Why some put dislike, this old gentleman is so nice and know so much about HiFi in general and about HiFi history.

I think the reason why we British are reluctant to adopt subs is the small acommodation and close proximity to neighbours.

I don't think of it as trapping bass I paid to create. I think of it as killing the reverberation that's ruining the bass I paid to create.

One of my good friend who is deaf just runs a subwoofer as their speaker! One of the interesting and great things about having a great subwoofer is that it's inclusive to people deaf or hard of hearing as they can at least feel the rhythms and low frequency sound effects in film. Hip hop is huge in the deaf community for this reason. A lot of hip hop artists will have a sign language interpreter at their shows as they can vibe to the beat and understanding lyrics.

Im in the Uk and run dual SVS subwoofers with Monitor Audio Towers. I have 16" square columns filled with Rockwool for Bass absorption in the corners (floor to ceiling) and use 4" for panels at 1st and 2nd reflection points and clouds. Its one of the best upgrades Ive done in terms of having a big impact on Music listening. I bought a few panels at first then made the rest myself which was very easy. Highly recommend doing it to everyone.

If Brits had subwoofers they wouldn't have room for their tiny fridges.

just got a Rel today, so far I love it, a little tweaking is all thats needed, I gor for a subtle boost in bass, 2.1 system

UK dude here... I have myself two massive sealed 15's and a small sealed 10, all home built, running on miniDSP as flat as I can get 'em down to 20hz. They work. Friend of mine has a lovely collection of Genelec 12's from his studio days deployed in various spots (one being his VW transporter). We ain't all total bassophobes.

Damn, im really looking forward to That Book.

I am from Wales. I have a Rel sub.

From the UK and I use and have used many subs. Just spent 3k treating my room, finishing off with targeted pressure traps at 70hz for behind the speakers/sub on the front wall where that frequency pressure (distortion) is highest. Just a few things...you have to treat the whole room! You have to use treatment that can absorb bass to a low enough frequency (thick 4”+ deep traps), room modes are room distortion. Most people have rooms that introduce massive amounts of coloration especially in the low end and they aren’t even aware of it. Bass traps ideally deal with ALL frequencies including bass, not treating all bass frequencies will lead to an unbalanced sound and uneven frequency response. As an audiophile for the last 25+ years and having used and sold every level of hifi from entry level to the greatest hifi on earth costing hundreds of thousands of pounds to studios and the public, I can put my hand on my heart and state that treating the room acoustically is the single biggest improvement I have ever made! There is a reason studios go to the lengths they do with acoustic treatment. Your room offers a minimum of 50% distortion or worse! Worried about getting an extra order of magnitude less distortion in an amp 😆 when the room is a mess of distortion??! All audiophiles should treat the space they listen to music in, just as Paul has, but to a greater extent. Hearing music, movies and for me studio work with actual accuracy can’t be understated. Domestic treatment is the way forward if you actually want to hear high fidelity sound.

Hi Paul, I'm from the UK and use subwoofers. I took your advice and bought two REL T9i subwoofers to augment my system. After careful setting-up I'm absolutely delighted! There's no going back. BTW I started with one subwoofer but stereo subs are definitely the way to go for balance stereo and imaging.

BTW, the water sloshing around in a tub was a great analogy! In an infinite plane with two sources, the max peak of the sum would be 3dB, whereas the points of phase inversion would essentially completely cancel out each other entirely. Unfortunately for those wanting perfect audio rooms are not infinite and tend to resonate at some frequency due to a high efficiency of resonance ("Q") due to the size VS the wavelength of the frequency and focus that energy in certain places within the room. The same thing happens at radio frequencies too! Have you ever noticed how when you cook something in one of those old microwaves (before the time of the turntable that came along to help even out the cooking problems) some spots are over-cooked and some under-cooked? Same principal. Some places the energy gets concentrated and it waaay to high and it gets burned, and other places it cancels and you have a cold spot that is under-cooked.

Sounds hard Paul - My room was "VERY" Excited with I got my two subs!!!

Just saying Thanks for taking time to do these Q&A's.

I can't keep my eyes off the new transport sitting on the bench right next to Paul.

