Subwoofer disabled .... i lost something ?

[chip]

Hi guys

I have a 2.1 audio system

Now the subwoofer is damaged (it does strange noises) so i disabled it totally

The question is : i lost something in this way about the sounds i hear ?

I'm not talking of the overall quality (this is probably low in this way)

I'm asking myself if i lost some sounds from playbak since the subwoofer is disabled

Thanks in advance, chip

[daxb]

It depends. If the subwoofer provided frequencies that the 2 speakers cannot provide then the low frequencies are lost. The manual should give you the specs of the speakers. With a test tone generator you can check/hear what works an what not.

[chip]

I must trust my ears then

I have no manual no more indeed

Seems sounds are ALL still there

[DofD]

Many 2.1 audio systems have a built in cross over frequency for what frequencies go to the subwoofer and to the regular speakers. If in your case where the subwoofer no longer works, the audio output will be missing all the frequencies that would have been output from the subwoofer.

[vulture]

If it's a consumer pc 2.1 audio system, there's likely a crossover at about 150-200hz (maybe even higher than that). Those frequencies are totally lost without the sub. Having said that, even if the crossover wasn't in place, the satellites couldn't reproduce anything useful at that spectrum. If what you listen sounds like everything's there , it's because indeed all low-mids, mids and highs are in place and they're what makes most of the music you can hear. You're missing all those lows which make the sound feel fuller and make that snare hit the gut at high volume levels though.
Bottom line, if it still sounds good to you and you're ok as it is, just keep it that way until you can afford a better audio system altogether.

[chip]

Thanks for the explanation vulture, very useful

Yes i will keep the system as it is, since sounds "seems" ok anyway

I can't do in other way due the fact that subwoofer is gone

But i'm not sure if buying a system 2.1 or a normal 2.0

I don't trust anymore of something that could be damaged at some point

[daxb]

It depends (again) on the quality of the boxes if you can repair/exchange the speakers/electric or not. Maybe it is just not worth. If you buy good stereo 2.0 speakers that can handle all frequencies then no need for 2.1. It's also a question of how much space you have to place the speakers. I would make sure if you buy new speakers that they are easy to repair (possibility to replace out of order parts). My 2.1 and 2.0 speakers are repairable (what is needed in about 10-20 years) and I never need to buy new ones.

[chip]

Are you saying that exist 2.0 stereo system that CAN'T handle all the frequencies ?

[daxb]

No, that wasn't what I wanted to say. But sure such speakers exists, especially low cost ones. A subwoofer (bass) speaker can't produce high frequencies and a tweeter can't low frequencies. Speakers usually have a working frequency range. Hence audio crossover exists.