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Subwoofer to pair with AR-4x speakers


superclassic

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April 5, 2022 - 6:32am
superclassic
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Hello Newbie here,

Looking for opinions:
I was wondering what the optimal size and brands of subwoofer to pair with my vintage AR-4x speakers for just a little extra low end. The 4x's have nice bass already with the 8" woofers but I like a little extra now and then. Thanks

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Hi I bought a powered subwoofer from Parts Express for 80.00 to pair with my AR 18s for my living room system it works great we have a townhouse so I can't play it loud but nice match with Bookshelf Speakers 

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On 4/5/2022 at 2:53 PM, ar_pro said:

Well, it will depend on how much you want to spend, but SVS has an outstanding subwoofer in the 3000 Micro.

I have listened to the SVS 3000 Micro's. My buddy has two of them in a 2.2 arrangement with some KEF LS50Meta's. This arrangement sounds pretty darn good.  I myself have the Jack Benny version in my bedroom. A pair of Q-350's on 23 in stands on top of a pair of Monoprice Premium Select 8 in. 200 watt subwoofers.  It sounds just OK. I am not a fan of subwoofers in stereo music systems. I listen to my AR58S speakers in the family room and my 9's in my man cave. They don't need subwoofers.

 

 

qhRmeBn.jpg

I have a pair of 1968 restored AR 4x's sitting right here. Going to swap out the KEF's and have a listen.

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On 4/5/2022 at 4:15 PM, Aadams said:

Subs have a reputation for being difficult to integrate seamlessly into dedicated music systems.  Try to purchase from a dealer that has a generous returns policy. 

Definitely true. SVS has included some extraordinary degree of smartphone app control/adjustment with certain of their subwoofers, including the 3000 Micro. It's this sort of thing that separates this generation of SW's from what we've all been used to over the years. If you can deal with hyperbole, take a look at Herb Reichert's review in Stereophile: https://www.stereophile.com/content/svs-3000-micro-subwoofer

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2 hours ago, lARrybody said:

I have listened to the SVS 3000 Micro's. My buddy has two of them in a 2.2 arrangement with some KEF LS50Meta's. This arrangement sounds pretty darn good.  I myself have the Jack Benny version in my bedroom. A pair of Q-350's on 23 in stands on top of a pair of Monoprice Premium Select 8 in. 200 watt subwoofers.  It sounds just OK. I am not a fan of subwoofers in stereo music systems. I listen to my AR58S speakers in the family room and my 9's in my man cave. They don't need subwoofers. I have a pair of 1968 restored AR 4x's sitting right here. Going to swap out the KEF's and have a listen.

That's really interesting, as KEF's own subwoofer is frequently mentioned as the closest competition for the SVS 3000. The KEF's are very impressive little speakers, aren't they?

If a loudspeaker has legitimate LF performance - like the AR-9 - the role of a subwoofer would be very narrowly defined. My own experience with the AR-9 is that some modest very LF equalization would be of greater value; this is something that active full-range loudspeakers now employ, although I'm still not nuts about built-in amplifiers or active crossover/EQ electronics in a speaker box.

 

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1 hour ago, ar_pro said:

SVS has included some extraordinary degree of smartphone app control/adjustment with certain of their subwoofers, including the 3000 Micro.

I read the specs and features for SVS 3000 unit and its app not long after your first post.  The amount of user control is impressive and if true it is a big step beyond what I have seen previously. After the initial excitement, powered sub boxes in a music system have come to be a compromise at best, for me, but this looks like a good value for the money and worth a try if the dealer has a reasonable returns policy.

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I have now listened to three reference quality albums on the AR4x's.  The little subs have the crossovers adjusted to about 60-70Hz and the volume less than half. I am impressed with what I am hearing.  The AR4x's have been referred to as giant killers. Years ago someone in this forum gave them the name "Unfair Speakers". That's what they are. It is unfair for 54 year old 8 in 2 way speakers to sound this good.