Hi Paul, Planning to buy 02 (REL T5x Subs) to go with my (Xavian MIA ll Bookshelves) (Stereo 2.2). Power Amp Atoll IN 200 in (Bypass mode). Supplying Separate L-R channel High Current signals to both Subs. Crossover, maybe, between 60Hz to 70Hz . The advantage is to capitalize on benefits of altering crossovers, volumes and positions independently, which is not an option for Floor standing speakers. My Speaker Specs are:- Speaker sensitivity 86dB; 2V/1m. Frequency range (55-40,000 Hz). Normal Impedance 4 ohm. Mid Bass frequency unit (Vifa-Peerless Premium Line Paper memberane driver) 149mm (5.87 inch). High frequency unit (Vifa-Peerless treated fabric soft dome unit) 25mm (0.99 inch). Crossover frequency at 3,000 Hz. Recommended amplification 30-120W. Placement from the wall recommended (60-100cm). My Atoll IN200 Specs are :- Intigrated Class AB amp. Dual Mono architecture. Fully Discrete component Audio stages. Power amp in bypass mode. (Fully Discreet Dual Mono Design.) Efficacy Power. 2 X 120Wrms @ 8 ohms (230v). [2 X 200Wrms @ 4 ohms (230v).] Input Impedance. 220 kohms. Power Stage. 2 pairs per channel MOS-FET double Push-Pull configuration. Power Supply (Toroidal Transformers). 2 X 330 (VA) = 660(VA) Chacun. Power Supply Filter Capacitors. Nippon Chemi-Con Capacitors. 8 X (71v)6800uF = 27200uF X 2 = 54400uF. Frequency Response. 5Hz to 100kHz. Sensitivity 100 mV. Distortion rate (THD+N). < 0.05% / (10 W) Signal to noise ratio (S/N ratio). 100dB. Rise Time 2.5us

I use mini DSP (only on my low level sub out) to even out the bass, works really great. 5 dB reduction at 35 Hz, high Q (narrow band). The room mode is gone.

Having enough bass or having a flat frequency response isn't great if the price is a boomy bass with poor decay performance through the use of ported designs, radiators, and too much bass bouncing on walls. You want the bass sound waves to stop when they are supposed to stop.

I think that was old school purist thinking for a short period. I've never known anyone who doesn't incorporate a subwoofer and I'm going back to the 80's... so don't worry Paul, we Brits love subs!

A subwoofer is for reproducing the sound and a bass-trap is there to get rid of the reflection from the walls. If you can, take your speakers, outside in an open field. And you will listen to the speakers and not your room reflections.

I'm in the UK and have 2 subwoofers. I'm on a long journey to adding acoustic treatment 🤔😁🤦‍♂️👍🏼

I like using synthesizers to play with the relationships between the frequency responses of the various points like my ears, my speakers, etc. I want to know my system as intimately as possible, because frankly I use my hifi system as a monitoring system for my experimental music.

Will these stop my neighbors from banging on my door?

Another similar but different question, why 2 subwoofers if bass below a certain frequency is already non-directional? Does it change the sound and feel of the low frequency with 2 subwoofers? Do u just want to soften the bass without losing the volume with 2 subwoofers?

A subwoofer radiates as a sphere. The bass that go straight line from the woofer to your ears. And also think of that it is only ~15% of the sound you hear is direct sound! But at the same time it also go towards the wall and reflect back to you in best one time but generally it bounces many times before it reach you. That reflected sound will have a longer way to travel and will arrive to your ears delayed. So in practice drum hit will be prolonged and have longer decay time than intended and is not in the recording at all. It is your room that adding that for you. If we treat all our wall surface hypotetical, with very thick absorbers (some call it bass traps). Then we will absorb the reflected sound energy(the more times it try to bounce of a wall the more it will get attenuated/absorbed). The sound will decay much "sooner" and you will get a cleaner and more defined bass reproduction. And get closer to what the creator were intended you to hear. If we exaggerate this so it is easier to understand. Think of if you put your stereo in a big church that has those long reverberation times. And play pop with a steady bass beat of 120 BPM. What a catastrophic event you could probably not distinguish where one beat ends and the next starts when the previous beat is still bouncing around against the hard bare walls.

