Best $500 sub

[BoredSysAdmin]

Why not? The PB1000 does not stay as clean as the NSD line, so if you are assuming that it has the same distortion profile, you would be wrong. There is good chance the BPS 212 Turbo could easily be better than that.

You're forgetting room gain. Sub loaded in the 1.7k sqft this should add approx 6db to output and your measurements tell me that the thd measured at 20 could be quite low (about 10% thd), IE: 95+6db room gain = over 100db at 20hz with 10% thd - I call it a good solution.

I don't quite have ready links to some of the measurements of Epic Legend but if my memory serves me right, they weren't that stellar to begin with and BPS 212 Turbo has quite similar specs....

 

[Steve81]

I had my mind set on the PSA xs30 but I just don't have the money for that right now and I'm becoming impatient, i'm tired of watching Movies with no sub! Do you guys think I should pull the trigger on the BPS 12 "turbo" or become more patient and save for the PSA XS30?

If you're interested in the PSA XS30, I'd consider the idea of getting a single XS15 now (or when it can be afforded) and a second down the road.

 

[shadyJ]

You're forgetting room gain. Sub loaded in the 1.7k sqft this should add approx 6db to output and your measurements tell me that the thd measured at 20 could be quite low (about 10% thd), IE: 95+6db room gain = over 100db at 20hz with 10% thd - I call it a good solution.

I don't quite have ready links to some of the measurements of Epic Legend but if my memory serves me right, they weren't that stellar to begin with and BPS 212 Turbo has quite similar specs....

You don't really know how much clean headroom can be gained at the listening position in an unknown room. Anyway, room gain will benefit a sealed sub like the BPS much more than a ported sub like the PB1000, and I am talking about both pressure vessel gain and boundary gain. As for the Legend, it would have had far more output above 30 Hz than the PB1000. I don't remember how it handled the low end, I would assume something boosted at 20 Hz like the Empire. I think I remember reading the Reaction subs use a natural sealed rolloff. Anyway, I'll take a sub with strong 30+ Hz output over a sub with so-so output from 20 Hz up. Moreover two 12"s ought to sound a lot cleaner than a single ported 10 above the tuning frequency- a LOT cleaner. They should have a faster decay time as well, since there is no port. Anyway, that is just speculation, we don't know for sure until it gets measured. On paper, the advantage is for the Reaction sub in my opinion.

 

[usery]

...get the BPS 212 for music in your budget (no grill is included, but might be sold separately): Reaction Audio — BPS 212 Powered Subwoofer

BPS 212 Turbo now includes grill and while I don't see it on the product web page I thought I read AVSForums post from RA founder saying hi-level inputs had been added as well.

 

[Basshead81]

You're forgetting room gain. Sub loaded in the 1.7k sqft this should add approx 6db to output and your measurements tell me that the thd measured at 20 could be quite low (about 10% thd), IE: 95+6db room gain = over 100db at 20hz with 10% thd - I call it a good solution.

I don't quite have ready links to some of the measurements of Epic Legend but if my memory serves me right, they weren't that stellar to begin with and BPS 212 Turbo has quite similar specs....

Room gain is going to have little effect on a sub with a 48db per octave roll off. In a smallish sealed room I would agree with Shady and say the Reaction sub looks like a better solution.

 

[Pyrrho]

You're forgetting room gain. Sub loaded in the 1.7k sqft this should add approx 6db to output and your measurements tell me that the thd measured at 20 could be quite low (about 10% thd), IE: 95+6db room gain = over 100db at 20hz with 10% thd - I call it a good solution.

I don't quite have ready links to some of the measurements of Epic Legend but if my memory serves me right, they weren't that stellar to begin with and BPS 212 Turbo has quite similar specs....

Room gain is going to have little effect on a sub with a 48db per octave roll off. In a smallish sealed room I would agree with Shady and say the Reaction sub looks like a better solution.

The room gain he is discussing is increased SPL, not increased depth of the bass.

The SVS is known to be good, and has a deep and relatively very flat frequency response. The new subwoofer could have higher output, but until someone actually measures it, there is no way of knowing. But it is very unlikely to have as wide and flat a frequency response, especially since it is not rated to have as wide and flat a frequency response.

