comment on these subs

[lbolts20]

I just purchased a Denon avr788 receiver that I picked up for $360 new at circuity city. I have a set of klh floor speakers av5000 with 2 12" woofer and american acoustic 8" bookshelves. I am currently debating on the center speaker to puchase hard to decide since everything is at different stores. klipsch cs-52, cs-62, c3, phase tech v6, and dcm tfe60c

For the subs my room is about 22x26 and the seating area for watching movies is about 16x14. The extra 6' on the left is where my computer is hooked up and the remaining 12' behind is the bar area.

I've listened to the $300-500 range Klipsch, Polk, Boston Acoustics, Phase Tech, DCM.

I also ran across at Best Buy a jbl sub 12 that was $300 they are clearancing out for $151. It was hooked up to a junk set so that wasn't much help. Any thoughts on that sub? It's really cheap at $151.

Debating on if I should blow the money all on a good sub or can I buy one of the above center channels and the jbl sub would be fine. I have about a $500 budget.

 

[bandphan]

http://av123.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=41&category_id=9&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=37 $199
the bic 100, scamp 10 would also be in this price range

http://www.edesignaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_41&products_id=309&osCsid=aeb172b883b0fcea6fbd54637a92ff5f
379 or 479 for the 12"

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-10nsd.cfm
same deal 100 more for the 12"

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-3-mk3.html 699

http://av123.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=265&category_id=9&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=37 599


some more bang for your buck subs

 

[lbolts20]

I picked up the jbl sub12 from best buy just so I could have something and it helps, but I'm not impressed. It may be fine for a smaller room but not in the size of the room I have. It's going back as soon as I buy a different one but am using it now to compare to.

I'd prefer to buy locally so if I don't like it I can return it and am not stuck paying shipping to return.

One of the local audio stores I got to less than an hour before close so I wasn't able to test out all the brands they carry and he said they have a 7 day return policy.

From their website is says they carry audio physic, b&w, canton, hsu research, martin logan, proac. I listened to the dcm, phase tech, klipsch, polk, boston acoustics.

Any comments on if any of these would be better with my size room? I don't need to shake the house, but I need more than the JBL sub12 is going to give me.

 

[j_garcia]

Go listen to the HSU. The subs that were mentioned already are pretty much what you should be looking at. Nothing mainstream from JBL, Polk, Klipsch, etc... are going to be as good for the price.

 

[Halon451]

I've listened to the $300-500 range Klipsch, Polk, Boston Acoustics, Phase Tech, DCM.

I also ran across at Best Buy a jbl sub 12 that was $300 they are clearancing out for $151. It was hooked up to a junk set so that wasn't much help. Any thoughts on that sub? Debating on if I should blow the money all on a good sub or can I buy one of the above center channels and the jbl sub would be fine. I have about a $500 budget.

+

http://av123.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=41&category_id=9&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=37 $199
the bic 100, scamp 10 would also be in this price range

http://www.edesignaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_41&products_id=309&osCsid=aeb172b883b0fcea6fbd54637a92ff5f
379 or 479 for the 12"

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-10nsd.cfm
same deal 100 more for the 12"

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-3-mk3.html 699

http://av123.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=265&category_id=9&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=37 599


some more bang for your buck subs

+

I picked up the jbl sub12 from best buy just so I could have something and it helps, but I'm not impressed.

=

What was the point of asking?

 

[lbolts20]

The point of asking about the JBL was if people said that was junk I wouldn't have wasted my time buying it and taking it home to try out. There were no comments about the JBL good or bad so I decided to purchase it, try it out, and now I'm going to return it.

I'll go back and have a listen to the hsu. From what I was reading online I didn't think they sold retail only online so maybe they do or maybe they don't have them and there website hasn't been updated.

 

[Halon451]

The point of asking about the JBL was if people said that was junk I wouldn't have wasted my time buying it and taking it home to try out. There were no comments about the JBL good or bad so I decided to purchase it, try it out, and now I'm going to return it.

