Help Choosing A Subwoofer

Are the two speakers active? If so, then it should be pretty easy. Most active subs will have a high-pass (or low-cut) output. You run the stereo signal into the two inputs on the woofer and the high-pass outputs go to your speakers (what are stereo speakers by the way? I am hoping you don’t imply that each speaker has a L + R input, but rather that you have two speakers).

If the two speakers are passive, it becomes a different story. Although I know subs exist that have passive filters, they often only work in mono settings. Meaning you have to set your amplifier to mono/bridge mode, run a cable to your sub and then two cables from the sub to the speakers (or one cable from sub to speaker 1 then one cable from speaker 1 to speaker 2). This is a potentially harmful situation as things like speaker impedance, amplifier load and other things start to play a role.

So, if you have two active speakers (amp built in like the Rokit KRK for example) and get a single active subwoofer,  you should be fine. If you have a (stereo/2-channel) amp with two passive speakers now, it’s gonna be much harder to find a suitable solution for a 1 sub/2 speaker solution.

Hope this helps and greetinx.

Hey Boom,

The only honest advice I can give you is to save up a little more and spend the 400 on a KRK 10s. I am not trying to take the easy way out or anything. Here are the reasons for my remark.

1) Speakers are not just components you can mix and match as you like (well you CAN, but trust me you don’t WANT to). There are things in play as tuning (like the frequency and quality of the crossover, amplifier power and other things). If you get the KRK Sub, you know it will be tuned to work optimally with your Rokit 5s (which indeed lack a bit of bass btw). Components used will be picked by KRK and compatible, acoustically they will have been match to work together very well.

2) The KRK Rokit 5 is, imho, one of the best studio monitors in it’s price range. Unless you get something at least similar in quality, you are gonna degrade your Rokits by using an inferior subwoofer. And quite frankly I don’t see how you can buy a subwoofer for (much) less than the price of the KRK sub without losing quality. If it were a PA setup I’d be (only slightly) less worried because of the environment you’d use them in. But in a room without the raving crowd? Imagine that 200 needs to buy you a sturdy cabinet that doesn’t rattle or resonate, a decent sized amplifier (can’t power a sub off of a 75W amp) a good speaker driver (can’t just toss in any old 10″) and finally a high quality electronic crossover. I think you’ll agree that is not gonna be very likely.

With speakers – it’s been said here and in the blog over and over – you get what you pay for, there is no miracle cure. So, if you can’t pay for the KRK sub now, manage without it a little longer til you can. It’s the preferable option in my opinion to spending 200 bucks on an inferior sub which in the end will only degrade the sound of your entire setup.

You don’t want to be getting 12″or 15″ for your setup either. And you don’t want regular PA subs to go with your studio monitors either.

Sorry if it’s not the answer you expected or wanted. It’s the best advice I can give you though.

Good luck and greetinx.