Do you use a subwoofer?

In my experience, if you don't use a subwoofer with your near field monitors then you may have some low frequency content or noise that you can not hear. How do you folks deal with this risk?-use a sub, listen to another sound system after the mix session, use larger non-near field monitors, let the mastering engineer fix it later, do nothing?

Yes- NS-10s and a subwoofer. Works for me!

Simply use near-fields that can get down to 40 Hz or lower. There are many such models.

--Ethan

I agree with Ethan. I find subwoofers great for testing but I don't track or mix with one. Could just be an old habit but it's working fine so far.

In most cases you should remove all subharmonics anyway so its not needed. but you can use several monitoring systems to test the mix.

This is good advice. For the occasional session which requires huge sub-kick, i.e. hiphop -- you can rent a great sub for the week for peanuts.

No sub here either...just a pair of JBL LSR4328's that have plenty down low. Subs introduce a whole host of acoustic issues that have to be dealt with or big problems develop. It's not that there's no use for them at all, it's just that they have to be very carefully worked into a system.

Frank

Its interesting to note that the Adam A7s that are so popular around these forums only go down to 46 Hz.

The A7s are great bang for the buck... thats it. Nothing to do with full freq. response. Near fields almost ALWAYS benefit from a sub regardless of freq. response.

BUT-

I don't use a sub and never have at my studio. At every single larger studio I work at, there is ALWAYS a sub. If you can, great, but I wouldn't worry about it.

I don't have any intention of adding one anytime soon.

I have to use a sub because:

a) I gotta hear the low-end accurately

b) Can't afford to replace my NS-10's, and

c) See "a"