Do dual subs really need to match?

[Craig]

How important is it for dual subs to match? Apparently, 2 Depth i's are better than one and 2 Descent i's are better than one. However, will a Descent i and a Depth i work well together in a 2 channel system or would that create issues?

Would you be better off with just one of these subs rather than one of each type?

 

[Rich]

I'm not speaking from direct experience here, but that has never stopped me before. I would expect it would be quite easy to match up a descent i with a depth i in a system. They are not that different, the descent i is just a lot more powerful. But both subs have lots of adjustments which you can use to match them up.

The key here is what kind of setup are you talking about. It might be harder to get them to perfectly match for a stereo setup, while it may be easier to do one in front and one in back. For that matter, it would probably be easier to match them up just for home theater use, vs. the more critical task of music listening. But I still think any of the above could be accomplished using those two subs. It is just a matter of how difficult will it be to get them dialed in correctly.

 

[C.A.P]

like Rich said it can be done. The Depth and the Decent are probably close in sound but I think you will need to do some phase adjustments and spl matching. I ran 2 different subs for a while and ran them 180* out of phase with each other when they were in diagonal corners of the room. I am finding out now with the CLS that 1 good sub will do the job.

 

[Craig]

Good point. I presume that using two unmatched subs for LFE (i.e. movies) would have much less integration issues than 2 channel which would normally be connected as a left sub and right sub.

 

[amey01]

Don't go there. Would you use a Clarity for your left channel and a Prodigy for your right?

OK - sure, it's not going to be that bad, but it will still create issues that are not necessary. And granted - most of a sub's performance/integration issues come from its environment, not itself.

 

[risabet]

How important is it for dual subs to match? Apparently, 2 Depth i's are better than one and 2 Descent i's are better than one. However, will a Descent i and a Depth i work well together in a 2 channel system or would that create issues?

Would you be better off with just one of these subs rather than one of each type?

Would you use two different main speakers? I wouldn't think so. Since the bass is just as important as the rest of the spectrum I would not use different subs in the same system. The transient response, power output and phase issues will, I feel, affect the imaging and speed of the system. It is difficult enough to get a system with two identical subs to sound correct. YMMV

 

[Craig]

Would you use two different main speakers? I wouldn't think so. Since the bass is just as important as the rest of the spectrum I would not use different subs in the same system. The transient response, power output and phase issues will, I feel, affect the imaging and speed of the system. It is difficult enough to get a system with two identical subs to sound correct. YMMV

Of course I wouldn't but subs are a different animal and 2 are supposed to be better than one.. What if I had a Depth i for my 2 channel and a Descent i for my HT and wanted to bring a sub from a system into the other? The subs are more adjustable a less localized so I thought...what if.

 

[Rich]

Why not try it and see. From experimentation, we learn. I would suggest you try them one up and one back. Put the descent i in the center between the main speakers and the depth i in the center in the rear of the room. See how well you can integrate them. If you don't like that, try opposing corners, one front and one rear. It will take a lot of listening and work to get levels and phase adjustments done, but it wouldn't be that difficult to get it set up properly. The advantage of multiple subs is that you can get a more even frequency response throughout the room than you can with just one sub.

 

[C.A.P]

Of course I wouldn't but subs are a different animal and 2 are supposed to be better than one.. What if I had a Depth i for my 2 channel and a Descent i for my HT and wanted to bring a sub from a system into the other? The subs are more adjustable a less localized so I thought...what if.

Not to take anything away from the Decent I ,But there is no way I would pay that much fro a HT sub that plays back minimal mixed movie soundtracks. The Decent is overkill for that use ,unless $$$ and space are no object then there are other even better options. Now for dedicated 2 channel listening I would not compromise at all.

Now that being said your HT system may be your main listening system. Like mine I run a separate system for both and run a big DS1500 Servo sub for the HT and it shakes the house, and a Sunfire True sub for my mains. (I like its tightness with the CLS).

Your options for using different subs in a different system are easy. Integrating them together can be done it will just take some tweaking. I have tried the 2 different subs in 1 room. I liked a lot about it but there are some downfalls too. Phasing, Nodes, null spots, hot spots. Mixing in 2 subs with out equalization is not easy (I mean a separate processor , like a BFD destroyer or similar unit). If my HT room had the right space id be all over a IB system .

 

[JohnA]

How important is it for dual subs to match? ...

It depends on how they are placed/configured.
If you have them symmetrically placed relative to the main speakers, one for the left channel and one for the right, then if your room is also symmetrical you'd want the subs to be identical, wouldn't you?

I run two (self-made) subs that are not matched by size, amp or driver.
They work brilliantly, but of course they are not set up identically.
One (2x12" 500w) is configured to work optimally with the front speakers (extending them to be flat down to 60 odd Hz (at high volume levels it doesn't go that low of course).
The other sub (18" 1500W) is configured (location, freq, phase, gain) to extend the above combo to be flat down to 20Hz and at high volume levels it is surpisingly active

There you have it - non matching sub

 

[DTB300]

There you have it - non matching sub

Same here.

I have one for music. The other I engage only when watching movies.

Subs are located in front center (music) and rear center (HT).

 

[JohnA]

I kept the description simple.
The big sub has two coils, one connected to the front-channel signal, the other one to the LFE.
When I'm playing surround disks the sub power amp is flipped to 'LFE' mode and both coils play exclusively LFE.
Otherwise music is extended very-very low.

Also the setting up of the second Sub allows for it to cancel out some room nodes that are excited by the first sub. Around 50Hz it actually reduces volume by around 4 db. So it also acts as an active bass trap.

 

[Shoe]

I will throw my hat in the mix here by saying that in my dedicated 2 channel setup, I am using a Depth i near the inside of my Vantage and a Rel Strata lll on the inside of the left Vantage. Both subs are connected to a SMS-1; (bass eq) I was able to get a relative flat bass response from 20 hz to 90hz. This was not the case when using only one of the subs. Having the flexibility to fine tuning that the SMS-1 offers provided a seamless integration between the subs and the mains. I now have deep ,tuneful bass that has transform my listening experience. So I think with good room acoustics and bass eq, integrating two different subs can work quite well. By the way when I can afford it I will be buying another Depth which will be a perfect match I am sure. Sam