Sub suggestions

[nick1000000]

I am looking for some ideas on good subs to compare. I have a $600 max price range. I have a 250 sqft room where the HT is but I have vaulted ceilings and the room extends another 300 sqft into the kitchen. I watch movies more than I listen to music, but I am starting to listen to more music. I have an Emotiva pre amp and amp ultra theater series(http://www.emotivaaudio.com/products.html)with paradigm Mini Monitors (http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/fronts-monitor-minimonitor-model-2-4-1-14.paradigm) and their CC-290 center (http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/centers-monitor-cc290-model-3-4-1-7.paradigm). Any ideas would be helpful.
Thanks

 

[Adam]

Nick,

There's lots of good subs out there. Typical recommendations around here are SVS (svsound.com), Hsu (hsuresearch.com), and Onix (av123.com), among others.

I'll let the others chime in who actually own those products. I have an SVS on pre-order, but I won't be able to speak about it's performance until I get it in late July or August.

 

[j_garcia]

Room dimensions rather than square footage would be more useful, but that is a fairly large area to fill. I'd say take a look at the SVS PB-12 or the 25-31PCi which are in your range, and also the HSU VTF-2 Mk3.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

I'll have to agree with adam/garcia on this....

In your price range, mail-order is the way to go. Of course, it makes demo'ing all of them a little difficult, but internet direct subwoofer specialists offer the most capable subwoofers in that price range.

 

[nick1000000]

The room is 20X26X22 but the HT area is 11X16X22. One of the walls is split by an enrty way.

 

[Adam]

Wow, you were NOT kidding about vaulted ceilings. 22 feet high? That's a lot of volume to fill, my friend.

You can always contact (without any obligation) SVS, Hsu, and AV123 and ask them which of their subs they would recommend for your listening environment. They'll let you know what they think will do the job right.

 

[nick1000000]

Yeah. I measured it with my laser distance meter, but I think its off. I seem to remeber it being 18ft when we had our ceilings scraped. I think the angle throws off the sound wave. I will have to call because if I use the HT area, I'm looking at 3700 cuft. If I use the true size of the room, I have 5700 cuft!

 

[mazersteven]

E-mail SVS and HSU and ask their opinion on what sub you should purchase for the size room. They are both great companies, with outstanding products and incredible customer service. They will not oversell you but guide you to a more educated buying decision.

 

[westcott]

Filling that many cubic feet properly with your current budget could be a challenge, depending on your listening habits. The mini monitors need considerable help.

Here is a list I have found helpful when comparing subs vs. price. As others have suggested, the HSU VTF3 MK3 is a good choice if that is all you can afford. The Mission 700AS is also a good performer at this price point.

Nousaine Subwoofer Shootout

It is not representative of all subwoofers but it should give you a good frame of reference and price vs. performance information.

 

[j_garcia]

The Minis have always had respectable extension actually, though I think they are a bit outclassed by the electronics to be honest.

VTF-3 Mk3 is $700, not $600, and the VTF-2 Mk3 is $500.

 

[nick1000000]

I have a question about LFE. I am not very knowledgeable about it. is it an imoprtant option in subs? Does my pre amp need a LFE output? It has a sub out port. Also is the LFE connection better or is using my 6th and 7th channel on my amp a better connection (if the sub has speaker wire connection)?

 

[j_garcia]

The sub pre out is also the LFE out, and yes this is the best connection method.

 

[Adam]

I have a question about LFE. I am not very knowledgeable about it. is it an imoprtant option in subs? Does my pre amp need a LFE output? It has a sub out port. Also is the LFE connection better or is using my 6th and 7th channel on my amp a better connection (if the sub has speaker wire connection)?

Nick, LFE stands for "low frequency effect" and is just another audio track that can be embedded within a surround sound mix (it is the ".1" part). It doesn't refer to a particular type of speaker. The LFE can be played through a separate sub or through regular speakers.

The sub out port that you have is what you want if you're going to be connecting this to a powered subwoofer. To use that, you'll need to get a sub that with a line-level input (that's what you would connect the "sub out" signal into). You don't need it, but I think that you'll certainly want it. Some sub manufacturers will call the line-level input the "LFE input" or something similar, but it's just a line-level input to connect to the "sub out" port.

 

[j_garcia]

There are two different types of line level inputs on some subs. The ones that have a standard line level input (either single or R&L) in addition to one called LFE, the LFE one is unfiltered, meaning the sub's crossover is bypassed. This would be from a unit like a receiver that has already filtered (crossed over) the signal. The other input expects a full range signal and IS adjusted by the sub's crossover adjustment.

 

[Adam]

There are two different types of line level inputs on some subs. The ones that have a standard line level input (either single or R&L) in addition to one called LFE, the LFE one is unfiltered, meaning the sub's crossover is bypassed. This would be from a unit like a receiver that has already filtered (crossed over) the signal. The other input expects a full range signal and IS adjusted by the sub's crossover adjustment.

Hey, thanks. I did not know that.

 

[nick1000000]

So if I had the SVSound pb12_nsd, I would connect sub out from the pre amp into the low line in R & L using a splitter?

 

[Adam]

So if I had the SVSound pb12_nsd, I would connect sub out from the pre amp into the low line in R & L using a splitter?

You can check the manual (I think that they have them online). The SVS sub manual that I've read said that you could plug that signal into either the R or L input, but that you did not need to plug it into both.

 

[westcott]

The Minis have always had respectable extension actually, though I think they are a bit outclassed by the electronics to be honest.

VTF-3 Mk3 is $700, not $600, and the VTF-2 Mk3 is $500.

The minis only go down to 70Hz. Barely able to allow for a 80Hz subwoofer crossover\slope. Respectable would be beyond what you could ask of a single 6.5" driver and a 13" x 7" x 11" cabinet.

I have to admit I am jealous of the amp. I have been eyeing the same model myself.

 

[Adam]

I have to admit I am jealous of the amp. I have been eyeing the same model myself.

You may be in luck! I'm sure that you probably also just saw the 4th of July sale from Emotiva being advertised on this site.

 

[nick1000000]

The minis only go down to 70Hz. Barely able to allow for a 80Hz subwoofer crossover\slope. Respectable would be beyond what you could ask of a single 6.5" driver and a 13" x 7" x 11" cabinet.

I have to admit I am jealous of the amp. I have been eyeing the same model myself.

I don't have them just yet. They are being ordered. Are you saying I need fronts that go lower?