Best 100% music sub??

[sts9fan]

is it that big of a deal or is any decent one ok? What do you think? Brand?

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

Do you have a specific budget?

 

[dillweed]

I have always liked PSB subs for music

 

[sts9fan]

cost

under a grand

 

[shokhead]

No such thing as a music only sub.

 

[warpdrive]

Any decent one is ok.

Some people prefer sealed subs like the Rocket UFW-10 because they sound "faster"....the bass notes tend to blend less together.

 

[sts9fan]

yes but

"No such thing as a music only sub."


If I never use it for anything else then it is a music only sub

 

[Dan]

There are subs that are oriented for music rather than explosions. They desirable features include a low system q (0.5-0.7) and relatively lightweight drivers which allow a faster response to a signal and a faster termination at the end. To achieve a low system q which results in a flatter frequency response many such subs are not ported. They generally are relatively inefficient and thus will not boom as loud as other subs. The best I know is the Vandersteen 2wq which is $1300 although you can find it used for less. It has all these features and many other well thought out ideas. It does require a pre out amp in access on your receiver or separates. There is a good review of it on their website www.vandersteen.com by Richard Hardesty and it is one of his better explanations of the theoretical musical sub. Yes, it does work fine for movies too.

There are other subs of similar design out there but I am not aware of any that are less expensive.

 

[Yamahaluver]

Audition Yamaha YST SW800/1500 or REL.

 

[annunaki]

There are subs that are oriented for music rather than explosions. They desirable features include a low system q (0.5-0.7) and relatively lightweight drivers which allow a faster response to a signal and a faster termination at the end. To achieve a low system q which results in a flatter frequency response many such subs are not ported. They generally are relatively inefficient and thus will not boom as loud as other subs. The best I know is the Vandersteen 2wq which is $1300 although you can find it used for less. It has all these features and many other well thought out ideas. It does require a pre out amp in access on your receiver or separates. There is a good review of it on their website www.vandersteen.com by Richard Hardesty and it is one of his better explanations of the theoretical musical sub. Yes, it does work fine for movies too.

There are other subs of similar design out there but I am not aware of any that are less expensive.

Be wary of marketing. For a good sub, look for a woofer (actual driver) with a low FS and LOW inductance (Le). Inductance determines transient response, not moving mass. A good sub will do music or movies. If a sub can do well with music it will do well with movies. If it cannot do music very well, it is not a very good sub. An over all system q in the .75 to .65 range is usually desired. Below .65-.60 the systems can sound overdamped.

Check out the following:
http://www.adireaudio.com/Files/TechPapers/WooferSpeed.pdf

 

[newfmp3]

what about the hsu subs?

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Any of the "Big Three" (HSU Research, SVS, & Velodyne) subwoofer companies have very good products for your budget. You'll have a bigger problem buying a bad sub from them

 

[Johnny Canuck]

I have auditioned two PSB subs and the Hsu STF 3 I have now...oh and a Polk PSW 404 I had for a year that I blew up watching Master and Commander.

The 10" PSB was excellent for my room..it's 12 x 12 ....the 12" model, the 6i I think it is was excellent as well. However the Hsu STF 3 is better than both by a wide margin and it costs somewhere in the middle of the two PSB models. I would be very happy with the PSB 12" but it was about $100 more than the Hsu...this Hsu is hardly being pushed and it's breathtaking.

 

[shokhead]

Be wary of marketing. For a good sub, look for a woofer (actual driver) with a low FS and LOW inductance (Le). Inductance determines transient response, not moving mass. A good sub will do music or movies. If a sub can do well with music it will do well with movies. If it cannot do music very well, it is not a very good sub. An over all system q in the .75 to .65 range is usually desired. Below .65-.60 the systems can sound overdamped.

Check out the following:
http://www.adireaudio.com/Files/TechPapers/WooferSpeed.pdf

I thought it was the other way. Good for movies,good for anything. It might do well for music but it doesnt need to go as low as it does with movies. So you get a sub that goes down to 25Hz and that about covers 99% of music but 16-24Hz of lost movies.

 

[Tex-amp]

I thought it was the other way. Good for movies,good for anything. It might do well for music but it doesnt need to go as low as it does with movies. So you get a sub that goes down to 25Hz and that about covers 99% of music but 16-24Hz of lost movies.

Frequently subs that go really low and loud do not do the upper bass well. People love their consumer direct subs but it is rare to find someone who has actually compared their choice to the other subs. The guys talking about transient response speed are right on for music. I'd take the Rocket UFW-10 or ACI's Force in the OP's budget for a music first sub that I've heard. I own a Hsu tf-2.

 

[cbraver]

Any of the "Big Three" (HSU Research, SVS, & Velodyne) subwoofer companies have very good products for your budget. You'll have a bigger problem buying a bad sub from them

Um. That's not, by any means, the "big three" ... it's more like: "Two small direct sellers and one big manufacturer."

 

[warpdrive]

I heard the PSB 6i again at a friend's house yesterday and I think it's a VERY musical sub, possibly more musical then the VTF-3 that I auditioned before. It doesn't reach as deep, but there was something about it....it just seemed more "fluid" if there is a way to describe it. Without seeing any measurements, it just seemed more "fuller" without being peaky at the low end. I'd imagine the VTF-3 would reach deeper and provide more impact for movies, but I think I prefer the PSB 6i for just music listening. It sounds "tight" and well controlled no matter what music we threw at it, especially something with a lot of large deep drums. Of course, a lot of it may be just room environment, but the bottom line is....it sounded very good. And dare I say it, I think it might have been even better than my new Mirage sub..maybe...something I don't admit too readilly

Anyway, I'll throw in a recomendation for the PSB 6i if you want a "musical" sub. But otherwise, I'd still recommend the Hsu VTF-3, it's an awesome sub for home theater.

 

[stiletto pat]

Musical Sub

HSU TN-1220 is extremely musical and plays very low, but with their 500 watt amp, is about $1400. I bought one, and couldn't be happier. Go to the HSU website and read up...

Pat

 

[sts9fan]

Twooooo

Two of those rockets look like thay wouls be nice. Plus they are nice and small so they can go next to my floorstanders. I so don't need these thing but I need them soooo bad

 

[shokhead]

Frequently subs that go really low and loud do not do the upper bass well. People love their consumer direct subs but it is rare to find someone who has actually compared their choice to the other subs. The guys talking about transient response speed are right on for music. I'd take the Rocket UFW-10 or ACI's Force in the OP's budget for a music first sub that I've heard. I own a Hsu tf-2.

Sorry,i just dont buy it. Musical sub? Good sub,bad sub yes.