Subwoofers under $300

[shadyJ]

For anyone who runs into this old thread researching budget subwoofers. I just wanted to point out that Brent Butterworth measured both Dayton Audio Subs: SUB-1200 and SUB-1500 and chose the SUB-1200 as winner of his comparison with the following explanation:

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-budget-subwoofer/#the-competition

That is really disappointing, because generally you would expect to gain substantial benefits going from a 12" to a 15" driver! That should be a no-brainer and it makes me wonder if they truly screwed something up on the design of the SUB-1500 ... or maybe they just "lucked up" with the SUB-1200 being so good as it is!
However, between the added size and cost of the SUB-1500, I suspect most will be better off with the SUB-1200.

The performance differences might not be entirely illustrated in that article. There is just not a lot of info there. I would want a more detailed assessment before coming to conclusions.

 

[KEW]

The performance differences might not be entirely illustrated in that article. There is just not a lot of info there. I would want a more detailed assessment before coming to conclusions.

Does this help?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KjlXBWMPAHgU_V9DAHSdIZ_ke0MxwH6ekt3vTIlYOJU/edit#gid=0

He also did a subjective listening test, but does not provide discussion of it, unfortunately. Understandably, subjective accounts of a 16 way sub shootout would get out of hand quickly.
But I tend to value Brent Butterworth's opinion because all reviews I have read of his that apply to speakers or subs I have heard have been spot on and he plays double bass in a couple of jazz groups in LA so I trust his subjective assessment as better than most (subjective assessments)!

 

[shadyJ]

Does this help?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KjlXBWMPAHgU_V9DAHSdIZ_ke0MxwH6ekt3vTIlYOJU/edit#gid=0

That doesn't really help. CEA-2010 only tell you so much, especially if there is no context for the measured values, i.e., what the value distortion limited, etc. Furthermore, it is a measure of dynamic range more than response behavior at a nominal level, but the nominal level behavior is far more indicative of sound quality then burst tests. But I understand that a publication like Wirecutter probably doesn't permit too much in the way of measurements for fear of turning off their readership. It's a shame, and Brent's measurements for his subwoofer reviews in Soundstage are actually pretty good and illuminating on the behavior of the subwoofer. Be grateful for the way Gene runs Audioholics, because from what I hear, many consumer electronics publications will not permit measurements to be published as a matter of policy (with the exception of performance PC reviews, which are practically nothing but measurements).

 

[shadyJ]

Does this help?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KjlXBWMPAHgU_V9DAHSdIZ_ke0MxwH6ekt3vTIlYOJU/edit#gid=0

By the way, one oddity I noticed in that spreadsheet was that the VTF15h mk2 measured way less in sealed mode than other operating modes. This is what you would expect in port output, but not above port output. That isn't what I measured at all.

 

[KEW]

By the way, one oddity I noticed in that spreadsheet was that the VTF15h mk2 measured way less in sealed mode than other operating modes. This is what you would expect in port output, but not above port output. That isn't what I measured at all.

Hsu references that review by Brent, but the link goes to a different 2019 review!
I think the review Brent did was dated 2014!
I was wanting to check to see if the CEDIA data from the review was the same as in the spreadsheet I linked, but I could not find it!

 

[Jivinjoe]

I have the BIC PL-200 and it works well for our cabin.