Looking for a sub

[EYEdROP0]

I love my system to death, but it needs a sub. My speakers only extend to 45hz and are a little bass shy. In the near future, Im willing to spend ~$100 for a sub, possibly used if its not blown. Im not looking for something super bass heavy like you hear in alot of car stereos. The most important thing to me is being able to hear the bass guitar clearly and warm, yet not over-emphasized. And the sub must extend down to 20hz and up through the top of the bass range equally (flatest response possible). Thump and slam isnt too much of an issue to me, as long as I can hear it. I just want to hear the bass notes as best as possible, yet not having intrude on the rest of my systems sound signature. Also, would you suggest a built in amplifier or hooking it up to my yamaha?

 

[Adam]

Honestly, I don't think that there's anyway that you're going to find a sub that's flat down to 20 Hz for $100. You'd have the holy grail of just about everyone on here that posts about wanting a sub, myself included. Maybe used, like you said, but even that would be a good deal.

 

[EYEdROP0]

I realize I cant get a flat response for $100. Im just describing the sound signature of what I want and am wondering whats the closest I can get to for my price range.

 

[Adam]

Gotcha.

I'd suggest a passive sub just because of the price point that you're trying to hit. Although I recall a long and argumentative thread on this forum about amps built into subs, I honestly don't think there's any sonic benefit either way as long as your receiver or amp can handle the sub. You could always buy a (relatively) cheap outboard amp for the sub later on, or you could also use an older receiver to power it.

 

[zhimbo]

45 Hz captures an awful lot of music. A standard tuned 4-string bass guitar's lowest note is 42Hz (various non-standard bass guitars, the Chapman stick, etc., go lower).

http://www.contrabass.com/pages/frequency.html

Be happy for now, and just save up for a real sub. No sense getting an inferior sub now. And in that range, it *will* be an inferior sub.

 

[EYEdROP0]

Gotcha.

I'd suggest a passive sub just because of the price point that you're trying to hit. Although I recall a long and argumentative thread on this forum about amps built into subs, I honestly don't think there's any sonic benefit either way as long as your receiver or amp can handle the sub. You could always buy a (relatively) cheap outboard amp for the sub later on, or you could also use an older receiver to power it.

I was thinking the same thing. The price is my main bottleneck. I have a small room, so I can settle with 100 watts easily. Im not a big basshead. I just need something to nicely fill the gap that the klipsch cant do.

 

[EYEdROP0]

45 Hz captures an awful lot of music. A standard tuned 4-string bass guitar's lowest note is 42Hz (various non-standard bass guitars, the Chapman stick, etc., go lower).

http://www.contrabass.com/pages/frequency.html

Be happy for now, and just save up for a real sub. No sense getting an inferior sub now. And in that range, it *will* be an inferior sub.

Yeah, but I listen to alot of stuff with 7 string guitars, 5 string basses, detuned instruments, complex electronic music, etc... Inferior indeed. But Im poor. And a sub is better than no sub at all. And besides, I can easily sell it.

 

[zhimbo]

Yeah, but I listen to alot of stuff with 7 string guitars, 5 string basses, detuned instruments, complex electronic music, etc... Inferior indeed. But Im poor. And a sub is better than no sub at all. And besides, I can easily sell it.

Yeah, I feel like I want to jump on a sub now just so I can hear the new Nine Inch Nails properly. Through *headphones* there are times where I thought a big truck was passing outside. I'd like to hear that in a proper setup.

 

[EYEdROP0]

May I ask what kind of headphones?

 

[Adam]

You may want to also look at used speakers from back when they had larger (I'm thinking 15") woofers. I did an experiment where I compared a $700 (in 1998 dollars, so about $1000 today) B&W sub to a set-up using my old Radio Shack Mach 2 speakers from the mid-80s powered by a ten year old Yamaha receiver. The speakers faired pretty darn well, I think.

You can check out the thread that I created on it here if you'd like.

 

[zhimbo]

May I ask what kind of headphones?

Sennheiser HD-280s. They're a sealed pair of phones, which I think helps with the "vibrate my brain" effect. My Grado SR60s - which I actually like better, overall - just don't do that.

 

[EYEdROP0]

Sennheiser HD-280s. They're a sealed pair of phones, which I think helps with the "vibrate my brain" effect. My Grado SR60s - which I actually like better, overall - just don't do that.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I have a pair of grado/alessandro ms1 which extend the full range but dont really rattle my brain.

 

[EYEdROP0]

I can probably go as high as $150. Mabey that will open more suggestions.

 

[Alex at SVS]

Im not looking for something super bass heavy like you hear in alot of car stereos. The most important thing to me is being able to hear the bass guitar clearly and warm, yet not over-emphasized. And the sub must extend down to 20hz and up through the top of the bass range equally (flatest response possible). Thump and slam isnt too much of an issue to me, as long as I can hear it. I just want to hear the bass notes as best as possible, yet not having intrude on the rest of my systems sound signature. Also, would you suggest a built in amplifier or hooking it up to my yamaha?

Honestly, the traits you're describing are of an upper level sub, probably in the $500-$1000 range depending on the size of your room. The "thump and slam" of many subs and the sound are most car subs are due to the cheapness of them. A flat response without coloration is the goal of every sub manufacturer, but if it could be done cheap companies like Krell with their $28000 subs would be out of business (Krell MRS, it frightens small children).

For the money you've got, the only way you'll get good bass would be a decent set of headphones. Sony MDR 7506 would be perfect (I use them for sound editing films and they're great, Hollywood standard headphones for sound. Also great for listening to music with.)

Either that, or save your money. It's always cheaper in the long run to hold out to get what you really want and not settle ahead of time.

 

[mazersteven]

Maybe this will work for now

Dayton SUB-120 12" 150 Watt Powered Subwoofer
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-635

Also check www.Amazon.com for the same sub.

 

[craigrhyne]

Step your budget up to $350 and buy this out of the classifieds section:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41859
This is 100 times better than anthing you will purchase for $100

 

[jamie2112]

I don't think you are going to find any sub that goes below 40 hz for 150 but I would try ebay or audiogon.......good luck

 

[Pyrrho]

Maybe this will work for now

Dayton SUB-120 12" 150 Watt Powered Subwoofer
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-635

Also check www.Amazon.com for the same sub.

That sounds like good advice for him. If he must stay under $150, he could go with:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-633

The subwoofers we are talking about are not such that one should expect greatness. But they seem to be well liked for the money.

Of course, I expect that the slight amount more for the subwoofer you suggest would probably be money very well spent (i.e., I expect that the one you suggest is a better value), but if it is not possible to go higher, this might be as good as EYEdROP0 can get.

Of course, with used, it all depends upon what one can find, but I doubt one can normally get a very good used subwoofer for $150.

 

[threez]

If your on a budget, dollar for dollar its pretty hard to beat the psw-10 from polk. I bought one new on sale for $150 cad, half of what this store usually retails it for. read the reviews on it in polks site. I left one (C Roberts) definatley worh the money and hits some very low notes down to 35hz they claim. I play sound off bass beats with it sometimes just for fun, it produces the lows very well but cant take over 3/4 volume before it starts farting, but thats really pounding on it. Its sounds great with music/vids/movies. When I catch it on sale again I plan on adding another one.

 

[CRIMSON PEARL]

Try looking here. http://www.audioclassics.com/cat.php3?cat=Sub-woofers

If you double you'r price you'd do better. I'm using a 15 year old klipsch sw15 and it's all I need or want.

good luck.