Help deciding on subwoofer for home theatre room

[dpriest]

Hello all,
I am moving into my new house in a few weeks and am going to be setting up a home theater room which I have included pictures of. None of the things will be in the room as these pictures reflect when the previous owner is occupying the house. I do plan on placing a couch in a similar position as the blue one in the picture. Just for some background I am planning on mounting the Sony 85" 950H TV on the wall where the current TV is. I plan on powering my audio with the Yamaha Aventage RX-A2A receiver. The room is 20'x24'. I am looking for a lot of bass depth that I can feel in my bones similar to a movie theater. From the reviews I have read here SVS seems the way to go.

I was speaking to someone at B&H Photo and his thought was to either get two of the PB-1000 or one of the PB-3000 but his thought was two of the PB-1000 even though the PB-3000 has a lot more power and also mentioned the possibility of the PB-2000 Pro. I have never heard these subs so have no idea the power or frequency. I'm looking for recommendations here on the aforementioned options as well as recommended placement of the sub(s).

Thank you in advance.

 

[mazersteven]

The room is 20'x24'.
I am looking for a lot of bass depth that I can feel in my bones similar to a movie theater.

I was speaking to someone at B&H Photo and his thought was to either get two of the PB-1000 or one of the PB-3000 but his thought was two of the PB-1000 even though the PB-3000 has a lot more power and also mentioned the possibility of the PB-2000 Pro. I have never heard these subs so have no idea the power or frequency. I'm looking for recommendations here

You never stated a budget and I hope it's a good one.
Based on those pictures looks like a lot more space than just a 20 x 24. Subwoofers work on total volume.

The guy at B&H was right about the SVS recommendation. But his thoughts of PB-1000's is far off. Dual PB-3000 would be a better recommendation if not Dual PB-4000's.

SVS was a small company in Ohio making subs for home theater for years operating as a Internet Direct company. The company was sold and as expanded outside Internet Direct, but still produce outstanding subwoofers. Their build quality, their quality of components drivers and tweeters. Their fit and finish, and their customer service is second to no one.

Subwoofers for Home Theater & Stereo | SVS

Powered SVS home theater subwoofers unleash the ultimate bass experience for music and movies.

www.svsound.com

 

[dpriest]

You never stated a budget and I hope it's a good one.
Based on those pictures looks like a lot more space than just a 20 x 24. Subwoofers work on total volume.

The guy at B&H was right about the SVS recommendation. But his thoughts of PB-1000's is far off. Dual PB-3000 would be a better recommendation if not Dual PB-4000's.

SVS was a small company in Ohio making subs for home theater for years operating as a Internet Direct company. The company was sold and as expanded outside Internet Direct, but still produce outstanding subwoofers. Their build quality, their quality of components drivers and tweeters. Their fit and finish, and their customer service is second to no one.

Subwoofers for Home Theater & Stereo | SVS

Powered SVS home theater subwoofers unleash the ultimate bass experience for music and movies.

www.svsound.com

I'm afraid if I overdue it with the sub power I'll be living alone. Not looking for an overkill but I hear what your saying. You didn't mention the PB-2000 Pro. Think dual 2000's wouldn't do it? I can't go out of control budget wise but I'll splurge a little in this case. I didn't mention the speakers I have if that makes any difference. I have 3 NHT SuperOne speakers for the front L,R & Center and 2 Polk fxi3 speakers for the rear L&R.

 

[mazersteven]

I am looking for a lot of bass depth that I can feel in my bones similar to a movie theater.

I'm afraid if I overdue it with the sub power I'll be living alone. Not looking for an overkill but I hear what your saying.

