good sub to pair with Paradigm Atoms (2.1 audio)

[DJ in TX]

This is a very premature question...

I haven't even taken delivery of my new Atoms yet, but eventually I will want to add a subwoofer to the mix for 2.1 sound. Since I am in limbo and bored waiting for my speakers to arrive, I thought I would see what you all thought about subs that would pair well with my new Atoms.

I'm not sure what price range I should be looking in to match the sound quality of my Atoms. In case it is helpful, my receiver is the Pioneer VSX-819.

1. Should I try to go with a Paradigm sub for the best sound match, or would other brands work as well or better?

2. Should I go with a powered sub, or a sub that gets its power from my receiver?

 

[j_garcia]

There is no such thing as a "matching" sub. There are good subs and there are not so good subs. What we really need to know is how loud you listen, how big your room is and most importantly: a price range. You will likely find that you actually have to LOOK for a passive sub these days, and even with a passive sub, you would tend to want to power it with an external amp. So a powered sub is likely your best bet.

 

[njedpx3]

SVS PB12-NSD or PB10-NSD

SVS PB12-NSD or PB10-NSD

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-pb12nsd.cfm

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-10nsd.cfm


Either of these will nicely compliment you Paradigm Atoms and will still sound good when ou upgrade the Atoms.

 

[lsiberian]

There is no such thing as a "matching" sub. There are good subs and there are not so good subs. What we really need to know is how loud you listen, how big your room is and most importantly: a price range. You will likely find that you actually have to LOOK for a passive sub these days, and even with a passive sub, you would tend to want to power it with an external amp. So a powered sub is likely your best bet.

I kind of prefer passive myself, but you do have too look for them.

 

[DJ in TX]

In my head I like to think I would be able to find a good sub for $125-200, but this may be wishful thinking. Once I get some recommendations and see what range those fall in, I can then come up with a fitting budget and try to convince my wife. I can't imagine wanting to spend more than $250, so if there isn't a good option in my price range then that would be good to know.

As for my listening, I like all kinds of music (Rock, Jazz, Classical, Country). I'm not going to be throwing any raves, and I don't want to piss off the neighbors. I just want to fill the room with rich sound and thoroughly enjoy my music.

This will be in an open area of our house that contains the living room, kitchen, and dining room in one large space. The overall measurements of this area are 16 wide x 26 deep, with 9 ft ceilings (no vault). The actual living room portion of this is 16 wide x 16 deep. There is also a hallway on one side of the room leading to the front door.

Primarily I would want the additional bass to fill in the lower gaps left by the Atoms, and mainly for my music collection. It doesn't need to shatter the windows or shake the walls, but a little extra punch would be nice for movies. Of course right now I only have the built-in speakers on my Panasonic plasma, so anything is going to be a huge leap forward comparatively.

 

[j_garcia]

It is the top end of your budget, but this guy would probably be your best bet while it is on sale: http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-1.html

Otherwise, the Sub120 from parts express would be the next thought http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-635&FTR=sub-120&CFID=12122510&CFTOKEN=81141481

 

[skers_54]

You WILL want to use a sub with the Atoms. I've had a pair for the past 1.5 years and wouldn't dream of using them without a sub, especially for the types of music you listed. I used an x-sub with them when they were in my 2-channel setup and it sounded pretty good. The HSU is pretty similar so I think you would be happy with it.

 

[j_garcia]

You WILL want to use a sub with the Atoms. I've had a pair for the past 1.5 years and wouldn't dream of using them without a sub, especially for the types of music you listed. I used an x-sub with them when they were in my 2-channel setup and it sounded pretty good. The HSU is pretty similar so I think you would be happy with it.

The previous Atoms were only good to about 70Hz. The current ones, which are now part of the Monitor line, are good to ~50Hz, which is a big difference. They will still benefit from a sub in a room that size. You are paying for speakers not advertizing, so you get a lot more bang for your buck with a brand like this.

 

[rnatalli]

The STF-1 would be my pick if you can swing it. Otherwise, a Dayton or sub from TSC will do the job.

 

[skers_54]

The previous Atoms were only good to about 70Hz. The current ones, which are now part of the Monitor line, are good to ~50Hz, which is a big difference. They will still benefit from a sub in a room that size. You are paying for speakers not advertizing, so you get a lot more bang for your buck with a brand like this.

The ones I have are part of the Monitor line. They are these

http://paradigm.com/en/paradigm/speaker_only-specification-1-1-2-4.paradigm

If you look at the specs the -2 dB point is 90 Hz; -3 dB will be 85 Hz or so. The 50 Hz specification is for "Low Frequency Extension" with no mention of relative output level. The room will help some but they are still too bass-shy to use without a sub (IMO of course).

Paradigm might not advertise much but it's difficult to find significant discounts off MSRP because of how tight they regulate their distributors.

 

[DJ in TX]

You WILL want to use a sub with the Atoms. I've had a pair for the past 1.5 years and wouldn't dream of using them without a sub, especially for the types of music you listed. I used an x-sub with them when they were in my 2-channel setup and it sounded pretty good. The HSU is pretty similar so I think you would be happy with it.

While I plan to add a sub at some point, hence my thread, it will be awhile before it fits into my budget. So for now I will only have the Atoms. But I don't think this is a bad thing. I can't speak to the range or sound quality of the previous versions of the Atoms, but I can say that to my ears the current version (v.6) sound amazing by themselves.

I know my 2-speaker setup isn't going to win any awards, but it will be a huge step forward toward a good sound system for me, and I guarantee I am going to enjoy every minute of listening. I can't wait!

As for the sub ideas, I appreciate the info. Its good to have an accurate idea of price ranges to know what to plan for.

Thanks guys.