Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Subwoofers - Can you live without yours? Or no?

Alright so I've been doing some exploring of the forum as I usually do, and I've noted in a few threads that a lot of people seem happy with just two speakers (be they m60's, or m3's, or what have you)... Some even find the bass too much with the 60's..

Am I the only one that, while the 60's are awesome, once adding a subwoofer, Music is so lacking without it? Yes my 60's rock in stereo, but now that the LFE is being handled by my subwoofer, anything else is just lacking.... Perhaps I've gotten used to feeling the bass in my spinal cord, or having my entire room shake with the right song, or being able to move furniture around, a floor away, yeah a lot of my rap, electronica, and heavy metal stuff will do that....

I just threw on "Quincy Jones - Birdland", which has a really solid bassline, and I can feel the bass drum and I'm 15 ft away from the subwoofer and that makes me very happy!

Am I alone in my bass obsessed nature? Maybe it's because I'm younger? I know my dad likes his music to sound good, but doesn't always appreciate the "interactive" feel of my system

Thoughts?

- D

You are definitely not the only one. There's nothing quite like great bass from a well-designed subwoofer. Until people experience how much better the bass sounds when it's handled by a dedicated device, ignorance is bliss.

Nope, I'm right with you on that one. I had been running the M50s by themselves for about a week or two when I first got them, then put in Sting-Brand New Day, didn't hear the beginning bass note, stopped it, turned on the sub, and haven't looked back.

Yep - I spent way too many years without a sub. Since I hooked up my SVS early this year, I am constantly kicking myself for not getting a sub earlier. This is not simply for having my ears bleed when I play music. The sub adds a texture to everything, most notably movies and it enhances the entire HT experience. What I have learned is that the sub does not need to be overpowering to provide a whole 'nother layer of audio and sensory enjoyment. I will not live without one again.

If I get to the point of having grandchildren, I will help establish their college funds, right AFTER we set up a very robust Axiom + subwoofer fund. Then I can concentrate on getting some new teeth and counting all of my liver spots.

I've got the M22s, so you know I can't live without a sub. But what I really, really like is the "S-Direct" mode on my Marantz (direct source...I don't know what the other manufacturers call theirs). I just wish it didn't bypass the sub when you engage that mode. I was fiddling with it on a few CDs this afternoon, and the difference is pretty dramatic. I understand that the idea is to bypass the distance & level settings and just give the pure signal to the speakers, but it would be much nicer if it could somehow recognize the sub.

Most bookshelves and towers do not reproduce much frequency range below 30hz, I have yet to come across any good sounding towers handle bass down to teens, which is quite essential for HT nowaday. Couple years ago I had the Acoustic Research AR1 running off of the Odyssey Stratos for almost 2 years, the AR1 loaded with side firing 15" active subwoofers powered by built-in 500w Sunfire amps, back then I didn't feel the need for additional sub because they were being use 100% for music, and two 15" were plenty in my living room so I didn't feel the need for an additional sub.

Now with the M22ti, I don't think I can do without the Sub. In my room the M22ti alone can only go down to 50hz, anything below is mute so I'll be missing a whole chunk of stuff between 50 to 10hz, in my case...an additional sub make a complete system.

For HT systems, I can't live without twin subs. For the tube 2 channel (2.1), a single Vance Dickerson Titanic sub is the perfect compliment to a pair of Axiom-like Michaura M66 mini towers or giant bookshelf speakers. These have a similar driver compliment to the Axiom M50s (2x6.5" Axiom type aluminum drivers) and a 3/4" titanium tweeter like the ones used in the old M2s or Merak speakers. I don't know why, but these M66s sound much better than the M50tis I had but sold after listening to the M66s. I think the reason might be the cabinet shape - they are hex shaped, smaller than the M50s, but the mids and highs, to my ears, just sound much nicer. They are only rated down to 45Hz /3db (I think) but throw an absolutely enormous soundstage, image beautifully, and have mids which are the perfect match for a 5 wpc SET tube amp.

I've never had a sub until the 500 and I would have never guessed there was so much more in the lower end of music until getting it.

I've been sicker than a dog since the weekend and the only consolation has been exploring how much more there is to listen to on the music I already own. There really have been alot of surprises, like wow I never new that was there. Its just to cool

So ya I'm also with you on this one, Daphoid, I doubt I'll ever listen with out a sub, but I guess I'll have to wait until I get my M60's to know for sure.

Cheers, Jag

no sub no fun

>>I've been sicker than a dog since the weekend and...

You're probably not sick, just having your internal organs shaken and twisted around by the sub LF. Try turning it off for a day and maybe you'll feel better