Best 100% music sub??

[annunaki]

Actually, Velodyne only has 55 employees. I would not consider them to be big. They do produce a lot of product though.

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

 

[annunaki]

No, music is much more complex as opposed to movies. Most movie bass is just 30hz rumbling or explosions. Sure it requires the sub to play low, but it is not asking much in terms of transient response, or complex note shifts.

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.

 

[warpdrive]

A good sub is a good sub, but I believe that music demands more of a sub in the sense that CERTAIN flaws in a sub may be more apparent when listening to music.

So given a two subs, one that is +/- 2dB and distortionless to 32Hz, and another that reaches down to 20Hz, but has a 3dB peak at 25Hz, and a slight dip at 80Hz...

So, neither sub is perfect, but each sub makes different compromises in their design.

I would say the first sub would sound better than than second sub with musical material, but the second sub might sound more impressive with movies. The second sub compromises a bit of FR linearity for more impact, but the first sub does everything right for 99.99% of music.

So if I were picking a sub for movies, I'd more likely take the compromises made by the second sub and choose it for my home theater.

I already know which sub *I* would buy with unlimited budget (one contender would be the Wilson Watchdog sub...man that thing rocks with music AND movies, utterly accurate with music)

A TRULY good sub would be equally good for both music and movies, but 99% of subs that you and I would spend our money on make SOME KIND of COMPROMISE. What kind of compromise do you want to live with?

 

[annunaki]

These woofers (yes, I have done extensive listening with them) are great for linearity as well as LOW frequency response. I am thinking of doing one (first link) or a couple (second link) in custom enclosures with 500 watts or so a piece on them to replace my Velodyne HGS-10.

http://www.jlaudio.com/subwoofers/12w7.html

http://www.jlaudio.com/subwoofers/12w6v2.html

 

[shokhead]

No, music is much more complex as opposed to movies. Most movie bass is just 30hz rumbling or explosions. Sure it requires the sub to play low, but it is not asking much in terms of transient response, or complex note shifts.

Guess i'm hardheaded but 35Hz is 35Hz.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

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

OK, feel free to list a few subwoofer companies that sell more units a year than those three.

 

[shokhead]

A good sub is a good sub, but I believe that music demands more of a sub in the sense that CERTAIN flaws in a sub may be more apparent when listening to music.

So given a two subs, one that is +/- 2dB and distortionless to 32Hz, and another that reaches down to 20Hz, but has a 3dB peak at 25Hz, and a slight dip at 80Hz...

So, neither sub is perfect, but each sub makes different compromises in their design.

I would say the first sub would sound better than than second sub with musical material, but the second sub might sound more impressive with movies. The second sub compromises a bit of FR linearity for more impact, but the first sub does everything right for 99.99% of music.

So if I were picking a sub for movies, I'd more likely take the compromises made by the second sub and choose it for my home theater.

I already know which sub *I* would buy with unlimited budget (one contender would be the Wilson Watchdog sub...man that thing rocks with music AND movies, utterly accurate with music)

A TRULY good sub would be equally good for both music and movies, but 99% of subs that you and I would spend our money on make SOME KIND of COMPROMISE. What kind of compromise do you want to live with?

I'm getting the sub thats a killer for movies because it will be even better for my music.

 

[annunaki]

Guess i'm hardheaded but 35Hz is 35Hz.

What do you mean??

 

[sts9fan]

?????

"I'm getting the sub thats a killer for movies because it will be even better for my music."


I don't belive for a minute that movies are more taxing then accurately reproducing music.

 

[sts9fan]

sorry for the double post but I have no plan on this sub ever playing a movie.
So its ability to do so is moot. I want clean accurate music. I consider home theater vs pure music systems to be like "the davinci code" vs "atlas shrugged".
You can enjoy home theater with a lack luster system because its brainless listening to music is much more cerebral.

 

[shokhead]

Wow!!
I can listen to music on a clock radio.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

I'm understanding what they mean by "musical" sub vs. "movie" sub. There are some subs out there that can go low, using the 35hz example (although my bookshelfs go lower than that), there are subs that will work for home theater applications, say dinosaur stomps, or explosions, or the "whoop-whoop-whoop" of a helicopter blade -- they are good at making loud thumps. That's fine for movies, as I understand it, but for music some of those subs won't do as well, they aren't tight enough, responsive enough, to play complex bass passages. These are the subs some people refer to as "booming" or "one-note" subs.

Therefore, they are adequate for movies, but would be totally unsatisfying for music.

Reviewers even refer to subs as "musical" too.

 

[sts9fan]

well

"Wow!!
I can listen to music on a clock radio."

I watch movies with my 27inch's built in speakers with my Studio 60s just looking pretty.

 

[warnerwh]

VMPS are known for being very musical down to the twenties and lower with power. Also they're an excellent bargain.

 

[MacManNM]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14992&item=5768687375&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

This is one of the best all around IMO.

 

[shokhead]

I'm understanding what they mean by "musical" sub vs. "movie" sub. There are some subs out there that can go low, using the 35hz example (although my bookshelfs go lower than that), there are subs that will work for home theater applications, say dinosaur stomps, or explosions, or the "whoop-whoop-whoop" of a helicopter blade -- they are good at making loud thumps. That's fine for movies, as I understand it, but for music some of those subs won't do as well, they aren't tight enough, responsive enough, to play complex bass passages. These are the subs some people refer to as "booming" or "one-note" subs.

Therefore, they are adequate for movies, but would be totally unsatisfying for music.

Reviewers even refer to subs as "musical" too.

Sorry,dont buy it. Either its a good sub or it isnt. I've never,ever heard a sub that was good for one and not the other,never. Well i take that back,i've heard some that worked for music but when it came to HT,it fell short.

 

[warpdrive]

Sorry,dont buy it.

I think you need to listen to more subs. It's not really hard to understand if you've listened to enough subs. As I illustrated above, I thought the PSB 6i was a more musical sub than the Hsu I listened too...why? I think the PSB 6i was more linear, fuller sounding, but the Hsu just has more impact and oomph. So which sub is better now? Neither is a "bad" sub, but each has its own compromises.

Yes a good sub is a good sub, and in the end, sound is sound whether music or movies, but every sub out there has some flaws. Some flaws work out better toward home theater and sub better for music. Different source material will bring out different flaws in subs.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

"I'm getting the sub thats a killer for movies because it will be even better for my music."


I don't belive for a minute that movies are more taxing then accurately reproducing music.

Go buy the Telarc CD "2001 - A Space Odyssey" and then tell us what you think about music vs movies and bass response.

 

[shokhead]

Got a good sub that does everything. Guess i'm hard headed.

 

[inmypjs]

Hmmmm. REL Acoustics "sub bass system" always comes to mind when playing stereo music. Local stores almost always use REL subs when demoing music (I'm acutally testing some subs right now but I have a lower budget). You may want to check out the ST series. I heard they are the most musical of all subs. REL is actually the most respected name in the UK when it comes to subs so I suppose you can't go wrong with them. The Stampede is their entry level ST series. You can check the links here:
REL Ignites Pocket Bomb
What Video review
Audio Enz review
Essential HiFi and Home Cinema review

Quad also just released their new subwoofer called the L-Sub that has won awards in the UK beating REL, Velodyne and all others, however, they cost over a grand. http://www.iagamerica.com/quad/

MJ Acoustics is an alternative UK brand that has become very popular there and directly competes with REL. There is one distributor in the US located in PA.
What Home Cinema review
Home Cinema Choice review
Essential HiFi & Home Cinema review