I've been a bad boy.

[Davemcc]

I spent some time listening to the Era Sub 8 today. I liked how tight and musical it is so I bought one in Rosewood. It is a tiny little bugger but it does not seem to lack for output. Comments and review on the Sub 8 to follow. I haven't taken it out of the box yet.

I needed a new, small sub for my bedroom system because I want to get the Hsu back out in the living room and run a double sub system again. I'm confident that my SVS is fully back to 100% since I replaced the amp and driver a few months back. So now all I need to do is put the SMS-1 back in the system and retune it for the double subs.

P.S. My wife does not know that I bought another subwoofer.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I am getting sick and tired of you sneaking new toys in the house with out asking the wife first.

Please send me her phone number.

 

[adk highlander]

Oh no. I've been down this road a few times. Just make sure you bring her something as well. Congrats!

I look forward to the review and pics. Of both the sub and you after she sees the sub.

 

[lsiberian]

We aren't that kind of Forum was the thought that came to mind, but then I realized we are that kind of forum.

Sounds like a fun deal.

 

[Mister House]

I am new here but I still want to play........... with her lol j/k

 

[Davemcc]

Thank you gentlemen. I'll start with the pics.

The business end:

With a DVD for reference to the size:

The beefy amp for this little guy:

And next to my SVS PB12-Plus:

A few initial comments now that I have it set up and roughly calibrated:
I love this little guy. This may be one of the best A/V purchases I ever made. I know it only goes to 32Hz but I can only hear to 28Hz anyway. It's small but right off the bat, it acts like 55lbs of over-achiever. You would never, never guess that its only an 8" driver.

It could benefit from some room correction, for sure. I've got the parametric EQ on the PB12 doing some pretty heavy frequency cutting due to the room. If the Sub 8 were staying in this room, the SMS-1 could tighten it up some more. It's a pretty bad room for bass to begin with.

I'm just sitting here listening to some of my favorites from Atlanta Rhythm Section, Player, Michael McDonald, Orleans, etc. It sounds great. I'm getting a good tight thump from the bass drum, clean and deep bass guitar. Altogether a good first impression.

 

[jamie2112]

Go Dave go.......

 

[Davemcc]

It's been performing so well so far that I decided to give it a real test. I gave it "What Is Love", from Night at the Roxbury. I gave it to -5.0 on the dial and it performed great. Currently playing "Let it Whip". Still tight, deep bass. I love this little guy.

My wife won't be home until 8pm. I don't see how she's going to be upset. I mean, yesterday was my birthday.

 

[Davemcc]

I am new here but I still want to play........... with her lol j/k

You can try but that Kitty still has her claws...

Oh yeah, and I picked up the "Jeff Beck...performing this week" BD disc.

 

[mtrycrafts]

P.S. My wife does not know that I bought another subwoofer.

She will when she reads this thread
For your sin, the corner for x hrs kneeling on well seasoned corn cobs

 

[Davemcc]

She will when she reads this thread
For your sin, the corner for x hrs kneeling on well seasoned corn cobs

I think I'm going to be OK. She really enjoyed the dual sub arrangement in the living room when I had it setup that way. The only way that I can go back to the dual sub setup is to find another sub for the bedroom system. I've been keeping my eye on the local big box stores and they are all way overpriced for product quality. Just for laughs, look at www.futureshop.ca for their subwoofer prices.

 

[adk highlander]

And next to my SVS PB12-Plus:

Cool Dave that is a nice looking sub. It looks so "cute" next to the SVS.

You should put it under the bed to see how that works.

 

[Davemcc]

You should put it under the bed to see how that works.

I think it would almost fit. A little thumpin' for the humpin'...so to speak.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

Happy B-Day!

Nice sub, Dave! Good luck with it....and your wife.

I think it would almost fit. A little thumpin' for the humpin'...so to speak.

Brown Chicken, Brown Cow!

 

[Davemcc]

For your sin, the corner for x hrs kneeling on well seasoned corn cobs

Quite the opposite. She is home now and she's quite impressed. It took her a while to notice it. I had George Benson's Affirmation playing when she came in, then played What Is Love for her.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

...............................

Brown Chicken, Brown Cow!

 

[jhayman]

Sweet sub, nice color..

 

[Davemcc]

I've been feeding this little sub a pretty bass heavy diet for the last couple of days. I think my initial impression is being borne out. This little guy rocks. I pushed the master volume to 0.0dB playing Rush's Subdivisions. Not a hint of distress. It actually shook the room in the same manner I've come to expect from my other subs. It sounds freaking awesome with songs like No Doubt's Underneath It All, RATM's Take the Power Back, Godsmack's Spiral and any other stuff like that.

On the downside, it did give up a bit on the very lowest bass note during Black Hole Sun. There was one other song that I wasn't completly happy with but I can't remember which song it was. It wasn't that the sub completely crapped out or anything, just that it was a pretty busy song in the lower frequencies and some of the details seemed somewhat lost. Other than these two isolated incidents, I am entirely satisfied. More than that, even.

If you look at the price of subs up here in Canada, this sub is an absolute steal for the money. I paid $700 even, after taxes. For that price, this could easily replace my PB12. My wife has already suggested selling the PB12. I had to remind her of the depreciation aspect that a smoking household has on electronic equipment of any kind. If I thought I could sell the PB12 for any reasonable value, I think I would and apply the sale price to another Sub 8 so I can still run dual subs in the living room.

 

[billy p]

Nice little toy....but $700.00 for a 8" sub is not cheap, even for us canucks. Have you tried viewing any movies?

 

[Davemcc]

Nice little toy....but $700.00 for a 8" sub is not cheap, even for us canucks. Have you tried viewing any movies?

Yeah, on the surface $700 seems like a lot for an 8" sub but the quality and performance make up what might seem like a value deficit. I'm so impressed that I've dragged my neighbors over for a listen and they are suitably impressed. The one neighbor has been along for the whole ride of my build process, including delivery of the SVS and the Hsu, the whole experience of running both of them together and the tuning with the SMS-1. He agrees with my assessment of this sub.

I actually feel like sharing this experience with a fellow AH'er but there's nobody down here, kind of to get validation or counter-point to what I'm hearing. As it happens, I'm on vacation this week and my wife is working 12hr days and Saturday. I'm banging off the walls with boredom here. I'd be up for a little road trip if you or some of the other Ontario guys are up for a GTG on Saturday. I'll pack up my Dynaudio and this little sub and head up to T.O. for a little impromptu listening session. Let me know.


Edit - I played Black Hole Sun for my neighbor to show him where the lowest bass dropped off but it didn't seem to happen this time around. We both heard all the deepest notes just fine. It could have been my ears after all the bass heavy programming I've been listening to the last couple of days.