I think it's important to differentiate between "bass frequencies" and "sub-bass frequencies" when speaking on this topic - your subwoofer is to augment "sub-bass frequencies" in the system, while your bass traps will affect "bass frequencies" - meaning, ALL bass frequencies, not just the ultra-low sub-bass frequencies. Everyone's room can benefit from the use of bass traps, regardless of whether you use a subwoofer(s) or not. My experience with bass traps is that they become less effective the lower you go in frequency, but they're kind of optimal in the region of 60/70hz on up.

Always loved Subs in my trucks. Inside a box you can control sound more and can jack up the high tones more to compensate for the extra bass without it being ear splitting. Tried a couple different Subs on my main home system over the years but having 8 - 10" wolfers already they really didn't add much. It would be like Paul adding subs to his IRS V's. Just not needed. On a side note I would love to know why those IRS V's tweeter/mid towers are so damn wide? And why the couple sets I have seen on-line the Woofer tower is behind the tweeter/ mid tower and with the wings of the tweeter / mid tower curved channeling the woofer's sound to the rear facing tweeters and mids canceling them out? So many questions??

I think its interesting you say the HIFI community in the UK doesnt use subwoofers. My main focus in audio is on PA equipment and as far as PA subwoofers go, UK does it large and in charge.

Is this going to be about hearing damage.?

What I can't figure out with bass traps is why you want to bother taming the bass in the corners of a room, after all you're not going to stand in the corners to listen to music. Having said that I do have big foam traps in two corners!! Am I missing the point?

i love and need eq. best tool in audio...yes people equalizers...tone controls...tone is something you can and MUST control and set to taste. and room correction, tuning etc etc eq as needed from your streaming player or use a standalone eq unit. a must have.

I love bass

Something tells me PS Audio has a powered sub coming down the pike, I have zero basis for my theory, lol! But i think they just might do it sometime after the main speaker line is introduced.

most people dont know how to use and set a sub..most i see are wrongly set way too high and stepping on the main speakers freq making a big sound mess

Bass traps are often used to remove nulls in the bass from SBIR

A subwoofer doesn't work so well in a solid brick construction that is small, in America a lot of the walls are drywall bass go through it it doesn't Trap the bass

Here is all I know. When I set up my RELs per their specs it worked great. When I switch my LRSs with my RF-7 IIs 5' out from the front wall I get standing bass waves at the front wall with the subs off. I dont get that with the LRSs pairs with 2 REL subs. Weird but probably has to do with the rear ports on the RF7s?

I'm not a audiofile but I wonder if the British don't use sub woofers as much as people from the States as their houses are generally much smaller.

buy a mic, install REW software and measure which frequencies are amplified and which are pacified by your room. It will for sure coincide with your room dimensions. Probably the best way is to install base traps which can do the job from 30Hz up, but this will consume a lot of your room and money. Instead try out room correction device SHD Studio from MiniDSP. It does the job done and you can match it with high end without worrying about degradation of sound quality. It cost ~1000 EUR. You stuff it between your source and DAC. I bet your wife will appreciate it over huge bass traps (don't expect one or two traps would change much. You'd need to have virtually a whole wall fitted with these to nullify the resonances - they can be very nasty: mountains and dips of 15-20dB

I use British made Mordaunt Short floor standing speakers, I get 200 watts per channel and no sub woofer is required. I would think less of speakers if they required a sub woofer to give it the punch of bass that is expected from a set of speakers.

Hi Paul here in the UK we make the best speakers in the world we don’t need subs, I think I’ve sed it before movies yes music no, I watch all your videos all extremely interesting you have a great knowledge and a great company would love to visit sometime,here in Scotland we have some great hi-fi products.thanks.Tony

My room is very problematic with nasty bass resonance(s) (there he goes again). Can it be fixed? Possibly. Can I afford to get it fixed right? No. Should I move? I'd prefer not to, otherwise this is a decent and affordable apartment in a nice old neighborhood. Bass shy music is still infinitely better than no music.

Subwoofers are not compatible with neighbours when the housing in Britain is often terraced or semi-detached. Also our rooms are smaller.

