12'' PORTED OR 15'' SEALED INPUT NEEDED

[Truthslayer]

Ok gents, i need some unbiased input here. As i fear i may be a little biased on this one.

On Sunday my youngest boy (age 30) was over with a buddy and one some opinions on a new sub he is after. He currently is just running a 15'' sealed 250rms 500 max Definitive sub that i gave him awhile back. Needless to say the sub is ok, but he wants more. ( the sub was disappointing, hence the reason i gave it away)

Well they are really impressed with my HSU ULS-15 MK2, but he is being told the monoprice 12'' ported will give him more.
Now i think these are probably pretty close, but my bias says get the ULS-15 MK2. I may be totally wrong here, i just don't see the monoprice 12'' ported getting much if any louder. His budget is about $750. Room size, just guessing here, 16'x18'x9'
He of course likes and wants, the punch and getting loud.

So, please feel free to chime in with any thoughts or suggestions you may have.
Forgot to mention- he listens to mainly, rap, hip hop and rock music.

 

[mazersteven]

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[WaynePflughaupt]

Shady J?

Don’t know which will get louder, but the Monolith THX (assuming that’s the one you are referring to) will probably get deeper. Even in my small bedroom, the ULS-15 brick-walls at 20 Hz.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Truthslayer]

"mazersteven, didn't even think about the vtf-3. I have heard it can be a bit slow, and or muddy at times. Don't know how true that is.

[WaynePflughaupt,- I'm a little surprised by that, i figured you would be getting better low end room response with your uls-15. Is this the mk2 version or the older version ? I get really good low end extension with the mk2.
Yes, i was referring to the Monolith THX version. At his age he and his friends like it loud.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Imo the mono is the easy choice. Below 35ish hz it should have more output. Maybe 3 times as much by 20hz.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

WaynePflughaupt,- I'm a little surprised by that, i figured you would be getting better low end room response with your uls-15. Is this the mk2 version or the older version ? I get really good low end extension with the mk2.

I have the current MK2 version.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Truthslayer]

Imo the mono is the easy choice. Below 35ish hz it should have more output. Maybe 3 times as much by 20hz.

After reading your reply and quickly checking out the test results here on the site. I would say you are right. It would appear the monoprice has the advantage in the lower end and somewhere around 40hz and above the HSU takes the advantage. With his taste in music, the monoprice may be his best bet.

 

[mazersteven]

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[vader540is]

Yeah the Mono will have more SPL than the Sealed HSU.

I would seriously consider a Rythmik FV15HP or a Power Sound Audio TV1512

Or a HSU VTF15H-MK2 for a lower price point, but don't expect the same performance like the Rythmik or PSA.

 

[mazersteven]

I would seriously consider a Rythmik FV15HP or a Power Sound Audio TV1512

OP stated "His budget is about $750."

I guess Double is "about"

 

[vader540is]

OP stated "His budget is about $750."

I guess Double is "about"

That HSU isn't an upgrade over what he currently has. OP will need to raise his budget or just be content with what he has IMO.

 

[lovinthehd]

That HSU isn't an upgrade over what he currently has. OP will need to raise his budget or just be content with what he has IMO.

The kid only has the old DefTec sub right now, the choice is the Mono 12" ported vs ULS 15" sealed. I'd think about the Hsu VTF-3 Mk5 myself for about the same money....

 

[vader540is]

The kid only has the old DefTec sub right now, the choice is the Mono 12" ported vs ULS 15" sealed. I'd think about the Hsu VTF-3 Mk5 myself for about the same money....

Ahhh I miss understood then. HSU VTF-3MKS ftw. That'll be a huge upgrade over the deftech lol I thought he was comparing the ULS-15 to the VTF-3MK5

 

[mazersteven]

That HSU isn't an upgrade over what he currently has. OP will need to raise his budget or just be content with what he has IMO.

Isn't an upgrade over a 15" 500w 40hz Def Tech sub? Please SMH

 

[vader540is]

Isn't an upgrade over a 15" 500w 40hz Def Tech sub? Please SMH

See my post above.

 

[shadyJ]

The ULS-15 will hit harder above 40Hz, but the Monoprice 12" THX sub will have deeper extension. The ideal would be the VTF-3 mk5 which has the Mid-bass output of the ULS-15 and also the deep bass extension of the Monoprice 12", but that seems to be a bit above his budget. I would say if he is primarily doing movie watching, go with the Monolith 12" THX, but if he is primarily doing music listening, get the Hsu.

 

[Truthslayer]

The ULS-15 will hit harder above 40Hz, but the Monoprice 12" THX sub will have deeper extension. The ideal would be the VTF-3 mk5 which has the Mid-bass output of the ULS-15 and also the deep bass extension of the Monoprice 12", but that seems to be a bit above his budget. I would say if he is primarily doing movie watching, go with the Monolith 12" THX, but if he is primarily doing music listening, get the Hsu.

Thanks Shady and everyone else for all your input. No he still has not chosen a sub.
To clear up any confusion. It is myself that has the uls-15 mk2, not him (son).

The Def Tech sealed 15'' i gave him awhile ago, does sound good, but really has no spl to speak of. And for the music he and his friends like to listen to, he wants that low end with authority. He seems pretty impressed with test reviews and specs of the Monolith sub. However after doing some reading as I advised him to do (might have been a bad thing) he seems concerned now with quality control. So i hate to push him one way or the other.
Sure i can tell him, no matter the brand there will always be some defects and returns and whether Monoprice's returns are higher i can't say for sure. My luck i tell him to go ahead and pull the trigger, then he winds up getting a defective unit, then i end up being the bad guy.
Along with others here i myself have recommended getting an HSU sub to him, his main issue seems to be he see's those distortion numbers and takes a step back. And he thinks i am being biased towards the HSU products ( and i probably am being a little biased) since i own one.

So i will do some more research on the reliability of the Monolith's subs and continue with other options. I have to admit i am pretty impressed when i look at their and others test data. Seems pretty clean.

 

[shadyJ]

Along with others here i myself have recommended getting an HSU sub to him, his main issue seems to be he see's those distortion numbers and takes a step back. And he thinks i am being biased towards the HSU products ( and i probably am being a little biased) since i own one.

The distortion numbers are very good for the ULS. It's a sealed sub so it's bound to be pretty high in the low end, but that only occurs on the last 6dB of headroom. There is no other sealed sub anywhere near its price that has as much clean output as it does.

 

[Truthslayer]

The distortion numbers are very good for the ULS. It's a sealed sub so it's bound to be pretty high in the low end, but that only occurs on the last 6dB of headroom. There is no other sealed sub anywhere near its price that has as much clean output as it does.

Oh i agree Shady, i have no complaints with my sealed sub, seems pretty dam clean to me.
Regarding the distortion numbers, I think he is referring to HSU ported sub offerings. He has learned to compare the test charts with other subs and now and i fear he may be reading to much into it.

 

[mazersteven]

However after doing some reading as I advised him to do (might have been a bad thing) he seems concerned now with quality control. So i hate to push him one way or the other.
Sure i can tell him, no matter the brand there will always be some defects and returns and whether Monoprice's returns are higher i can't say for sure.

So i will do some more research on the reliability of the Monolith's subs and continue with other options. I have to admit i am pretty impressed when i look at their and others test data. Seems pretty clean.

Does he know that SVS's Customer Service is Exemplary, Second to None. The Piece of Mind that your not just buying a Subwoofer. Your part of the SVS Family.