The frequency hole - how relevant is it

[kneo]

The frequency gap - how relevant is it

I own a set of Monoprice 5.0 speakers whose range is defined as 150hz - 20Khz. I am planning to get the Astonia DF-1 sub whose range is 40hz - 120hz (+/-3db). The sub is chosen because of the budget and I don't have many other options in the sub-15K bracket. There's Polk SW110 but from the reviews it appears that the Astonia is a bit more powerful and punchy than the Polk.

The speakers are a stop gap arrangement and would definitely be upgraded in a few months time (at least the LCR). Should I be concerned about the theoretical gap in frequency spectrum? I know that I am not a discerning user by a long shot and if I'd not have seen the ranges of the speakers I'd not even know whether I am missing anything at all :lol:

 

[ukjeyaraj]

Dont go too much into numbers. Listen to the sub before deciding what to buy?

I have not listened to Astonia DF-1, so cant comment about its choice. In the 15K price bracket, you also get Sonodyne Roarr 108 (available in hifimart). The subwoofer in the HT package of JBL SCS 140 BK is quiet nice one. It was available for around Rs.10K some time back. I had enquired once in The Shop at Andheri. It may be available with Alfa at Irla Mumbai for lesser price. Choose a subwoofer that meets your need and make sure it is not a stop gap arrangement.

 

[kneo]

Thanks for the advice. I've actually finalized the sub and am getting delivery tomorrow. As I said, I am not quite a discerning user and at least for the sub, it's going to be a blind buy based on HFV reviews Basically I've spoken to Vaibhav of Astonia and am feeling very comfortable buying from them in terms of service and quality. They seem to be doing something right.

BTW - They are renovating their demo room in Mumbai and I've requested if we can have a small demo (maybe a mini meet) there. They have their Nibbana towers for demo.

 

[ukjeyaraj]

Congratulations on your new purhcase. Enjoy it.

 

[Shivam]

Usually the speakers go a little lower than what is tested in an anechoic chamber. So your speakers that go down to 150Hz will actually be going a little lower than that in your room.

You won't miss much in terms of frequencies due to the gap which the specifications give. Just enjoy your music.

 

[moktan]

I thought the OP was talking about this-
"Harmonics also play a central role in the so-called missing-fundamental effect, a psychoacoustic phenomenon in which a fundamental tone is perceived even though it is not present. The fundamental is inferred from its harmonics, and heard even though it is missing or at least considerably attenuated within the signal. Processors like Waves' MaxxBass purport to exploit this effect to improve the perceived bass extension of small loudspeakers, but there is no obvious reason to suppose that an increased level of low-frequency harmonic distortion generally has a positive influence on bass performance. This behavior is typical of transformer-coupled tube amplifiers, which, on the contrary, are more often criticized than lauded for their bass. "
from - Euphonic Distortion: Naughty but Nice? | Stereophile.com

 

[royallqq]

good info to me, They have their Nibbana towers for demo. thank you

 

[murali]

Re: The frequency gap - how relevant is it

I own a set of Monoprice 5.0 speakers whose range is defined as 150hz - 20Khz. I am planning to get the Astonia DF-1 sub whose range is 40hz - 120hz (+/-3db). The sub is chosen because of the budget and I don't have many other options in the sub-15K bracket. There's Polk SW110 but from the reviews it appears that the Astonia is a bit more powerful and punchy than the Polk.

The speakers are a stop gap arrangement and would definitely be upgraded in a few months time (at least the LCR). Should I be concerned about the theoretical gap in frequency spectrum? I know that I am not a discerning user by a long shot and if I'd not have seen the ranges of the speakers I'd not even know whether I am missing anything at all :lol:

No speaker abruptly stops at a specific frequency like hitting a brick wall. It all depends on your crossover setting between the mains and the sub. If you set that at, say 60 Hz, your mains will produce 30-60 and the sub 60-120. In your case, that is out of question. You may need to set the x-over at 120 but still your mains will struggle to integrate with your sub as it will stretch to go to 60-120. Your sub will be even worse to get the 120-240.
Normal floorstanders should go down to 60 and lower and bookshelves a little higher.
Any subwoofer forced to produce more than 80 is in reality a woofer.
Of course, if your intention is to only use the sub for the LFE of a HT, do not worry. All I said above is relevant only if you are trying to integrate your mains and sub for 2-channel.
Good luck.
Murali

 

[kneo]

Currently the sub is strictly being used for movies. I am enjoying the setup as of now, as it's my first step into the 5.1 world. Who knows what the future holds in terms of upgrades

 

[spirovious]

Congrats kneo,yes yours views can be some guideline for buying SW.

 

[kneo]

Thanks Spiro.

Honestly, I am not sure how helpful my views would be. I have a budget Monoprice setup which I managed to get at USD 100 from the US. Someone carried it over and hence I had to let go of the sub (as it'd be too heavy for baggage). I am just using the 5.0 speakers and wanted a sub badly as I was only interested in getting the movie theatre feel (the thump of the sub). I was on an extremely strict budget and it did not make sense to get a better sub which would cost 5 times the cost of the 5.0 speakers! I am sure this sub is going to last me a while.
My next upgrade (when I do decide to upgrade) is definitely going to be the LCR. I'll keep the monoprice rears as they're not used as much as the front LCR in a movie track. I do have my eye on the BS22 but the dollar price is not favoring me as of now. As of now, I plan to enjoy what I have

BTW - I have got hold of the demo disc from avsforum but I am just not able to play them in my WDTV Live. Has any of you figured out how to convert them in a format compatible with WDTV and include the menu too?