The SVS is known to be good, with a good warranty and good customer service. The new one? Who knows? So it is a question of whether one wishes to take a chance, or wishes to buy something that is known to be good.

 

[Too Tall]

So does it matter performance wise to go with a ported or sealed for my sealed ht?

 

[Too Tall]

Is sealed subs better for music and ported for movies or is that just a myth?

 

[Pyrrho]

Is sealed subs better for music and ported for movies or is that just a myth?

It is a myth. However, it has a grain of truth, in that a poorly designed ported subwoofer sucks, giving boomy bass. A properly designed one is fine.

Essentially, what a port does is allows for a bass boost from the port, but (there is always a "but") it also means that at the very deep end, the drop-off will be steeper. Take a look at this:

SVS PC13-Ultra - 1000 Watt DSP Controlled, 13" Ported Cylinder Subwoofer with Variable Tuning

Look at the graph of the frequency response (you may have to click on "Tech Specs" to see the graph); there are several curves shown, because that subwoofer allows for different "tuning" involving blocking one or more ports, and has a "sealed" mode as well in the graph. Notice what each option does to the response curve, and you will see what ports do to it.

Notice, with that subwoofer, the use of ports extends the "flat" part of the response down deeper, though it then drops off faster than if sealed. With a poorly designed ported subwoofer, instead of extending the flat response deeper, it doubles up the bass that comes directly from the woofer instead, which gives a "boomy" bass instead of a flat response. SVS does the ports properly, so they are not boomy.

 

[shadyJ]

One thing to notice in comparing the PB13 measurements is the impulse response on the sealed mode has much less decay than the ported modes. I don't know if that is audible, but it is technically better. It would be interesting to see how audible that is, if it can be heard at all.

 

[Too Tall]

So does that mean go with a sealed or if I go with ported go with SVS?

 

[Steve81]

One thing to notice in comparing the PB13 measurements is the impulse response on the sealed mode has much less decay than the ported modes. I don't know if that is audible, but it is technically better. It would be interesting to see how audible that is, if it can be heard at all.

Not very in my experience, though your mileage may vary. I know Josh mentions this in some of his reviews as well, such as that for the PB12-NSD which has a horrible looking GD graph:

Looking at the PB12-NSD’s response in the time domain we see that it is well behaved until below 30Hz where there is some delayed energy seen centered at the port tuning. This is typical of resonant systems with a steep high pass filter at tuning. The audibility of this at such low frequencies is debatable and the room that the subwoofer is placed in will also contribute quite a bit in this regard. I certainly never heard this in any obvious manner.

The room will be the big wildcard: from what I've seen, decay times on the order of seconds isn't unheard of at such low frequencies.

 

[Steve81]

So does that mean go with a sealed or if I go with ported go with SVS?

Given your room size (on the low side of Medium on the AH rating system), I'd recommend a reasonably capable sealed sub; I'd still say the XS15 would likely work really well for your space. However, with a decent ported sub like the PB1000 , at worst your receiver's auto-calibration may have to cut a bit of low end to counteract excess room gain at the bottom of the sub's passband.

 

[Too Tall]

Thanks for everyones help. I was wondering what u guys think about the klipsch sw subs? The sw110 is mentioned on this site for being a recommended sub for $500 or less, I was wondering if you guys think an sw112 for $460 with a 5 year warranty from a B&M store would be a good choice?

 

[Too Tall]

I really appreciate everyones opinions and helping me on my sub choice.

 

[Pyrrho]

Thanks for everyones help. I was wondering what u guys think about the klipsch sw subs? The sw110 is mentioned on this site for being a recommended sub for $500 or less, I was wondering if you guys think an sw112 for $460 with a 5 year warranty from a B&M store would be a good choice?

I think it would be a very bad value. That one has a -3dB point of 26 Hz compared with the SVS at 19 Hz. Given the price difference, no one should buy it instead of the PB-1000. You can read about them both (as well as some others) at:

2013 Subwoofer Roundup: 6 Subs For $500 Or Less | Audioholics

If you want to save $39 and get a significantly inferior subwoofer, go ahead and buy the Klipsch.

 

[Too Tall]

I'll probably pass on the Klipsch,alot of people keep bring up SVS, sounds like a really reliable company with a great product.