Our basement apartment is built like Paul's proverbial brick shithouse. Italian tile floor, brick bar on one end and a brick fireplace on the opposite. Really an awful design for listening, but my goodness does it cause the bass to do some weird stuff. Stand in one corner of the room, behind the bar, and it's overwhelming bass from the sub. In front of the tv, the bass is lacking.

the way I'm thinking about it is the subwoofer adds the low frequencies because they wouldn't be there at all if you didn't have one... but you have to tame the issues of the room once you add those low frequencies.

Another alternative is DSP room correction. In my home theater I use DSP correction just for the bass with the little DSPEAKER anti-mode unit, and for my desktop system I use a mini-dsp with Dirac room correction. I am satisfied with it. love my bass

Why gives it so much Qualitidiffernce between good Electricie Conducters or MLC Caps. Its right good Conection have a good Hold uptime. Its for right for real Watt the it can be take it the Wover or Bass and the complete Box.

We like to use Cerwin Vegas in our builds for loudspeakers. They provide lows and pound in your chest bass that we like. No real need for a subwoofer.

Bass traps can help but are much harder to be successful with for the average room IMO. Multiple subs are equally as effective (if not more so) as bass traps at taming peaks. with properly aligned subs you've essentially created a virtual bass trap, which has a ton of flexibility, more so than regular bass traps. I'd have to assume that a big reason as to why subs not be as popular in the UK (if this even accurate) is due to the Percentage of people living in apartments?

Bass traps are not always needed, I run hframe open baffle subs and lucky to have a big open area behind the listening position so no horrible resonance. Open baffle makes a huge difference, I used to run two IB subs and both peaks and nulls were a major issue with that setup. Open baffle is pretty smooth without EQ to below 30hz.

If the Brits on occasion buy a subwoofer, it's from BK electronics this company is run by ex REL employees

So Paul you're always pushing REL subwoofers. I get it your friend owns the company and they do sound good with music. But in several conversations you have said that you would only make a servo controlled woofer. So I am a bit confused and to me you sound a little disingenious when you refer to REL instead of Rhythmik. What gives?

Don’t call him Shirley!

Five minutes, could have been one. And you could have explained 'bass traps' are to remove past bass, remove bass reverberation that lingers and clouds new sounds. we don't want echo, echo, echo.

I have 3 subs, I'm in the uk

I like Paul McGowan, but I wish I could speed up the video by 5-fold. You can get great bass for audio (not TV and movies), by using a great speaker (passive of active) with a great preamp/source.

Wow , big problems for audiophiles who are totally ignoring tone controls . They still don't have a clue what for are trebles and bass controls . Can't wait till "they" realize , oh we don't need a volume control anymore too !!! LOL

To realise the full potential of a decent high end subwoofer you absolutely MUST have a large room ....FACT ! Small rooms and decent bass don't and cannot exist

I like my SVS PB ULTRA 16

wow..

Nobody makes a multi-band sub-EQ. (you only need 5-6 bands) Not sure why this is. Most built-in sub-"controllers" are woefully inadequate for a typical room. I plan to build my own sub-EQ. It's a lot cheaper than building traps and/or room treatments and gives you 90% of the benefits. That's one thing EQ's do well..tame resonance peaks.

Bass trap? Never heard of such a thing until now. Looks rather dubious...

Rel are ok subs but I feel there over priced,SVS is what I have and I have owned both SVS are better subs by far

These bass trap discussions give me a headache. Bigger subs to begin with or even having 2 or 3 with large main speakers isn’t necessarily the way to go. Better to start small or even borrow and test and evaluate. I made the mistake of buying too large of a sub. It’s an M&K 2x12 version with 200w. One sub fires downward. I first out in the family room which wasn’t a very big room. The thing is that I was already getting decent bass output from my bookshelf speakers. I realized sub was way too much for the family room. I moved the sub into the larger living room and it was great. Shakes the whole house. Crazy deep clean solid bass. I moved from that old house and into a new home and out the M&K sub in the larger living room also. It worked out again. Same solid bass. The smaller system is again the family room. At first I was only running the bookshelf speakers but I decided to add some small satellite speakers which came with a much smaller 8 in sub. It was perfect. Matches real nice with family room set up. I’ve had it this way for over 15 years now. No need for any bass traps.