# Mono Or Stereo Subs



## jcmusic (Oct 26, 2012)

When running two subs in a two channel music only setup is there any difference in sound quality by running the subs in mono mode vs stereo mode???


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## Viggen (Dec 31, 2008)

Some say yes... Some say no

I do not know 

Sorry I can't be of more help then that. Never done a stereo vs mono comparison.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Frequencies below 80Hz are non directional so a stereo mix in those frequencies would be virtually pointless as you can not isolate them to one side of a room or the other like the higher frequencies.


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## Viggen (Dec 31, 2008)

Some still claim its better in stereo..... No clue why


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## primetimeguy (Jun 3, 2006)

jcmusic said:


> When running two subs in a two channel music only setup is there any difference in sound quality by running the subs in mono mode vs stereo mode???


Which one is better up to you. But I pretty much guarantee they will sound different depending on the locations of your subs. 

There are very few actual recordings with stereo bass, it is typically mixed mono. And having dual mono subs and eqing as one as benefit or flatter bass across the listening area.


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## BeeMan458 (Nov 25, 2012)

Viggen said:


> Some still claim its better in stereo..... No clue why


I'm going go with, two subs are better than one because of room smoothing.

A room comes alive with a second subwoofer. It's a fact. So for someone to say two subs sound better than one subwoofer, there's easily found empirical evidence to support this comment due to issues of room smoothing.

From here, one gets into issues of two, three or four subs and how room corrections software integrates subwoofer produced sound waves into the acoustics of a room.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

BeeMan458 said:


> I'm going go with, two subs are better than one because of room smoothing.
> 
> A room comes alive with a second subwoofer. It's a fact. So for someone to say two subs sound better than one subwoofer, there's easily found empirical evidence to support this comment due to issues of room smoothing.


But we are not talking about Two subs placed in different parts of the room. We are talking about Two subs in a Stereo configuration up front with the mains.
Very different scenarios.


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## ajinfla (May 10, 2009)

jcmusic said:


> When running two subs in a two channel music only setup is there any difference in sound quality by running the subs in mono mode vs stereo mode???


With music containing impulsive stereo content to 40hz or so, yes. Including classical and some (acoustic) jazz. IOW, <0.001% of music/listeners.
With music containing no impulsive stereo content to 40hz or so, not likely, though 2 LF sources will excite the room differently than one. So differences could arise that way.
The answer is "it depends".

cheers,

AJ


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## ajinfla (May 10, 2009)

tonyvdb said:


> Frequencies below 80Hz are *non directional*


As are frequencies above 80hz. Simply depends on the size of the acoustic source/baffle.
The correct statement you are trying to make is "steady state signals below 80hz are non-localizable".



tonyvdb said:


> so a stereo mix in those frequencies would be virtually pointless as you can not isolate them to one side of a room or the other like the higher frequencies.


This is incorrect.
Phase preservation down to around 40hz, again, with impulsive recorded stereo content, is certainly not pointless. Especially for the <0.001%.

cheers


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## BeeMan458 (Nov 25, 2012)

tonyvdb said:


> But we are not talking about Two subs placed in different parts of the room. We are talking about Two subs in a Stereo configuration up front with the mains.
> Very different scenarios.


I never mentioned the subwoofers being placed in any other position other than a stereo configuration. Unless the subs are stacked in a single location, we're talking about two subwoofers, placed in two separate locations which will improve on room smoothing issues.

My response was in response to Viggen's comment when he posted: "Some still claim its better in stereo..... No clue why "

The reason is empirical as the difference can be measured. Two subwoofers in a room, even if placed next to the two main speakers in a stereo configuration, due to the room smoothing effect two subwoofers present over a single subwoofer, automatically, will give better subwoofer produced sound. This point can be easily verified by using a freeware copy of REW to measure the acoustical response of a single subwoofer vs a dual subwoofer setup, when placed in a stereo configuration.

What am I not understanding?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

The OP is asking about two subs in Mono or two subs in Stereo in a two channel system. Not a single sub vs two subs


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