Possible to have a good HT setup without a Sub?

[SF_VR6]

I've never owned an HT setup. Is it possible to get decent HT performance from a pair of mains and a center without a sub?

[Kal Rubinson]

Depends on what you regard as 'decent.' It will be better than the speakers built into the TV but you would not get any surround effects or the extreme LF sounds. What's important to you?

Kal

[WI Rotel]

It can be done and sound can be "Good". However, you'll need speakers with very stout bass capacity, if not your surround will be bass light. Another issue is that you won't be able to use the .1 feature of dolby and DTS wherein all the bass information is separated into its own channel.

[Audiophiliac]

I ran a 5.0 system when I still lived in an apartment. I had 4 Paradigm Studio 60 v.2 and the Studio Center Channel. Sure, it didnt have the impact and rumble down low of a dedicated sub, but it sounded just fine for the levels I listened at. I set all the speakers to large and routed the LFE channel to the fronts. It packed a punch alright....but you will eventually want a sub....once you have one, you will never want to go without again...if you have never had one, then you will not know what you are missing.

[RebelMan]

According to Dolby Labs, yes. But you'll need a DVD player, or other supported device, that incorporates Dolby Virtual Speaker technology to achieve it.

[Glenee]

I run 802D's and HTM3S without sub. It is very good. Not perfect but DECENT.
Glenee

[Blindamood]

Depends on the movie, too. Some movies rely more on the LFE track to make you 'feel' the action. I've always had a sub in my theater setup, but when I moved up to a better sub, I was amazed at how it enhanced the experience of some movies.

[scanido]

I currently use a set of 803S for mains and an HTM3S for center and find it to be adequate in my small room. Even though the front sound stage sounds huge I still feel there is something missing in terms of being submersed in "surround sound" and feeling the low rumble from a dedicated sub.

Having said that, it is descent and will get me by until i can afford the other components.

[KRC]

As noted above, you use the term decent.... That considering budget, room size and location (apartment, dorm etc) and other area of your system that also require upgrading or purchase. However, for true HT or surround sound (ie 5.1 , 6.1 or 7.1) you do require surround speakers as well as a sub. You will be surprised by the amount of surround information that can be produced from "decent" surround speakers. In my case, I run a pair of DM 600 series 3, would I want to trade up to match my 703's, oh yea...but again you have to have balance in your system to feel or hear the surround effects. In my set up I run the sub for movies but turn it off for 2 channel or DVD sourced music as my 703's turn out excellent tuned and deep bass without getting deeper, muddy sounding bass through the sub. My system...my preference.

Kevin

[scanido]

KRC, this is why i am contemplating on getting a set of temporary rears, most likely DM600s, to hold me off until i can afford matching 800 series rears. I borrowed a set of old JBL's and was quite surprised to hear how much information is in the rear channels.

[KRC]

You will also be pleasantly surprised the sound quality from an approx $500.00 CAD 600 series 3 and probably even more with the new series 4. They might be good enough that you do not have to reach into the 800 series for surround. Again it gets into that "Nth degree" of sound quality.

Kevin

[SF_VR6]

reason I asked is that one option for me is to sink more money into better speakers to "hold me off" a while then add the sub. Seems that adding a sub always improves whatever setup you have.

I've been contemplating the CMseries for movies but not sure if I will be missing much if I cannot afford a sub initially.