Best sub for $150-200

[bwillard89]

Just ordered some Swan D1080MKII08 speakers which should arrive tomorrow. What's a recommendation for a sub to pair with them? These will be used mostly for music from my laptop/ipod. Thanks!

 

[Whitey80]

Just ordered some Swan D1080MKII08 speakers which should arrive tomorrow. What's a recommendation for a sub to pair with them? These will be used mostly for music from my laptop/ipod. Thanks!

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-635

can't beat it for the money

 

[AzN_plyR]

Premier Acoustic PA-120

Bic Acoutech H100

http://www.sounddistributors.com

15 % off Code = tv15


Amazon sometimes have the Bic F12 for well under $200 shipped.

All 3 subwoofers are very very similar performing, so pick the one that is cheapest or looks the best.

 

[bwillard89]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. Now for a dumb question. How will I connect audio output from my music player to both the 2 speakers + the sub? Special cables/adapters/splitters etc needed? Please enlighten me!

 

[corey]

Not a dumb question at all, but perhaps better asked prior to purchase.

I'm not sure what your best option is, but here are a few:

1) Stick with computer speakers, but return your Swans. They are a 2.0 system. Purchase a 2.1 system, which will include a sub.

2) Move up to home audio type speakers. Return the Swans and purchase an audio amp, un-amplified speakers, and one of the subs mentioned above.

3) You might be able to split the signal from your sound card. Keep the Swans, buy one of the subs above, get the parts to split the signal & see if it works. If it doesn't, it might work if you add a headphone amp between the sound card and the splitter.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Not a dumb question at all, but perhaps better asked prior to purchase.

I'm not sure what your best option is, but here are a few:

1) Stick with computer speakers, but return your Swans. They are a 2.0 system. Purchase a 2.1 system, which will include a sub.

2) Move up to home audio type speakers. Return the Swans and purchase an audio amp, un-amplified speakers, and one of the subs mentioned above.

3) You might be able to split the signal from your sound card. Keep the Swans, buy one of the subs above, get the parts to split the signal & see if it works. If it doesn't, it might work if you add a headphone amp between the sound card and the splitter.

This is only partly correct. He can still make it work with his Swans and a right sub (Dayton for example)
Connect ipod dock/laptop to low level input on the sub. Connect the speakers to low level out on the sub
Set sub crossover to at least 80, maybe higher - ether measure or go by ear.
Get all the needed cables at monoprice.com

 

[Transmaniacon]

.

I would recommend the BIC America V1220 sub woofer on Amazon for $160. It has a BASH amp, more power than the Dayton, and in my opinion its a little better constructed. Nonetheless, both are great choices in this price range.

 

[corey]

This is only partly correct. He can still make it work with his Swans and a right sub (Dayton for example)
Connect ipod dock/laptop to low level input on the sub. Connect the speakers to low level out on the sub
Set sub crossover to at least 80, maybe higher - ether measure or go by ear.
Get all the needed cables at monoprice.com

Much better solution. I didn't realize the sub had a low level out.

 

[bwillard89]

This is only partly correct. He can still make it work with his Swans and a right sub (Dayton for example)
Connect ipod dock/laptop to low level input on the sub. Connect the speakers to low level out on the sub
Set sub crossover to at least 80, maybe higher - ether measure or go by ear.
Get all the needed cables at monoprice.com

Thanks for the advice and thanks for that website! How do I adjust crossover? Actually what is crossover?

On another note, my swans arrived today and they are amazing. I've only ever owned some logitech z680s and they are seriously put to shame. The left speaker (slave) however has a very distinct buzzing sound when not playing and even audible when playing. Did I get a defective unit?

Either way they are awesome and I might not even need a sub right away

 

[KEW]

Thanks for the advice and thanks for that website! How do I adjust crossover? Actually what is crossover?

On another note, my swans arrived today and they are amazing. I've only ever owned some logitech z680s and they are seriously put to shame. The left speaker (slave) however has a very distinct buzzing sound when not playing and even audible when playing. Did I get a defective unit?

Either way they are awesome and I might not even need a sub right away

Crossover adjustment is on the sub.
It prevents your sub from trying to play higher frequencies and your speakers from attempting to play low frequencies. However, I'm not sure all sub crossovers remove the low frequency content from the speaker signal.

Double check (jiggle) your connections at medium-low levels and see if the hum is from a bad connection. Try a different speaker to see if the speaker or amp is at fault. Also if the cable from the amp to the slave speaker is a standard cable, try replacing it. If neither of these eliminate the hum, either you have a bad amp or a ground fault.

 

[bwillard89]

Crossover adjustment is on the sub.
It prevents your sub from trying to play higher frequencies and your speakers from attempting to play low frequencies. However, I'm not sure all sub crossovers remove the low frequency content from the speaker signal.

Double check (jiggle) your connections at medium-low levels and see if the hum is from a bad connection. Try a different speaker to see if the speaker or amp is at fault. Also if the cable from the amp to the slave speaker is a standard cable, try replacing it. If neither of these eliminate the hum, either you have a bad amp or a ground fault.

The connector is nothing I've seen before, it looks to be some Swan proprietary 4-pin cable that would be hard to find any other place. I tried reconnecting it, flipping the connectors to the opposite speaker. Even with the RCA input cables out, on muted volume setting, it has a hum (not a stable one, but one that slightly goes up and down in pitch randomly). The thing is, if it was the amp, wouldnt both speakers be affected since afaik the amp is in the master speaker and feeds the slave? The hum seems to only be coming out of the tweeter on the slave. Sadly, I don't have access to any other speakers to test your theory. Looks like I'll have to give swan a call this weekend... Thanks for your help!

 

[KEW]

I'm not too electronically savvy - just offering some troubleshooting tips for the first round of exploration.

The variation of the pitch of the hum sounds like interference from another source. I had stuff like that listening to a boom box when a variable speed drill was plugged into the same circuit.
Do you have anything else on the same circuit which varies speed? Perhaps there is a fan in the computer which is causing the hum (many of the modern MB/fans have two or more speeds)?
Try bypassing the computer and plugging the speakers directly into an MP3 player or other source.
Try plugging some headphones into your computer and listen closely for the noise to see if it is upstream of the amp/speakers.