 that will work with my B&Ws, and will handle a bassy movie (like U-571) without damaging the subwoofer, as well as sound good when playing Bach's Tocatta and Fugue, or Pink Floyd?

I was told that Velodynes are very good, but I since I don't know very much anyone can tell me anything and I would not know...

Thanks

nitro
 
I really like the choices.

excuse the meaningless intrusion, i just was listening to some music at the time and got some ideas.

Bach's Tocatta and Fugue, or Pink Floyd?
 
Good sound is good sound, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Im yet to be convinced, that tuning normal speakers, to your ear, is THAT far below the sub-woofers/tweeters/custom arrangements, overall.
I suspect a lot of sound quality issues can be solved from tuning what you have to the environment, if the surrounds aren't in order no subwoofer will make the difference.
But then, i might be deaf.
 
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2,CONTENTID=9486

I totally agree with all the reviews out there. Even the non-computer audiophiles think it's amazing. Here's 2-

Review - http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/z5500/

"Words cannot describe how powerful and loud this woofer kicks."

"But excess can also get you into some rather weird and bad situations also. Take me for instance, I am happily testing the system volume levels out in the Tweaknews office by gaming and listening to a little Lil' Jon & the Eastside Boyz and I thought all was well..........until the next morning.

At 9:00am I was woken up with a rather loud knocking at my suite's front door. Opening the door revealed the building's property manager handing me a noise violation complaint that was filed and the manager's office by my next door neighbor. This would sound perfectly right seeing I was easily hitting 130+dB when testing the system at higher volume levels but there is one interesting thing I have to inform you about my neighbor...........

She is completely deaf........No joke, she can't hear a thing. Nadda...Zilch....

What I guess caused her to file the complaint is that I cleared 13 pictures off of the adjacent wall where our two suites attach. And yes, that wall was the same wall where the subwoofer was placed. From what I was told, I vibrated that wall so badly that almost all of her paintings, photos, trinkets or whatever vibrated and fell down.

So what's the moral of the story? This system is so loud it will piss even deaf people off......."

http://www.laaudiofile.com/z5500.html

"While the Z-5500 system is not inexpensive for a PC-based 5.1 audio system, it is by far one of the best sounding PC systems that we have heard to date. The THX® certification is more than just a fancy name attached to this system. The certification does ensure a level of performance that many PC-based systems could never achieve. If you really want to experience impressive sound quality with your PC audio whether it be for music, movies or games, the Z-5500 will likely put a big smile on your face."
 
Quote from MrsSavant:

I really like the choices.

excuse the meaningless intrusion, i just was listening to some music at the time and got some ideas.

Bach's Tocatta and Fugue, or Pink Floyd?
More...
Leaving out Pink Floyd as meaningless for such a test, the Toccata and Fugue in D minor may not tell you that much either.

Getting into organ music, you should first experience some organ sound live, in fact with an organ player willing to give you some demonstration of the effects of bass notes on hearing - only true pipe organs will do, no electronic gismo's. It will amaze you how insensitive the ear becomes to the lower octave of a 32 feet pipe rank.
In recordings featuring the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, recording companies will never fail to tweak things so that ignorant buyers will keep on singing the merits of this peace. In truth, it is a rather second rank piece in the organ works of J.S. Bach.
Further, Bach, at the time he wrote the major part of his organ work never had an instrument at his disposal with anything beyond a 8 foot pull-down pedal.

_________________________
It simply depends on what you are satisfied with. Today, Pink Floyd may after all be a better choice for most. :D
Most people only produce sh*t during their lives. (Leonardo da Vinci)
 
The Logitech sub is nice for a computer system but it would be badly out of place in a B&W system intended for serious music listening.

I'd second the recommendation for Hsu Research. NHT also makes some good subs. I haven't listened to any Velodynes lately but they have a great rep.

Martin
 
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