Agonizing & need help! SVS, HSU, Rythmik, ED?

[gotchaforce]

If you get duals of any of these you have to remember that you wont be pushing them near their max output, specially in your size place. So for instance if you went with the Rythmiks i think youd be wasting your money by going with the FV15HPs. Instead youd be better off with dual FV15s because you wont even be pushing them very hard to get past reference.

Please explain the math on this one

Reference is 115db? Headroom is another 10db? Listening position means approx -18db??

depending on the amount of room gain he will be pushing them to their max to hit reference with enough headroom

 

[FirstReflection]

I mentioned earlier, having dual subs with them in different locations isn't really about getting a lot of extra output. It's mostly about getting more even frequency response thought the room. You do get SOME extra output, but not nearly as much as you might think.

It's important to have the headroom right from the start if you want that tactile impact. So that's why I'm recommending the VTF-15H or the Rythmik FV15HP or SVSound PB/PC12-Plus if you can afford one of those two. Adding a second of any of those subs will smooth out your frequency response at more positions in the room, but it'll only add about 3dB more headroom. That's significant, but not so much that I would recommend getting lower output subs just because the plan is to get a pair. As I said, a pair of PB/PC12-NSD would be right on the cusp. I could certainly recommend it, but I'd personally feel more comfortable with more headroom available for those peak transients.

 

[timoteo]

I was recommending the slightly lower model subs when going dual for 2 reasons.

1. To save him some $
2. His rooms look small enough that the models i recommended would be plenty IMo.

If he wants to get the better models heck im all for that!!

 

[FirstReflection]

Yeah, it's my "reference level playback" preference that gets the best of me It really is hard to hit reference levels though!

Like I mentioned before, due to that hallway, the open space is actually larger than what we're looking at in the photos or the diagram. That pressure escapes where ever it can! If the hallway wasn't there, I'd likely agree that the higher output subs aren't really necessary. But with the pressure escaping down that hall, I just think the higher output is in order

Again, it's that desire for tactile bass that's informing most of my recommendation. It's a lot harder to achieve than people think. It comes from those super short transients, and they can call for HUGE upticks in output - but just for an extremely short amount of time. Still, if you want to get that physical impact, you need that capability. In terms of just price, I don't think any sub does it better than the VTF-15H. In terms of allowing for a higher price, the Rythmik FV15HP is just a total beast

That's why those are my two faves for this particular application. I can never know for sure what is "loud" to someone else or what their tastes are in bass. At the end of it, it's really just a suggestion. The OP here is in a great position because he at least gets to hear some of these subs in person before he decides! But I try to match the characteristics of the subs to what's being described based on my own listening and experience. Of course a little of my own taste seeps in there - can't help that

So yeah, it's tough to know exactly what will satisfy the OP. He might get a pair of FV12s in there and think it's monsterously loud. Or he might put a single VTF-15H in there and think it isn't loud enough! Who knows

But just based on my own listening, I'd want to opt for having the higher headroom in that "tactile" bass area. The OP said he wanted tactile, so that's where I've been coming at this particular recommendation from

 

[BrazenC5]

Apologies for digging up this old thread...just thought it would be nice to update what I've done over the past couple years. Apparently since it's been awhile I can't edit my first post, so I'll add the update here:

UPDATE - since this post ~3years ago, it took me longer for the home renovation, and when I got back to the livingroom home theater, I ended up purchasing 1 SVS PB-12NSD on closeout in July 2014...I thought it sounded great but I the bass was localized so I kept my eyes open for a second PB-12NSD. During this search, I ended up with the opportunity to buy 2 Seaton Submersives, and I couldn't help myself. They sound fantastic, but looking back through this thread, timoteo was dead on about overkill in my livingroom space. I am barely pushing them and getting insane output...I have one behind the sectional, but didnt even occur to me that the other in the front left corner is also close enough to be considered nearfield. I do plan to sell one and keep the other though...the sub has the ability to dig so low but retain so much of the detail its simply sublime.