Get by without a subwoofer? (1 Viewer)

[Gary TP]

I have a pair of Paradigm Monitor 11s v3 (fronts)
Pair of Paradigm Monitor 5s v3 (rears)
and a CC-370 Center...
(Use a Denon 3802 for the reciever)

For HT purposes, If I want to hold out on a sub for a while am I gonna have any issues?
I want to hold out temporarily until I get a house and save up a little...

1) Will I overdo the 5 without the .1?
2) Will I have major sound quality loss?

Thanks,
Gary

 

[DavidY]

IMO, the bottom end won't have enough impact without a good sub.....even in systems with floorstanding speakers that are specified as full range. Even an entry level sub like the Sony SAWM40 might be able to add some "oomph" at the low end IMO.

Dave

 

[BrianWoerndle]

Sure you can get by without a sub. The Paradigms go fairly low on their own. You will be missing some low bass information during explosions and such, but it is up to you if you can live without it. You won't be overworking the Paradigms, they are excellent speakers.

 

[John Garcia]

If you like the deep rumble of a sub, then you will be missing out. You won't have a sound quality issue, but you will be missing the bottom octave. The 11s go fairly deep though, and I think they will be fine without a sub for a while. Ultimately, I still feel a system with 11s will still benefit from a sub. I really like the v3 11s, very nice for music.

The real question is, what receiver/amp? No sub does mean you will be pumping out a bit more power to hit the lower end with the 11s. Probably not a big deal, but it will reduce your available headroom, and without an amp that is up to the task, you could potentially clip and damage the speakers.

Have you considered 7s or 9s and a sub?

 

[Richard Harvey]

Yes, you are missing part of the HT experience, but until you move into a house you may want to purposefully forgo that purchase to stay in good relations with your neighbors.

Rich

 

[Tyler DJW]

I had the same situation in Monitor 9s. I ran them alone for a couple of months before I got a sub. This was my intro to Home Theater so, while I knew I was missing the deep bass and impact, I still LOVED my setup. I waited a little bit until I could get an SVS 2039 PCi and I'm glad I did.
I would suggest holding off until you can get a quality sub like SVS, HSU, or maybe the PW2200. You'll be missing the deepest bass, but it's well worth the wait to do it right!
The above comment about apartments is a good point for me to consider too. I've got thin walls and a neighbour below so turning off the sub :frowning: and just running the mains full-range is a good late-night compromise.

 

[Mikey B]

I think holding out is a good idea. To answer your questions:

1. You won't overdue the 5 without the .1 because if your receiver is properly configured (sub set to "no"), the .1 will be directed to your Monitor 11's. If you like it loud, then you will more easily overdrive the system. But not being in a house, I'm guessing you won't be running it all that loud. I don't think you have anything to worry about in this regard.

2. You will not lose out in any major way with regard to sound quality. Subs are great for making you "feel" the sound and have the home theater experience be more emotional, but your 11's will do just fine. In fact, I bet when you do get a sub, you will be turning it down due to "feeling" too much of it after not having it.

 

[Marc H]

Greg,
Please have a peek at my post on this thread:http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=117584

 

[Gary TP]

So if I set sub to NO - what happens to the LFE? Does it get sent to the Mains?

What about the low frequencies on the surround - if I set them to small - do they disappear? or do they also get routed to the mains?

Gary