I've got a rectangular room with about 4,000 sq ft. What are the tradeoffs between on big beast vs two littler ones??

With multiple subs, usually placed on opposite walls, you can often get a flatter frequency response for all seating locations.

will two littles be able to plumb as low as the big one??

99,
here is an instructional video made by Ian.

http://axiomaudio.com/multiplesubs.html

In my experience no WAY man!... i have a EP600 that i had to have the amp serviced on... So while it was away i was using 2 8" JBL subs that i have around the house.... When the 600 was back in service... Holy Moly...a night and day difference comparison would not be adequate. I have retained one of the 8" JBL's to work in conjunction with the 600. However, you can not even hear the 8"... The only way i know it's working is the Green LED, and also by feeling the driver moving... The 600 is overpowering the 8" by that much.... I think that the little 8" is probably adding something to the room though, it's got to right?


I can not speak to a comparison of 2 ep500's as compared to 1 600/800 though... as the 500's are much larger than my little 8" JBL subs...

No, the main benefit of multiple subs is to even out the response in the room, not to play any lower frequency wise.

4,000 square feet or 4,000 cubicle feet?

cubicle feet???????

See what happens when I post while tired and while watching The Office?

And you posted it to Dwight Schrute, Ontario.

sorry, cubic feet. the room is about 15 x 30 x 9

T99, welcome. The primary advantage of two subs is(as Randy pointed out)that if they're properly positioned(i.e., the mid-points of opposite side walls or front and back walls or diagonally opposite corners)they can help to minimize the uneven effect of room modes on bass response and result in more overall smoothness.

The two subs when widely separated increase the sound level by 3dB compared to one of the same. There's no direct effect on extending the bass, except that a given frequency will be, as mentioned, 3dB louder. The relative ability of the bigger single sub as compared to the two subs would determine the overall bass level produced. If the single sub was greatly superior to each of the twin subs, the net effect would be that it would still provide greater extension and maximum loudness, although not the overall smoothness.

wow, thanks for all the thoughtful answers. this forum is great.

so what would you all do?? given that 2 EP500s are the same $$ as the EP800, what is the best for that 15 x 30 room (theater wall on the 15' side) and given the screen size, my mains and the EP800 will have to be to the left or right of screen. unless of course i can sit the EP800 on it's side, maybe behind the center channel.

i could easily put each EP500 at 1/4s along the front wall also. i've seen some pics of people doing this, think one is on the homepage.

You can also get a horizontal EP800.

EP800.

Another vote for the 800.

I have a horizontal ep600 standing up in the back of the room, and 2 ep350's up front.

i was kinda hoping you all would say 800. there's something really bad-ass about how that thing looks. i guess for a big room, you want to biggest cabinets possible. this must be my male speaking.

For a room that size, I'm voting for two 500's. Then get an 800 down the road if you feel you are missing something. I suspect you will not though.... I love my two 500's. I prefer them to the single 600 I had in my HT, and I can't even place them where they should be placed due to furniture placement conflicts. I have them both firing into the room from the front wall, under my screen, whereas they should be on opposing walls like John mentioned.

If this is strictly for HT then hitting as low as you can would make the most sense providing you can also find the subs sweet spot in your room for placement otherwise reaching low won't matter as you might not be able to notice it.

Have you called axiom and talked to Brent or JC? They would be able to give you their opinion as well, and have much more experience with different rooms/speaker configurations than most of us....

Personally, i would go with the 800 up front for the lows, then get 2 500's later.... provided you have have enough disposable income/good will with the wife (if you have one) to support another 2 500's down the road.

A single EP800 is going to extend lower in frequency (14Hz) compared to one, two, or even ten EP500s (18Hz). Two EP500s will likely not give you much additional output compared to a single EP800, although that is room dependant. The benefit of two EP500s, as others have correctly pointed out, is a smoother, more linear in room response. You will also have more flexibility in where you are able to locate the EP500s, compared to the EP800 which is not going to fit just anywhere.

tswei99,

Get the EP800...
I just came from 2 EP500's and although smooth response throughout my 4K cuft room, they were not enough. For me anyway, YMMV...

Dana

T99, my view would be that the benefit of a few more Hz at the very bottom end would be limited to a relatively small proportion of source material, while the benefit of two properly placed subs would extend to anything with significant bass content. However, if the subs were placed simply where convenient or where they made an attractive appearance, then this may not be relevant.

OK, that settles it. three EP 800s!!

Not enough; you need four of 'em!

I just wish all four of mine had magnetic grilles.

Actually one EP800 for EACH channel, of course.

You quote 14Hz and 18Hz extension of the subs but you fail to say at what SPL levels. For the price of one EP800, one could get 3 HSU VTF-15H subs (with money left over) that will pounce a single EP800 in output, extension and have the benefit of smoother bass.

Well, I think of Axiom's integrity as being pretty high. They oftentimes recommend a lower priced product in their line if it suits the customers needs.

Expecting them to recommend a competitor's product is asking just a bit much though, don't you think?

Not to mention, there are many here that LOVE their 800s and wouldn't trade them....

Why would you want three subs? It's either two or four, don't you think? I know one wouldn't cut it for me any more.

I have 3 subs, a ep600 on the back wall, and 2 ep350's up front.

Here's another reason for 3 subs "if" you follow Earl Geddes approach...

http://mehlau.net/audio/multisub_geddes/

yep, I thought about giving that a try again, however, you can't use Audyssey using his methods..

There doesn't seem like much if a difference in the graphs going from 2 to 3 subs, in that link. With 3 subs there is a slight reduction in a null at about 45Hz and that is about it. This is just one example though, maybe another room would yield better results.

You've got a large enough room, try to "unsquare it"

Yes, and he says "you shouldn't hear the sub when your standing next to it".......alot of good that will do.