I wouldn't restrict subwoofer choice to the same brand, but I wouldn't
aim too low here.

Remember that bass frequencies take a lot more energy to reproduce than
high frequencies, so make sure you use enough subwoofer (combination of
driver, box, and amplifier) to play bass with as much headroom as your
mains. You have to choose a subwoofer (or subwoofers) which can fill
your room effectively - bass works very differently than highs. I would
stick with a similar design - ported v. sealed, for example.

The best crossover point is where each main speaker is -3 dB, but often
a fixed 80 Hz high pass and low pass can work (the octave below this
typically has problems caused by the room, and subwoofer placement can
help negate these while little or nothing can be done to main speakers
to fix these). I wouldn't rule out choosing a subwoofer like the Blue
Sky because of its fixed crossover, since it is a great value (sealed
cabinet, affordable, clean and quiet, etc.), but there are a lot of
well-made subwoofers available.

Most people who dismiss the use of subwoofers base this judgement on
experience with systems where the subwoofer is underpowered, poorly
calibrated, and improperly integrated with the mains.


tommy banana wrote:
hi
could I use a different make ( ie cheaper) sub woofer with a pair of
more expensive higher quality monitors?

cheers

Tommuy Banana