Small Sub to Compliment my 703s

[gregoree]

"This is not a B & W question, please re-ask question in audio.

Tight bass for a sub is tight bass, regardless what it's teamed with. So you may even get better responses asking it that way in audio. Getting a broader perspective.

Thank you."

Are you saying B&W don't have a "small" sub to match the 703's? What about the highly regarded "musical" PV1?? - this IS a B&W subwoofer. Greg

[bigburner]

Well said that Kiwi! I was thinking the same thing.

[Kent Turb0]

Deleted

[Mitchell]

Sorry about the inarticulate question.

[Aussie Geoff]

Hi,

Man! I'm new here and this place is starting to get intimidating. So what happend with this post, is it wrong?

I was going to ask something similar : "Would you think the 804S sound okay alone, or is it better with a subwoofer?"

I am the b&W Moderator and I don't understand where this post came from or the context? I am not sure what is intimidating - I haven't touched the post - has someone else??? I do find it confusing though! It is almost as if it has appeared here with a number of previous threads missing...

There seem to be two questions here - which I'll have a bash at offering an opinion on in this post and the next.

For the 804S in pure stereo most people would not need a subwoofer unles they liked serious bass and you would need to either use a HT processor to digitally extract the bass for the sub OR connect using line level inputs and have the speaker crossover match that of the 804S (a pain but possible with the right sub). However in HT the 804S absolutely benefit from a sub like the ASW825 or *=(my favourite) the new ASW855... A kick ass combination.

Geoff

[Aussie Geoff]

Hi,

"Are you saying B&W don't have a "small" sub to match the 703's? What about the highly regarded "musical" PV1?? - this IS a B&W subwoofer. Greg

IMO the PV1 is an excellent small sub for the 703s - easy to place and very tight. My personal pick though would be the ASW750 - a little larger but seriously better for deep lound HT use....

Geoff

[JetFlyGuy]

I am quite happy with the ASW825, it is very tight and not at all boomy

[Mitchell]

I originally posted a question which was apparently removed as being less a B&W question and more a genaral audio question.
The tone of the response suggesting it be moved was less than friendly and did not seem like a typicall forgiving HT guide forum moderator.
I will pose it again.
I have B&W 703's which I am generally very happy with. I use them for audio only no HT.
I agree with some other posts that the bass on the 703's could use some help but only SOMETIMES. I asked if anyone could recommend a sub that would compliment the 703's nice articulate bass and just increase the very low end response.
I had asked if there was a particularly small inexpensive one out there as I live in a NYC apt and am unlikely to crank it all the way up anyway.
I am aware that B&W has a several lines including some smaller units designed for other lines and was wondering if anyone had any experience with them or another brand.

Aussie Geoff here - I don't know who edited your post so my appologies for that... I have renamed it to make it clear and put a nice new title on it... You should start to get some response now.... Enjoy! :banana:

[Kent Turb0]

Deleted

[bigburner]

I run an ASW750 with my CDM9NT speakers, and I'm very happy with that sub. The 703 is the replacement for the CDM9NT and is very similar.

[Mitchell]

Thanks Big Burner.
Do you use for music or HT or both?

[Ian D]

I have 703'2 with HTM 7 centre and DS 7's rear with a 750 sub.
For CD's I never use the sub only ever listening through the 703's pressing the pure direct button on my reciever also helps.
For DVD's most SACD's and DVD-A's the sub helps but always needs adjusting to suit the source as they all seem to have different recording levels for the LFE.
As you only use your system for Audio, guess you mean stereo, I'd save your money as I've found the sub masks a good CD recording and isn't necessary

Cheers Ian

[Lex]

Even I am confused now. I did take a couple of topics and move to audio, I attempted to refocus a few things in not this club, but another or two as well. Sometimes, I do that since as owner I do in short moderate the whole forum.

I can't say if Gregoree requoted me from another thread. I may have deleted a post in "a thread", but not several posts in a row. However, if my judgement is questioned in a non-respectful way, odds are the post will get wiped.

Now, I am not going to get into to much here except to say, Gregoree, if you quoted me from another thread to start this thread, please do not do this. If I edited your post and inserted comments, it will say by admin always.


If the original question was asking ONLY about a B & W sub, then it's a B & W question, but if you are looking at recommendations like M & K, or REL for example, then it's no longer a BW question. It's an audio question.

Kent, It is not a matter of intimidation, it's a matter of following the guidelines of the clubs, and they clearly state that B & W is about B & W only. Every time a generic question is asked, (and if you don't specify and make it specific, then it is generic) it may get bounced to another forum, closed, or deleted.

For anyone that does not like that rule, well sorry, but that's the rule. The club mod's may or may not always enforce it, but when I come through here, you can expect that I will enforce it to help keep the clubs on topic. Generally though, the moderators do an excellent job keeping things on focus. When I do take action, it's not to override them, but to supplement them.

We don't ask a whole helluva lot from the member base here, we don't even ask you for money like most forums do today. But we are going to ask you to stay on topic-

Certainly I can make a mistake, if I do, then appologies for that.

Now, it would be nice if a specific question is asked about B & W in a new thread, as there really isn't a subject matter here.

Doug

[Mitchell]

All I know is I asked a question and it has finally gone on to become a normal thread. I think the whole HT Guide Forum is a great thing and I enjoy monitoring it and being involved in it. Occasionally misshaps occur but HT forum members seems usually to be respectful, informative and well meaning.
I cannot ever remember Lex being anything but a gentleman even during fights between other members.
This forum is a welcome diversion throughout my day and I thank Lex for making it possible. It was my lame vague post originally that started this and for that I apologize.

