Best Sub Under $600

[Rob Babcock]

SVS may reign in sound quality but the shape and size is quite obtrusive to anyone. Such so is the case for me that I wouldn't consider an SVS sub in my livingroom.

Well, not anyone/everyone! I got two Hsus, and I really like their scratching post/twin tower looks! But I'll grant you, they're not visually subtle.

 

[Unregistered]

>>>You seem to be missing the point I have neignbors and am simply looking for something that is going to fill in the bass, not something that is going to deliver 108db at 25hz and get me evicted<<<


The JBL S120 is a great performer down to the 27-30hz range...I think you can find it for $350ish on line. Tom Nousaine has reviewed it very well several times in Sound and Vision...very good unit.

Tom V.
SVS

 

[Dr. Anthony]

True

You were making a point of looking for a sub under $600 and wanting the best bang for the buck/value. This is the reason why we gravitated toward $600 subwoofers. Just remember because you have a 300 horsepower engine, doesn't mean you have to smoke everybody off the line at the light . Thats why volume controls were made . My guess is $300-400 sub would suffice for you in the 10" 150-200 watt range. There are many in this range.

Well you set the bar:

"I am considering:

Adire Audio Rava
Outlaw Audio Sub
Onix Rocket UFW 10 & ELT SW-10
REL Quake
New Velodyne Digital Drive DSP subs
PSB 5i"


The Rava fills the bill...Outlaw is overkill, SVS PB1-ISD overkill, Velo subs DSP I think are out of your range, PSB 5i adequate, Rel Quake might be underpowered for you

Others to consider
Energy S10.2
JBL S120
Velo CHT 12
The upcoming SVS PB10-ISD

I am sure I am missing a few so everybody please chime in

 

[Unregistered]

Here is a great writeup on some subs:

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article.asp?section_id=5&article_id=663&page_number=1&preview=

 

[Unregistered]

What about the new Energy 10.3? is it out yet? My point exactly why pay for something I won't use? I really like the outlaw but it seems to powerful for my application.

 

[Dr. Anthony]

I forgot some

Velo VRP-1000
Velo VRP-1200
Wharfedale Topaz SW-10 ??
Mirage LF 150
HSU STF-2

As for the Energy 10.3 I don't see it listed on their site but that may not mean anything.

 

[3db]

I would go with PSB and here's why

1.) Its in your price range

2.) Of all the subs reviewed, PSB always trounced the competition when it came to flat frequency response . It may not go the lowest and it may not playthe loudest but it has the flattest frequency response through out its audibale range . This translates to
easier integration of the sub with your main speakers. This holds true for the Subsonic5i and Subsonic6i.

Good luck

 

[Unregistered]

I am thinking PSB because I have an NAD Reciever and as you all know PSB is the sister company to NAD and what amps do you think they test and tune their speakers to??

I am also considering the Adire Audio rava as a front runner for the spectacular reviews and cheap price. Any thoughts on this? Am a bit worried as to the age of this sub and don't want to buy if an ugrade is coming out.

 

[Unregistered]

After some research here are the choices I have narrowed down to fit my budget.

Hsu STF-2 $425 delivered

Onix Rocket UFW-10 $635, a bit pricey.

PSB 5i $470 delivered- Frontrunner

Adire Audio- $438- very intriguing.


Want to make a decision soon so anyone with any input please let me know.

 

[Unregistered]

After some research here are the choices I have narrowed down to fit my budget.

Hsu STF-2 $425 delivered

Onix Rocket UFW-10 $635, a bit pricey.

PSB 5i $470 delivered- Frontrunner

Adire Audio- $438- very intriguing.


Want to make a decision soon so anyone with any input please let me know.

STF-2, for the price, a great all around sub.

UFW-10, great for music, good for HT, not the most output, check pricing on b-stock

5i, I don't know much about, if like the 6i, then at least a good performer for the money.

Adire Rava - Also excellent for music, probably better for HT than the UFW because of the larger driver, but it is also a bigger sub.

 

[Dr. Anthony]

I say go with your gut and reviews

Ask this question on as many forums as you can to get more opinions. Go to see as many physically as you can. Multiple reviews usually are accurate when they come to the same conclusion. It's when they are skewed that you need to watch out.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help but speaker selection is a subjective thing. I usually say go with what looks and integrates best into your lifestyle/color scheme and worry about performance later. Form over function mantra. When the spouse hates it...it can be a very painful purchase lol.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Unregistered]

I have the PSB 6i with a NAD receiver and couldn't be much happier. I have not listened to or tested many others so take that into consideration. If you have a larger room, think about going up to the 6i as saving $100 now will cost you alot more in the future if you need that upgrade.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Do you use the PSB sub with HT or just music? I'm curious how it works for HT- the only times I've heard that sub I thought it sounded really loose, and could be driven into distress very easily. But both times I heard it were in the same dealers demo system, and his stuff is always set up wrong.

 

[Dr. Anthony]

So true

Rob -

How true that is. Many times I have auditioned speakers where everything was set up too hot. That is the problem in a store setting sometimes where stuff gets moved around alot and not recalibrated. They never set levels inbetween each sub or speaker swap if they don't have a calibrated switchboard. They overdrive the inputs somtimes at the decreased sub volume to compensate & match levels and get a clipped or often over-driven sound at less than max output due to the distored input signal. I find this gives you a false sence of THD or muddiness or looseness. That could be what happened.

The same is true for many plasma manufacturers who factory set thier sets to max brightness for viewing within the store. When you get home, you get a headache from the 10K color temperature settings that are way out of wack and have to pull them back to 6500K NTSC standards. Have Avia will travel.

 

[Rob Babcock]

The dealer I heard the PSBs probably had never heard of the concept of calibrating the sub. Unfortunately, they "were" (past tense, they've since gone under) the exclusive local dealer for several brands. Every sub in their store seemed to be set 5-10 dB too high, and most of them were in audible distress during each demo. I'm certain at least one of them had to badly damaged, as the sound was simply too bad to have merely been miscalibrated.

 

[Dr. Anthony]

Ouch

Thats a costly boo boo...ouch

Don't tell me this is the same guy who runs 20 ga zipcords for speaker wire? J/K

 

[Unregistered]

Rob, I go to a local high end national retailer around my area and have heard several subs that were supposed to be awesome and they had no punch or power. Namely the Velodyne PS-1000 and PS-800. The 2000 watts sounded like 100?? Then the kid tried to push me into a martin logan sub that had no bass output either. Just doesnt figure.

Dr. Anthony you are a wealth of info, you really know your hobby.

 

[Rob Babcock]

IMO, subs are the hardest thing to judge by in-store demos. No peice of gear is as room-dependant as a sub. Often I hear someone criticizing a (subwoofer brand here) sub, and I can tell just by reading his comments that the sub wasn't set up properly. The problem is that even a great sub can sound really bad if it's not set up right. Likewise, a savvy dealer can choose material to play to the strengths of something he's trying to move.

That said, if there's any peice of gear you could safely choose just from reading competently done reviews, it would be a sub. Not that you should ever make your choice that way.

 

[Unregistered]

Yes, you are correct but so many people are hot and cold on different subs and the ones that are not readily available don't get feedback at all. The only constant I have found are in the review of the Hsu and the SVS. I am thinking of just buying the Hsu STF2 and hiding it behind a couch.

Has anyone heard yamaha subs? I hear they may be a good performer.

 

[Unregistered]

Ron, the set up is mainly for about 80% home theater. I have a pretty open large room. I find that the sub blends in without drawing attention to itself. I don't play movies or music to shake windows however although I have had to adjust pictures on the other side of the wall.