Am I missing something here?
"Feel in my Bones" "Overdue""Overkill"

 

[mazersteven]

How to Buy a Subwoofer

Let us show you how to make an educated purchasing decision when buying a subwoofer for your home theater system, taking into account size and aesthetics as well as performance. How to shop subs? Here

www.audioholics.com

Bassaholic Subwoofer Room Size Rating Protocol

This article outlines our test procedure in determining a subwoofers room size recommendation based on its max CEA SPL output while making room size and subwoofer distance assumptions.

www.audioholics.com

 

[fast fred]

I love my SVS ultra 16 SB

Also considering a SVS PB-4000 for another room

 

[mazersteven]

I didn't mention the speakers I have if that makes any difference. I have 3 NHT SuperOne speakers for the front L,R & Center and 2 Polk fxi3 speakers for the rear L&R.

Subwoofers work independent of whatever speakers you have. Subwoofers take the low frequencies. That being said that's going to be again a large space to fill for those NHT's.

 

[dpriest]

How to Buy a Subwoofer

Let us show you how to make an educated purchasing decision when buying a subwoofer for your home theater system, taking into account size and aesthetics as well as performance. How to shop subs? Here

www.audioholics.com

Bassaholic Subwoofer Room Size Rating Protocol

This article outlines our test procedure in determining a subwoofers room size recommendation based on its max CEA SPL output while making room size and subwoofer distance assumptions.

www.audioholics.com

I will look at the articles you included. Thank you. I will need the guidance. I want to start with the new subs. Hopefully the PB-3000s will do it. After that see how the speakers do it and go from there. BTW, Giants in first place

 

[mazersteven]

BTW, Giants in first place

I'm beginning to like you again.

 

[mazersteven]

After that see how the speakers do it and go from there.

Prime Pinnacle | Tower Speaker for Home Theater & HiFi | SVS

Audiophile refinement, breathtaking home theater dynamics. World class audio for everyone.

www.svsound.com

SVS Prime Center Speaker | 3-Way Center Channel Home Theater Speaker

True 3-way center channel speaker for home theater. Pinpoint accuracy, excellent dispersion and seamless blending for convincing home theater.

www.svsound.com

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Premier 800F

4-driver, 3-way bass reflex floorstanding

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Premier 600C

6-driver, 3-way passive radiator bass reflex center channel*Stand not included

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SIERRA TOWER PAIR

Introducing our Flagship Loudspeaker "The midrange on the Towers...is a main event. Inner detail is fantastic even on large-ensemble recordings, and they are free from distortion and retain a hefty amount of dynamic headroom when played at spirited levels." -Enjoy the Music.com Combining...

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SIERRA HORIZON

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www.ascendacoustics.com

 

[vader540is]

I'm afraid if I overdue it with the sub power I'll be living alone. Not looking for an overkill but I hear what your saying. You didn't mention the PB-2000 Pro. Think dual 2000's wouldn't do it? I can't go out of control budget wise but I'll splurge a little in this case.

Svs is overrated IMO. I've owned a PB4000 and it always sounded muddy to me, never gave me mid-bass chest slam. I demoed a PB16 ultra and I was extremely underwhelmed. I now own a PSA TV1812 and I get amazing ULF ( 9.5hz in-room extension) and awesome mid-bass.

Buy once, cry once.

You can always turn down a big sub. You can't turn up a small one.

Power Sound Audio TV1812

Rythmik FV18PC

JTR Cap2400

Take your pick, all three subs are a great value.

 

[dpriest]

Svs is overrated IMO. I've owned a PB4000 and it always sounded muddy to me, never gave me mid-bass chest slam. I demoed a PB16 ultra and I was extremely underwhelmed. I now own a PSA TV1812 and I get amazing ULF ( 9.5hz in-room extension) and awesome mid-bass.

Buy once, cry once.

You can always turn down a big sub. You can't turn up a small one.

Power Sound Audio TV1812

Rythmik FV18PC

JTR Cap2400

Take your pick, all three subs are a great value.

Are you suggesting just one of these subs that you listed? Think that will suffice in the space for my home theater?