[bigburner]

Mitchell, I use my hi-fi for music only. I often listen at high volume and the ASW750 handles it with ease. It has so much power to spare that it never even begins to sound stressed. I have it hidden away in a corner as you can see from the attached photo, and is about 4 inches from both walls. Even it it weren't hidden away it is sufficiently elegant and small that it shouldn't cause any strife with members of the anti-speaker league! The only thing I have to change slightly is the toe-in of the right speaker which is impacted by having the sub right next to it.

[bigburner]

Ian, I'm intrigued that you don't use your sub when listening to music. Do you ever listen at high volume? I noticed that at higher volumes I just wasn't getting the bass I wanted from my CDM9NT fronts. I like to "feel" the bass. Also, on one occasion my 9NTs began to clip at high volume when playing an overmixed bass track. It was an instant decision to buy a sub and I'm delighted with the results. I think that most of the music I listen to (mostly rock, R&B and blues) sounds better. Like you I find I have to adjust the volume of the sub reasonably often. That's my only criticism of the 750 - it needs a remote control.

[Mitchell]

Thanks Ian and BigBurner and all for the input.
I will start the process of savings and negotiating with wife to add a sub.
Itsinteresting how the 703's handle different music. much of the stuff I listen to I grew up with and am intimately familiar with. I often hear really good appropriate bass. Other times I feel something is missing.
A sub should fill in the missing and leave the great detail.

[Ian D]

Hi Bigburner
Rest assured I listen to my music at very high volumes, :-) as the neighbours will testify.... Like all the B&W speakers it took a while for the 703's to run in, and they are very sensitive to positioning but I find with the sub turned on the music is coloured and I get a more detailed feel with a bigger soundstage without the sub.

As for clipping, never heard that on my 703's even at painfull volumes. And yes couldn't agree more with you the subs need remotes Hope there's a B&W guy reads these forums

Cheers Ian

[bigburner]

Ian, I notice that you and I are about the same age, so you probably remember Led Zeppelin quite well. Like me, you may even have seen them when you were doing your OE in London. If you were once a Led Zep fan you deserve to own Mighty Rearranger by Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation. Robert Plant is 56 now but still sings like a bird. Mighty Rearranger is a great album with many Led Zep characteristics, and is easily the best Robert Plant solo album since he left Led Zep. Tracks 2, 4, 5 and 6 are my favourites.

Anyway, getting to the point of this ramble.... Put track 2 on from Mighty Rearranger, turn up the volume, and see how the 703s cope. Then have a few Castle Lagers and repeat the experience, this time with your sub on and turned up.

Go on, give yourself a treat, 'cos we're going to thrash you at the rugby this weekend.

[KvHagedorn]

If you don't like the sound of the B&W subs, the Velodyne SPL series is a good match.. the SPL-1000R is small and produces large amounts of very clean bass. It also has a remote.

[Ian D]

Go on, give yourself a treat, 'cos we're going to thrash you at the rugby this weekend.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[kylek100]

With all due respect, Lex, I think that's a bit unreasonable. Why does a thread have to just be about B&W subs? The original question was asking what sub would pair well with B&W speakers. As far as I'm concerned, that's a B&W question, not an audio question. If I were in his position, I would not care what the audio people think. I think he was intending to ask people that actually own and have significant experience with B&W speakers, and I think asking that in the B&W club is the logical thing to do. I don't know about everybody else, but I rarely venture outside of this part of the forum. If this is true of others, I think having him post such a question in a general "audio" section would severely diminish the quality of his responses. Please do not take this as an attack, but I'm just trying to understand why you guys are so strict and try to manipulate the flow of conversation.

Regards,

Kyle

[bigburner]

Humble pie all round.

[Aussie Geoff]

Kykek100,

The question as now clarified with the thread title is fine - "best small sub for my B&Ws" is absolutely a B&W related question... Sometimes however we get questions like "best small sub under $1000" or "Which should I buy Denon 2900 or new 2910" which really are nothing to do with B&W. These I move into the right forum leaving a redirect in club B&W.

Equally I moderate in Club Rotel (sharing with Andrew) and I will move B&W related questions here. You will be amazed at how regularly we get questions like "Will my Rotel XXXX amp drive B&W YYYY speakers" posted only in Club Rotel, or even "Best B&Ws for my Rotel System" I move these to Club B&W and (as you would expect) we get a lot better answers.....

HT Guide has some very knowledgeable members in other forums on these topics and (as you have pointed out) the reality is Club B&W is mostly read by B&W owners - so it makes sense to post where you will get the most answers... Besides - some of those other forums are fun to... Worth looking at every now and again

I'm just trying to understand why you guys are so strict and try to manipulate the flow of conversation

This is an interesting one. We don't intend to be strict - though each moderator has different styles. Indeed even Lex the owner (who has many years of experience in dozens of net forums) has "let moderators go" who were too strict / interfering" in threads. What we do try and do is what out for things like personal attacks, threads that escalate into people being angry with each other or rude, people trying to sell things etc.... We like to keep these happy helpful forums. I have gone months in between locking a thread - I more send PMs or put in polite comments suggesting people be careful, which works well…. :banana:

It is worth remembering that there are some forums on the net which are so large and full of opinionated people that it is hard to get a fair go... I used to spend a fair bit of time in AVSFourms but found that the moderation was invisibly strict - for example postings to do with HSU research subs would get deleted arbitrarily with no evidence and similar amazing things... I never go there much now.... There also seemed to be a few individuals that just (for example) hated B&W or hated Rotel and would pick on any post mercilessly... So horses for courses I guess with forums...

Anyway - happy posting...

Geoff