Re: The Tower Discussion Thread!
Originally Posted by
therobin
It is not that it is bad. It is amazing what it can do for a 2-way. However, I am yearning for something more now. And that is why I am looking into 3-way to alleviate this issue. Something with more tight and musically detail bass.
The farther down the frequency range you go, the more benefit you get from a servo system. That's why servos are typically only found in subs. A servo sub will typically give you a tighter and more musical sound. And when you relieve your mains from the stress of providing the bottom couple of octaves, you end up with a cleaner sound as an extra benefit.
You can do this (a 3-way system or something more complex) in one box, or in multiple boxes. That is, a "full range" speaker, or "subs and bookshelf speakers". I just can't think of any full range speakers (but I've been out of that market for quite a while now) that use servo subs. There are bound to be some. IDK.
The advantage you get from separate subs is the ability to place them separately from your mains. You can use this to control (to an extent) room modes, which mostly effect the lower frequencies anyway. This gives you a flatter frequency response than you can usually achieve from full range speakers. Which again helps you attain "tight and musically detailed bass".
Originally Posted by
therobin
I am not interested in running subs due to the cost and integration complexity.
Yup. That's where I was not too many years ago. I get it. I do.
But I found that a servo sub is very easy to integrate with my mains. This is in large part because of the lower distortion that the servo gives you, so it's not messing up the sound coming from the drivers in your mains.
The only arguments I can't counter about subs are the price, and the size. They take up physical room that is typically not underneath your mains, and servo subs tend to cost more than the smaller and less capable subs in a full range speaker. But I'd never consider a sub that wasn't a servo. And in small rooms I'd never consider running a single sub, only pairs or more. Because room modes.
But if what you want is "tight and musically detailed bass" a good pair of servo subs will get you there.
And for the record, I'm running Sierra-2s L/R with a pair of Rythmik LVX-12 servo subs for music. For HT add a Duo center up front and Sierra-1s for surround duties. Prior to this I spent decades with full range speakers, always tweaking trying to find just the right placement (of speakers, listening position, everything in the room, etc.). I don't tweak much at all any more; I quit testing and spend all my listening time... listening.
"If it sounds good, it is good." -- Duke Ellington