Poll: One $1000 sub or two $500 subs - which is best?

[jdm56]

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[CAS]

Totally depends on the sub. You can, in rare cases, have a $500 sub that will best a $1000 sub. Then again, most mass market $500 subs have less than adequate extension and more of the same would do you little better.

[Colin]

for depth? output? balance in listening area? see harmon kardon white paper on the subject...

[Doug C]

I can only speak based on my experience in my listening room. Over the years I have experimented extensively with multiple subs. Have run all combinations of my Twin SVS and 18" Velodyne.

One sub is certainly much easier to calibrate and phase to the mains as opposed to multiple subs located in different areas of the room. Eventually I always end up going back to just the 18" Velodyne in the same corner for best low frequency reproduction.

Based on this experience I would opt for a single higher quality sub. Results may differ in a different room.

Doug C

[Loudisbeautiful]

Yep.....

ONE good quality subwoofer is better than two lesser subs........

Doug C makes a great point......subwoofer setup on one is waaaay easier.....

Use the lowest Fs point you can ....without creating a gap....

[feersum dreadnot]

as shown in sig., I went for one $1,300 sub.

it fills a 14' x 15' x 8' room quite well.

[jdm56]

for depth? output? balance in listening area? see harmon kardon white paper on the subject...

However you care to slice it.

One sub is definitely easier. But better? Two can be smoother. But better? Two can sometimes be stacked, and two can allow a higher crossover. Two smaller ones might be easier to fit in a room. Then again, they might not. [*-)]

[thxsubwoofers]

What brand is your $500-1000 subwoofer going to be?

[TheEAR]

One high quality,high performance sub ALWAYS bests two lesser subs.lets not start comparing a poor performing $1000 unit with two great performing $500 units.

Anyone with a brain(not liquid blubber in its place)will gather information to buy a GREAT $1000 sub,and this sub will make dual $500 not even a viable option.

A single better quality sub is more important than more output from two lesser quality subs.If quantity was the main reason to buy audio we would all go Pro horn loaded stage speakers and bass bins to crack plaster.

[jdm56]

MANY experts advocate multiple small subs as opposed to just one big sub. Even up to four! Check out the latest HOME THEATER issue. Of course, they're not saying "buy 2 crummy subs instead of one good one".

My original question, which I should have made more clear, was really assuming similar quality either way. The $1000 sub and the two $500 subs would be comparable, other than output level and maybe a little bit of bottom end extension.

[DrWho]

Such specific questions in regards to the specific applications of

subwoofers would be better answered with disccusion of specific

subwoofer models. In other words, what two cheaper subs are you looking

to use instead of what single large sub?

[jdm56]

I really was not thinking of any specific models.

I currently use two Infinity Alpha 1200's, but I'm considering either a pair of ADS 10" subs or a single ADS 12" sub. Both have the same amp, and are rated for the same extension. The only difference in the specs other than the dimensions and weight, is that the 12" sub has 3dB more output. And actually, these two ADS subs are not that far apart in price, either. But I digress, I'm not talking about these two or any two specific subs, just subs in general; two smaller vs. one larger, two cheaper vs. one more expensive, etc.

[capo72]

How about 2 Dayton Titanic MKIII ($1375) vs. 1 RSW-15 ($1800)?

[strutter]

2 Klipsch Sub-12 $1020.00 +shipping and tax ---VS---- 1 SVS PB12-plus/2 $1199.00 + shipping, no tax ?

[DrWho]

The RSW-15 would outperform two Titanics in the LF department and be close in the maxSPL department (winner being the RSW).

Two Sub-12's however would perform better than a plus/2 simply because

you have the added acoustical benefit of having two subwoofers.

However, two Sub-12's stacked in a corner versus a plus/2 in the same

corner would perform very much the same (the sub-12 going louder

overall). However, if max SPL isn't a concern the plus/2 can be tuned

(port plugs) to go lower....but then you run into issues of port noise,

which may or may not be a concern.

The most important thing to realize when doing these comparisons is

that stacking two identical subs results in the exact same frequency

response, but an overall 6dB increase in SPL. So for the same overall

volume/floorspace that two stacked drivers take up, you can usually

find a single subwoofer that will play just as loud AND dig deeper.

(hoffman's iron law).

Putting two identical subs at different spots in the room only yields a

3dB increase in SPL, but sometimes has benefits with the room's

acoustics. It then becomes a tradeoff between LF extension or a

hopefully flatter frequency response.

Btw, all this assumes that you're using a mono bass source (like the

LFE on a reciever). If you have stereo bass capabilities then I would

without a doubt always go with two subwoofers....I would just make sure

they were individually more than capable of meeting my needs []

[jdm56]

I've been looking at a pair of ADS 10" / 300W subs for about $450 each. That option seems pretty good, but then I checked out SVS website. The dual 12" / 600 W / 120 lb behemoth looks mighty killer for $900. Is that maybe the best single-sub value out there? No doubt it would outperform the two ADS subs if placement is optimized. It is just so humongous, though. There are not many places in my room it would not stick out like a sore thumb. That's one of the beauties of the "lean & mean" option. Small subs are much easier to integrate into a room.

[brennyE]

and on the plus side just having one more expensive sub will usually have better cosmetics than two lesser subs, because who really wants two cheap looking subs (totaly dependant on brand) when they could have one really nice looking sub that blends well with furniture ect.