I'll go back and have a listen to the hsu. From what I was reading online I didn't think they sold retail only online so maybe they do or maybe they don't have them and there website hasn't been updated.

Sorry - I guess there was no specific comment on the JBL after I re-read it, but I could have saved you the trouble if I had seen your OP before you purchased. I owned that very sub at one point and paid a bit more than the $151 you saw it for at the time, thinking it would be a decent little performer. Boy was I wrong. Didn't mean to jump on your case, if I had read a little more closely I would have responded differently - keep in mind there are a lot of people who visit this forum asking for advice and opinions then promptly do what they were going to do in the first place regardless. Just kind of gets old after awhile if you know what I mean.

If your budget is within $500, take a look at this one:

SVS PB10-NSD ($429 + shipping)

 

[lbolts20]

Sorry - I guess there was no specific comment on the JBL after I re-read it, but I could have saved you the trouble if I had seen your OP before you purchased. I owned that very sub at one point and paid a bit more than the $151 you saw it for at the time, thinking it would be a decent little performer. Boy was I wrong. Didn't mean to jump on your case, if I had read a little more closely I would have responded differently - keep in mind there are a lot of people who visit this forum asking for advice and opinions then promptly do what they were going to do in the first place regardless. Just kind of gets old after awhile if you know what I mean.

If your budget is within $500, take a look at this one:

SVS PB10-NSD ($429 + shipping)

I understand where your coming from about offering up advice and people just do what they wanted. Looks like you have a nice setup for your area. I've read some good things about the svs brand, my only hesitation in buying the 10" and getting it unpacked and find out I need more power. Then I'm stuck paying shipping to send it back, If I buy from a local audio shop I can just return it and buy bigger/or better. Looks like your room is quite a bit smaller than my room and you have the 12" so I'm guessing that is sweet. That 12" jbl just gets lost in my room. I tried a couple different movies with explosions and canon shots and when it got to the explosions I went, oh there blowing up a building with no wow factor. I don't need to come off my seat but at least feel a little boom in my chest would be nice.

I'm starting to think $500 is not a realistic budget for center and sub as I'll need the entire $500 to fill my room if not a little more just on the sub. The klh's are okay for sound as I think in the future I'll be swapping those out for something else with a matched center. I might just goto the local store and buy a center speaker to see how much a difference it makes and up my budget a few hundred more to include the center. That might be too much a tempation as it won't sound good together with the klh's and then my budget goes quite a bit higher with having to buy 2 floor speakers.

 

[mazersteven]

IMO

"my room is about 22x26" + "I have about a $500 budget" = a sub that will deliver inadequate performance for the areas volume.

 

[jostenmeat]

On 06/11/08 you said:

however now I refinished my room to 22x26.

just 14 minutes later, I responded with:

Personally, I'd blow it all on the sub. Your room is not small.

and now you say:

I'm starting to think $500 is not a realistic budget for center and sub as I'll need the entire $500 to fill my room if not a little more just on the sub.

I do believe there is a learning curve; or a "gotta see for yourself". Still, I can't help myself, "told ya so!".

 

[lbolts20]

On 06/11/08 you said:



just 14 minutes later, I responded with:



and now you say:



I do believe there is a learning curve; or a "gotta see for yourself". Still, I can't help myself, "told ya so!".

I agree now wise one! I deserve the told ya so comment, however, you could have offered up some suggestions for subs in addition to just saying blow it all on a sub. Others since have suggested some subs which I do appreciate.

