Quality of a 2.1 speaker set without the subwoofer?

[JohnJSal]

If I were to set up a 2.1 speaker set but not use the subwoofer, would the two satellite speakers sound any different than if I had just bought a 2.0 system?

The reason I ask is because I see a nice looking and fairly cheap 2.1 set, but I hate dealing with the subwoofer. So I'm just curious if it's optional, or if it is somehow required for a 2.1 set to sound good.

Thanks.

 

[Gareth]

You really need the subwoofer for better sound, without the woofer, its very bland.

 

[JohnJSal]

You really need the subwoofer for better sound, without the woofer, its very bland.

But would it be any worse than just using two speakers? What I'm trying to find out is if buying a system with a subwoofer, but not using the subwoofer, will make the system sound worse that if you had just used a 2.0 system. In other words, is a 2.1 system optimized for a subwoofer, and the satellite speakers will sound bad without it? (Bad, as in worse than even two regular speakers).

I know the sound will be better with a subwoofer, I'm just trying to figure out if it will be more worse than normal without it.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[TFT]

a 2:1 system is optimised for the use of a sub. The satellite speakers are tuned for the higher frequencies and bass would be virtually non existant on them. Whereas a 2:0 system has a much wider frequency range.

 

[JohnJSal]

a 2:1 system is optimised for the use of a sub. The satellite speakers are tuned for the higher frequencies and bass would be virtually non existant on them. Whereas a 2:0 system has a much wider frequency range.

Thank you! Exactly what I was wanting to know!

 

[Geoff]

Also to add, most 2.1 systems have the amplifier also installed in the same box as the sub, and the speakers usually connect to the sub itself. So on most 2.1 setups, without the sub you won't have use of the two speakers.

 

[JohnJSal]

Also to add, most 2.1 systems have the amplifier also installed in the same box as the sub, and the speakers usually connect to the sub itself. So on most 2.1 setups, without the sub you won't have use of the two speakers.

Thanks again. That's the kind of detail I was wondering about.