2.1 or 2.0 thats the question

[nixoblivion]

I know this doesnt fit exactly into the acoustics section, but ive gotten such great info here, and for me loudspeakers are part of acoustics

Since my speakers have failed on me im wondering if i should go 2.0 with big enough speakers to transmit some bass or rather 2.1 with a sub...

I have no experience with subs at all (except at friends houses, who have pc loudspeakers with sub and the sub is always terrible)
But im thinking with a 2.1 system, i will have better bass response than with 2.0.

What for me seems the best advantage of the sub, would be that i can place the satelites where i need them (equilateral triangle) and place the sub where it is best for the modes!

What are your thoughts? advantages 2.1 compared to 2.0??

[andrebrito]

Define better bass response...

2.0 is good for a room with no acoustical treatment since the lowest modes are not excited as strongly as a 2.1 solution

2.1 is good for acoustically treated room (and NOT the kind of solutions usually defined in this forum with as much bass traps as possible and using broadband)

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by nixoblivion

What are your thoughts? advantages 2.1 compared to 2.0??

I prefer full range speakers that don't need a sub. One advantage is it avoids yet another crossover, and the "combining" problem when LF sound around the crossover frequency comes from three speakers instead of only two. But Andre and Victor are correct that a sub gives more placement options.

--Ethan

[nixoblivion]

Yes the crossover is an argument, but i would say the cross over at lets say 2kHz is more of a problem than the one at 80Hz...

any other advantages/disadvantages of 2.1 over 2.0`?

[Nordenstam]

I think you're better off rephrasing it as "2.0 or 2.2"?

One sub is iffy at best. Two makes more sense, even if you let the mains go as deep as they can and only use the subs to fill in the rest.

[nixoblivion]

Originally Posted by Lupo

I think you're better off rephrasing it as "2.0 or 2.2"?

One sub is iffy at best. Two makes more sense, even if you let the mains go as deep as they can and only use the subs to fill in the rest.

Well 2 subs for me is an overkill. Then i might as well stay with 2.0.
Im guessing the reason you prefer 2 subs is sothat they can cancel modes, right?
But cant you use proper placement of 1 sub as an advantage over 2.0?

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by nixoblivion

Well 2 subs for me is an overkill. Then i might as well stay with 2.0.
Im guessing the reason you prefer 2 subs is sothat they can cancel modes, right?

Yes!
I would go with full rang myself.

[nixoblivion]

Originally Posted by Glenn Kuras

Yes!
I would go with full rang myself.

yes and why?

[Nordenstam]

Originally Posted by nixoblivion

Im guessing the reason you prefer 2 subs is sothat they can cancel modes, right?

Nope. It's because I listen to stereophonic sound and want the blasts of energy from the subs to integrate with the mains in a way that don't mess with the stereo field. Although we're having a hard time discerning directions at such low frequencies, subs are not totally free from location cues. With naturalistic stereo recordings of instruments like cellos(plenty of sub power), placed somewhere off center in the sound field, a lone sub sounds strange in a subtle way. A true stereo system sounds more natural.

It also doubles the headroom. It's nearly impossible to get enough oomph down there. More sub power is hardly a waste of time if you enjoy deep bass and can afford it.

Originally Posted by nixoblivion

But cant you use proper placement of 1 sub as an advantage over 2.0?

If you want the wavefront from single sub to arrive at the ears at equal time with both speakers, the range of placement with a lone sub is severely restricted. Two subs makes it much easier to move things around(given that some sort of delay can be had in the subs or mains to align the drivers in time).

Or perhaps I'm too dumb to make a single sub work properly..

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by nixoblivion

yes and why?

Because placement of the sub and cross over is critical and if you get monitors that go down to 40hz or so you should be set.