Do I really Need a sub with nearfields?

michaelst

michaelst

New member
I'm using Event TR8's. My room (10'x12') is treated with 4 bass traps, some reflection and absorption panels. It's by no means a perfect room, but it's quite and still.

Yet, sometimes, my mixes come up light on other sources. Do I really need to add a subwoofer, or do I just need to adjust my ears when mixing?
 
I would stay away from a sub. They tend to create more problems than they solve.

IMO, the priorities should be to tune your room as well as you reasonably can (using an analyzer or software for guidance, if possible), then train your ears to your room.
 
I use a sub with my KRKs, but I use it very lightly. I would say no, you don't need one, but given that you've done some trapping I wouldn't be afraid to add one either. In either case, it's always a good idea to "calibrate" your ears with some reference material of the appropriate genre.
 
I mostly agree withand support what's been said here so far. My entire take on it would be something like this:

There's three main reasons for needing a sub, IMHO:

1. If you're mixing for 5.1 or 7.1 surround, and you need the sub channel to mix to.

2. Iif you're mixing a lot for dance or hip hop in 2.1 where you have a lot of 808 bass drops or something like that are specifically meant to drive the person in the car next to you crazy.

3. If your nearfields are severly lacking in the standard bass range (because of the monitors, not because of the room) and you need the sub to prop up the standard bass response of your system.

It sounds like you are not mixing for surround, your room is already fairly well stabilized to some degree, and the TR8s themselves should provide enough accurate bass to get a good translation. Therefore it appears that both 1 and 3 can be eliminated as reasons for a sub in your case.

That leaves reason #2, in which case you might be justified in adding a sub, but I'd ask on behalf of humanity in general that you not do that so much ;) :D.

G.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

I was kinda hoping you'd all say that. I have noticed that my mixes are getting better regarding the bottom, having made listening adjustments.

I'm mostly mixing live performance tracks I record with my HD24. I have a good gain structure for the house mix and get a very good signal on the tracks. So, I usually have a lot to work with, if the performance is good.

Thanks dudes
 
I will say yes

but only because of the name of the site:

my reasons:

others in here will read this, well think about this.

you are looking to do "home recording" this is a problem sometime as you can not alway "turn it up" some people live on top of each other these days or even a meter from each other.

in this case a good sub (or a bad one) will be of great benefit: why?

if you have to listen at a low level (moderately) your low frequency will not be properly represented even on any great monitor.

get a reference cd listen at the level you will likely monitor at then start to turn up the bass on the sub until it sound about just right bias more bass so you mix it out a little.. i mean lets face it how easy is it to put base in?, but to take out properly a terrible low mix ... much harder.
 
michaelst said:
I'm using Event TR8's. My room (10'x12') is treated with 4 bass traps, some reflection and absorption panels. It's by no means a perfect room, but it's quite and still.
Yet, sometimes, my mixes come up light on other sources.

Do I really need to add a subwoofer, I vote NO to NEED, as in required...

"nice to have a check of the lows" then yes

Most 6" drop around 100hz as I understand it, and per the RTA I did 150hz in my place...but! when I added the sub-bass to flatten the chart,the subwoofer volume was almost off, so I felt I couldn't even hear it, but the RTA chart showed it was there....which I never have figured? :confused:

5" monitor I would get a sub.....

seems everyone says that the lower you go, the more the room gets really strange..acoustics. So to hook up a sub like someones home theater HiFi?? no way....not in a little room...

as a gear addict...yes,!! by all means....buy two subs one for each side.



or do I just need to adjust my ears when mixing? DOH!!!:eek:
Click to expand...


I wouldn't bother adding a sub with 8"....

 
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