I think the SVS micros would even make them sound better. Both are sealed cabinets. No ports. One plus is that I am driving them with a SMSL AO200 amp that has separate left and right sub outs. This little class D amp punches well beyond its price point. I am going to leave the AR's hooked up for a while. I am not just saying this because I am a die hard AR, KLH and Advent man. Try not to notice the Polk towers behind them.

1jRIm0t.jpg  

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4 hours ago, Aadams said:

I read the specs and features for SVS 3000 unit and its app not long after your first post.  The amount of user control is impressive and if true it is a big step beyond what I have seen previously. After the initial excitement, powered sub boxes in a music system have come to be a compromise at best, for me, but this looks like a good value for the money and worth a try if the dealer has a reasonable returns policy.

I'm not a home theater guy, so I'd need a subwoofer to be less of an effects generator, and more of an addendum to an already musical & balanced system. Some things are best settled first, and if need be, a detail like LF extension integrated down the line. 

A few years ago, I tried an NHT SW12 sub with a pair of AR-91 systems, but the 12" AR woofers did pretty well on their own, and dialing back the NHT so that it wasn't readily noticeable almost made the whole experiment moot. Only on truly subsonic music was it slightly missed - an effect that the woofers on the AR-9 achieve with great success.

Looking at the "dial-in" capability of a tiny modern sub like the 3000 Micro makes you wonder if it could be more effectively added to an already well-balanced setup.

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6 hours ago, lARrybody said:

I have now listened to three reference quality albums on the AR4x's.  The little subs have the crossovers adjusted to about 60-70Hz and the volume less than half. I am impressed with what I am hearing.  The AR4x's have been referred to as giant killers. Years ago someone in this forum gave them the name "Unfair Speakers". That's what they are. It is unfair for 54 year old 8 in 2 way speakers to sound this good.

I think the SVS micros would even make them sound better. Both are sealed cabinets. No ports. One plus is that I am driving them with a SMSL AO200 amp that has separate left and right sub outs. This little class D amp punches well beyond its price point. I am going to leave the AR's hooked up for a while. I am not just saying this because I am a die hard AR, KLH and Advent man. Try not to notice the Polk towers behind them.

One of my favorite AR finds was a pair of almost-mint AR-4x for $20 at a hamfest in New Jersey. It's just a really nice-looking speaker, and easy to enjoy.

Speaking of which, the perfect one in your photo looks like it came directly from a Time Machine. ^_^

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12 hours ago, ar_pro said:

Speaking of which, the perfect one in your photo looks like it came directly from a Time Machine. 

A few years ago I decided to make my way home from Chicago not taking the interstate. Found them in a little antique shop in Lowell IN. Both still have the warranty cards attached. 

j9PO12z.jpg

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I would add, and I Dont know of many, but an acoustic suspension sub, which aren't small, I believe will fit the "system" best.  The nht 1259 woofer, if you can find one, was used in the second greatest loudspeaker, (as defined as looking like a 6 year old drew a monster truck with crayons!!).  It was used in the ar-9 little sister, the NHT 3.3.

The 10" used in the nut 2.9 will only need a big cab, the 1259 needs 3.7cu ft.  To spec.

Dayton has a 15" I just read that's not 20 years old that's a solid AS driver. 

Why not send vintage-ar a single 12" AR woofer to rebuild, put it in a 1.5cu.ft box....stuff, and carry on smartly?

If you find a AR sw30 ( 303 woofer, I'll pay you $500, no joke, and i'll make you a cabinet with one of my true NOS 1259 woofers. (Serious as can be.)

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I have been using a 5.0 system for my home theater consisting of AR-5s in front, a AR-4x for center and AR-308HOs for the rear.  I recently added a SVS 1000 Pro subwoofer.  I have it set for 80 hz crossover with a 12 db slope.  I let Audyssey in my Denon AVR calibrate my system.  The sub blends well with my speakers and does not stand out as a separate bass.  I decided to add a second SVS sub for a 5.2 system that should be here Thursday.  

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