Full Size Vs. Bookshelf + Sub for 2 Channel Content

[hermann_giron]

I currently have a good pair of Bookshelf Speakers and am considering an upgrade to a pair of Full Sized speakers to get a fuller music sound in my party room (exclusively 2 channel listening)

I would like opinions regarding how the sound of a pair of full sized speakers may compare to the alternative of just adding a Self Powered Sub-Woofer to the B speaker outputs of my amp and having this complement the sound of the Bookshelf Speakers.

I know that listening to speakers is the only real way of auditioning them, but I dont have any good stereo shops close to home and I travel a lot, which limits my testing time.

I would like to have a few opinions before i go out and pick up equipment to come try at home.

Thanks for your help.

[Bryan]

Budget? Room size (dimensions)? Musical preferences?

[chimera128]

If you like the sound of your bookshelves and are just looking for a little more strength on the bottom end, a subwoofer is probably all you need. I would recommend running the speaker wire through the sub, then to your bookshelves instead of using the b speaker outputs. This will allow the sub to play all the low frequencies and send the rest to the bookshelves. If you have to have towers, try to find some Definitive Technology BP30s to listen to. They are being discontinued so you can probably get a really good deal on them (M.S.R.P. $1400). I have the smaller BP10Bs and have been completely satisfied with them. Getting a quality sub would be my first choice though and likely the least expensive.

[kexodusc]

I'm surprised this thread hasn't errupted into a flame war...good.
I don't think there's a "best way" to get the results you're looking for. It really depends on the speaker combos you're comparing.
A lot of audiophile purist/elitist types will claim that 2 full range speakers sounds best. I've heard more than a few systems that used a sub properly that sounded as good or better in some cases.
You definitely have more flexibility with a subwoofer. That comes with the headaches of calibration and placement though, and depending on room size and equipment, a sub might not be practical.

Basically 2 ways of getting to the same place. If you incorporate a home theater in your system though, I would recommend the sub just for the simple fact you can crank the bass artifically high on to enhance the "fun factor".

Good luck.

[Geoffcin]

I currently have a good pair of Bookshelf Speakers and am considering an upgrade to a pair of Full Sized speakers to get a fuller music sound in my party room (exclusively 2 channel listening)

I would like opinions regarding how the sound of a pair of full sized speakers may compare to the alternative of just adding a Self Powered Sub-Woofer to the B speaker outputs of my amp and having this complement the sound of the Bookshelf Speakers.

I know that listening to speakers is the only real way of auditioning them, but I dont have any good stereo shops close to home and I travel a lot, which limits my testing time.

I would like to have a few opinions before i go out and pick up equipment to come try at home.

Thanks for your help.

Sat/sub is good for HT, but for the highest quality stereo sound a full range speaker is the best choice. The real question you have to ask yourself is how much "full range" you want. To get a speaker of quality that goes down to the 20hz range is going to be expensive. If you can settle for mid 30's then there's a lot more choices. The good thing is that most music has no content lower than 30hz, so you will not miss much.

[theaudiohobby]

Sat/sub is good for HT, but for the highest quality stereo sound a full range speaker is the best choice. The real question you have to ask yourself is how much "full range" you want. To get a speaker of quality that goes down to the 20hz range is going to be expensive. If you can settle for mid 30's then there's a lot more choices. The good thing is that most music has no content lower than 30hz, so you will not miss much.

I am not sure I agree with this, a sub/sat will give you more bang for buck if you require extension and give better bass tuning flexibility especially in the sub USD1000 market. If you already have bookshelfs that you like, then I suggest you go with a sub, if well integrated with your mains, it will give you sound quality that many of the cheaper floorstanders simply cannot match. A sub that goes low will capture the sound of the recording venue even if there is no music content at that level, i.e. it simply sounds more complete, since you hear the natural decay of the music within the context of the recording environment instead of a speaker imposed rolloff.

[stuartlittle]

I always thought the answer to this question was full size speakers, until I heard the sub/sat system from Orb Audio, which I fell in love with and am still using. They have detailed, crisp sound and deep, tight bass. They are very musical speakers, and the key is that they put a really good sub in their systems. Below a certain quality level, subs are going to be too boomy for music. So, I'd look at something like the Classic Two, or something about double the price if you are looking in stores and paying markups.