Two subs or one?

I would suggest one good sub rather than two inferior ones ( a £1k unit should outperform 2 x £500 for instance). You could look to improve your front speakers and buy a mid level sub. A Tannoy TS2.12 would be a good starting point and any budget left could be spent on fronts - Dali Zensor 1 is my pick at this level, the MA BRX2 is well liked also.

Ok thanks for the advice Nick i'll look into it!

Two subs will give you a more even in room response, and have less distortion (as two will be working more efficiently), but I would usually recommend moving up to a larger, better sub too. 

hello guys , just wanted to ask as im looking at dual subs to my system nut does anyone have any experience with the Dspeaker 8033cinema anti-mode and is it any good as i use the velodynes eq mic setup and yamaha's ypoa as well , cheers and dont mean to detract form the original question

I had a post similar to this one before and I know David did respond to my quote. How will 2 subs have less distortion. Would one achieve that by reducing the volume on them while still getting more db than one sub at a higher volume? Besides the even response will you be able to get more of a slam than one sub?

Hi markhooper

Just to add upgrading to a larger/powerfull better sub may not give the results you are after, not with your current system by that I mean it may be over kill with the Q-acoustics they are an excellent speaker but are only book shelf, so it is important to have a system that works and intergrates well with each other, you say that you are pleased with what you have and some sources are stunning, so it might be worth thinking about upgrading the fronts to the Q-acoustics 2050s these are floorstanders and are also a superb speaker and look stunning, plus it keeps the make in your system, these will give improved bass and you may find that going down this route will give you that extra oomph at around 500pounds if you shop around this can be deemed a great deal, where as to upgrade to a more expsensive sub that would cost considerably more but not get the wanted results.

Just a thought but worth checking out, the 2050s have many awards from this very mag to HiFi world/HiFi Choice etc so you will be buying a qaulity speaker that will not break the bank.

I have two M&K 350 subs, one stacked on top of the other and running on a anti-mode 8033 and it absoutely power with grace. I think i would find it difficult now to go back to one. As said, i've had to turn the volume down on both than i did with one so now there is less work for them to do, but there's plenty of bass power.

Thanks everybody for your responses. @pioneer 7 - I think you may be correct as these will surely have the same sonic signature as my 1010i's? I could then maybe use the spare two in a 7.1 setup! I think what i'm missing in two channel stereo mode is midrange bass if there is such a thing !? - Thanks again guys  - 

                                             Mark

I'd be careful about rushing in to buying the 2050. Maybe have an audition first, if possible? A well matched sub and standmount pairing can often give better performance than a pair of floorstanders.

Your satellites will currently match fairly well if you have 1010s all round, if you put a different speaker at the front it may not be as seamless with surround material. 

Also, I believe the 2000 series use different drive units to the 1000 series, so they may well have a different sonic signature. I think there are 1050s still about at good prices, these might be a closer match?

I too would probably go for a better single sub. The Q has two small-ish drivers, why not have a demo of something with a bigger single driver and see how you find that?

That said, have you tried tinkering with positioning of your sub? Sometimes this can make all the difference.

one fine sub would be awesome

Ok perhaps I will audition first i'll have a word with my local sevenoaks SnV to see if it possible cheers guys! - O did anyone understand what I meant about midrange bass (if there is such a thing!) as what I meant was with a dedicated 2 channel amp and speakers when listening to say Iron Maiden or The Lost Prophets you can feel the bass drum kick you in the chest but with a home cinema amp That is what i'm trying to replicate?! - If possible!

Why do so many people go on about feeling bass in the chest?  At all the concerts I've ever been to it is always the snare drum that I feel in the chest.  Bass is what pressurizes the room making your jeans or trousers flap and shifting the air not hit you in the chest.

Because you're sharing the work between two subs, they won't have to work so hard, hence produce less distortion. This will also give more headroom, so higher SPL can be achieved. Slam may be slightly enhanced, but this will be down to how good the sub is in this respect in the first place. There's plenty of subs out there that aren't that good at 'slam', and adding a second one isn't really going to improve things.

Stacking subs does increase output, and yes, after your set up, you will find it hard to move back to one! Obviously you'd need to find a single sub that is as capable as two Miller & Kreisels... 

Thats the avenue that Ken Kreisel has taken with his new KK Sound subs, but he's taken it further. The drive unit arrangement is design so that when the second sub is turned upside down and stack on top of the other, you then have four drivers acting as force cancelling pairs. This further enhances the benefits of stacking.

A single MX-5000 Mk3 will outperform 2 stacked MX-350's.