Hopefully the audio store will have the hsu for me to buy and then if not big enough I can return it without having to pay to ship it back. I'd rather wait and get something I'll like then settle for less now and then buy bigger later and sell for a loss the first one I bought. I haven't heard anything good or bad of the rest of the product lines the audio store carries so hopefully the have HSU as that's the only one people commented on. "

 

[mazersteven]

Hopefully the audio store will have the hsu for me to buy and then if not big enough I can return it without having to pay to ship it back. I'd rather wait and get something I'll like then settle for less now and then buy bigger later and sell for a loss the first one I bought. I haven't heard anything good or bad of the rest of the product lines the audio store carries so hopefully the have HSU as that's the only one people commented on. "

HSU is internet direst only.

www.hsuresearch.com

And for your room I would suggest this sub from HSU

VTF-3 HO Subwoofer with Turbocharger
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-3-ho-turbo.html

Or this SVS sub

SVS PB12-Plus/2
http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-plus2.cfm

 

[lbolts20]

HSU is internet direst only.

www.hsuresearch.com

And for your room I would suggest this sub from HSU

VTF-3 HO Subwoofer with Turbocharger
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-3-ho-turbo.html

That's what I thought but when I goto the stores website it lists them as a product they carry. http://www.sound-world.net/products.html

 

[jostenmeat]

I agree now wise one! I deserve the told ya so comment, however, you could have offered up some suggestions for subs in addition to just saying blow it all on a sub. Others since have suggested some subs which I do appreciate.

Hopefully the audio store will have the hsu for me to buy and then if not big enough I can return it without having to pay to ship it back. I'd rather wait and get something I'll like then settle for less now and then buy bigger later and sell for a loss the first one I bought. I haven't heard anything good or bad of the rest of the product lines the audio store carries so hopefully the have HSU as that's the only one people commented on. "

It would take only a couple of hours to reseach the usual candidates.

I have the impression that bang for buck= Elemental designs & Epik. OTOH, they are arguably ugly.

HSU are nice, but make sure you get good enough. I've heard entry-level, and well, they sound and output like entry-level.

SVS look the best of the ID above. Costs more though. I always advise bookmarking the b-stock classifieds.

There's also the new Av123 MFW-15, designed by the renowned sub guru, Seaton.

For in-store subs you can hear, I typically think of Velodyne and Martin Logan. You will need to do some bargain hunting though, to make it comparable in value to ID brands. It's definitely possible. However, these subs still won't output or extend as many ID subs, even if the SQ could be pretty decent. JMO.

 

[j_garcia]

HSU is NOT internet direct only - they do have various online and brick & mortar retailers, though those are quite limited.

I had the SVS PB-10 in a 19x20 high vaulted ceiling room and it was good but it wasn't enough, so I'd say you are going to want to shoot for something in the range of a PB-12 or a HSU VTF-3 Mk3 at least.

 

[annunaki]

Rather than trying to fill that space with one, high output, expensive subwoofer, one would be much better off with two decent quality subwoofers, of reasonable output capability, properly placed withing the listening area.

Two of these 12" vented subs could be done and would outperform a higher priced counterpart by balancing the response within the listening environment.

How about dual 15" subs?

Both options can be had for less than one of the single units listed above.

 

[mazersteven]

Rather than trying to fill that space with one, high output, expensive subwoofer, one would be much better off with two decent quality subwoofers, of reasonable output capability, properly placed withing the listening area.

I disagree with 2 decent quality subs, over 1 high quality sub. JMO

 

[annunaki]

I disagree with 2 decent quality subs, over 1 high quality sub. JMO

In terms of filling the space adequately they will do a better job. The sound quality will be very close as room modes/nodes will be more controlled having multiple woofers. This will tend to mask any superiority from the single sub system.

 

[lbolts20]

In terms of filling the space adequately they will do a better job. The sound quality will be very close as room modes/nodes will be more controlled having multiple woofers. This will tend to mask any superiority from the single sub system.

Annunaki, I see your from Kaukauna. I went to Sound World in Appleton and the salesman said try the 12" phase technology sub. He said That might be okay if not I can return within 7 days, but he said if not enough he would recommend 2 twelves over getting a 15". I haven't heard anything good or bad about the phase tech subs. They were played with the floor v10's and v6 center and sounded good, but it was in a small room. There website says they carry hsu so I want to go back and check them out as well.

 

[mazersteven]

The sound quality will be very close as room modes/nodes will be more controlled having multiple woofers.

If you get it right. Integrating multiple subs into a system is not that easy. Proper placement is essential.