8" monitors or 6.5" w/ sub

dainbramage

dainbramage

New member
I've just got seriously into treating my room as it has finally freed up for dedicated use. Now, the room is on the small side:

Length: 11,6 feet
Width: 9,3 feet
Height: 7,1 feet

I've got these Sonodyne SM100AK monitors. They're 6.5". They sound great, but are lacking below 100hz. So I'm trying to decide whether to pick up a sub or not. I've also been considering selling them and pick up some 8" monitors. It may or may not just cause problems, but how am I going to control the low end with the ones I have?

Any thoughts on this?

EDIT: A third option would be to keep the Sonodynes and pick up some 8" and use the Sonodynes as B-speakers.
 
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Small spaces = Insane amounts of broadband trapping pretty much no matter how you slice it.

Actually, the same amount you might use in a larger room - just packed into a smaller space. There's "X" amount of energy you're trying to absorb. The size of the space just makes that energy more problematic per "X" area.

Fill that room with water, you drown. Fill a room twice the size with the same amount of water, you're wet.

Back to the speakers -- Although I'm not totally against the use of subs, I'm a fan of using them only for the very lowest octave or so. I'll do anything possible to avoid the use of subs otherwise (up to and including 175 pound, 6'1" speakers with 4 woofers each).

I would get the 8's -- But no matter what, I'd get a *minimum* of 8 2'x4'x4" broadband traps in there no matter what size monitors.
 
I recommended someone here have a listen to Sonodyne's a while back, I heard them at a trade show and really liked them. Where did you discover them? I would have bought a pair but I have my monitors covered at the moment .......... however?

I have a sub on my small monitors, but I am very careful to have it calibrated sensibly so that the frequencies are even through the rage, some visiting engineers think they are no turned on, until turn them off!

Alan.
 
witzendoz said:
I recommended someone here have a listen to Sonodyne's a while back, I heard them at a trade show and really liked them. Where did you discover them? I would have bought a pair but I have my monitors covered at the moment .......... however?

I have a sub on my small monitors, but I am very careful to have it calibrated sensibly so that the frequencies are even through the rage, some visiting engineers think they are no turned on, until turn them off!

Alan.
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Well, they were the first monitors I ever picked up, so I can't really compare them to other monitors. They do sound pretty clear to my ears even though I only have early reflection points covered with 242s. I've got four 244s and a couple of tri-traps from GIK on the way in the mail, so hopefully they will sound even better after that. They sound pretty perfect above 100Hz I would say, but below that there isn't much. As a result it's kind of hard to mix bass tracks on them as I seem to mix them to a higher volume than they should be.

I've been thinking of picking up a pair of KRK Rokit 8s and use them as main or B-speakers although I'm still not sure. There is an 8 version of the Sonodynes too (SM200AK), but they're just way too expensive to me at this point.

How big is the room are you using your sub in?
 
Massive Master said:
Small spaces = Insane amounts of broadband trapping pretty much no matter how you slice it.

Actually, the same amount you might use in a larger room - just packed into a smaller space. There's "X" amount of energy you're trying to absorb. The size of the space just makes that energy more problematic per "X" area.

Fill that room with water, you drown. Fill a room twice the size with the same amount of water, you're wet..
Click to expand...

Great analogy!
 
I use a small sub like Massive describes - only for those lowest frequencies.

Most monitors will not produce a sufficiently audible/proper sub response. They're really not intended for that, but a lot of music today does demand it, so I think we'll either start seeing monitors by manufacturers come as a 2.1 setup or more small subs with good circuits to add quality monitors. Since you won't be expecting a lot from the sub (meaning, it won't be the only bass signal for your home theater), you can get just about any mid range sub on the market. Make sure the sub hits at 40hz or lower. No sense getting a sub that won't. Most 8"+ subs of decent quality will.
 
Pinky said:
I use a small sub like Massive describes - only for those lowest frequencies.

[...]

Make sure the sub hits at 40hz or lower. No sense getting a sub that won't. Most 8"+ subs of decent quality will.
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Thanks a lot. Is 40hz about the lowest octave like Massive mentioned?

Massive Master said:
Although I'm not totally against the use of subs, I'm a fan of using them only for the very lowest octave or so
Click to expand...
 
Massive Master said:
The last sub I had hit around 17Hz and cut off sharply right around 37-40Hz (which is where my speakers at the time picked up - It was pretty seamless with a slow sweep).
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To get a sub that actually produces at those frequencies you'll be paying a decent amount of money. Most decent home theater subs actually start in the 25-30hz range. I don't find that I'm producing music to hit below 40hz since a lot of people's playback equipment won't produce anything below 50hz anyway (most people don't own "decent" playback equipment), and even on good headphones it's tough to 'hear' anything below 45-50hz.

40hz is a good reference number to work with since it keeps the cost down on the sub (under $200) and covers the low end most people actually need.
 
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