 

[shadyJ]

I would get dual subs rather than 1 sub. You may be able to get more output from a single large sub rather than two smaller subs, but you will have a worse frequency response due to the way low frequencies behave with normal room acoustics. I would aim for two subs with low-frequency extension down to 20 Hz if possible. Look for ported subs rather than sealed subwoofers. Some good subs would be dual Outlaw Audio Ultra-X12s, Hsu Research VTF-2 mk5s, SVS PB or PC-2000s, or dual Monoprice Monolith THX 12" Ultras. If you can afford to stretch the budget a bit, look at dual Hsu Research VTF-3 mk5s.

 

[dpriest]

I would get dual subs rather than 1 sub. You may be able to get more output from a single large sub rather than two smaller subs, but you will have a worse frequency response due to the way low frequencies behave with normal room acoustics. I would aim for two subs with low-frequency extension down to 20 Hz if possible. Look for ported subs rather than sealed subwoofers. Some good subs would be dual Outlaw Audio Ultra-X12s, Hsu Research VTF-2 mk5s, SVS PB or PC-2000s, or dual Monoprice Monolith THX 12" Ultras. If you can afford to stretch the budget a bit, look at dual Hsu Research VTF-3 mk5s.

Great suggestions from everybody! The subs you are recommending are smaller/lower outputs than the PB-3000 that mazersteven recommended for the space for my home theater room. I don't mean to be like a kid who pits one parent against the other however I'm torn because of the differences in recommendations. That said, I realize everybody has their own opinions. As somebody that is relatively new to this I'm looking to fill this space indicated from the pictures I posted above and dimensions I listed with a clean but three dimensional potent bass that will not cause the wife to jump up and run out of the room because it is too loud in the ears.

 

[mazersteven]

Call SVS. Or email
Ed Mullen, PE
Director - Technology and Customer Service
SVS | Specialty Technologies
877.626.5623
custservice@svsound.com

Ask his recommendation

 

[vader540is]

Are you suggesting just one of these subs that you listed? Think that will suffice in the space for my home theater?

Yes buy one, add a 2nd one later when your budget permits ( if need be)

I also highly suggest you invest in a Umik-1 and REW. That will give you the tools for sub placement & blending with your Speakers, it will also work with a Mini-DSP-HD, which would be great to add on later to help eq & you can start using bass EQ filters, alot of movies nowadays have the ULF neutered.

 

[dpriest]

I called SVS and spoke to somebody in the tech dept. He saw the pictures of the space and gave him the square footage. He is recommending dual PB-3000 based on the space. Not saying I am not going with PB-3000 but would like similar power recommendations.

 

[mazersteven]

EV18 IPAL

EV1812 is a powered vented subwoofer with 960W of continuous, DSP controlled ICEpower® and an 18" B&C Neodymium Driver.

www.powersoundaudio.com

 

[dpriest]

Yes buy one, add a 2nd one later when your budget permits ( if need be)

I also highly suggest you invest in a Umik-1 and REW. That will give you the tools for sub placement & blending with your Speakers, it will also work with a Mini-DSP-HD, which would be great to add on later to help eq & you can start using bass EQ filters, alot of movies nowadays have the ULF neutered.

Thanks for the advice. I know I am going to want to calibrate the subs individually. The SVS tech guy mentioned MiniDSP but all of this stuff is new to me on how to do it. Apparently I need a laptop also to calibrate the subs and speakers adjusting for distances. I thought the AVR does that. Going to get the Yamaha Aventage RX-A2A. Apparently the Yamaha receiver does not see the two subs as separate and cannot calibrate them individually. Any place on Audioholics site to see how to do this with the MiniDSP equipment?

 

[vader540is]

Thanks for the advice. I know I am going to want to calibrate the subs individually. The SVS tech guy mentioned MiniDSP but all of this stuff is new to me on how to do it. Apparently I need a laptop also to calibrate the subs and speakers adjusting for distances. I thought the AVR does that. Going to get the Yamaha Aventage RX-A2A. Apparently the Yamaha receiver does not see the two subs as separate and cannot calibrate them individually. Any place on Audioholics site to see how to do this with the MiniDSP equipment?