Guys Who Like It From The Bottom Or The Front

[Tomorrow]

The title? What were you expecting?

I have another question that has probably been beaten to death here, but before my time....and it plagues me. What if any advantage(s) does a down-firing sub have over a front-firing sub, or vice versa?

 

[mkossler]

None-value-add-post
I really don't know, I have one of both now and have had both kinds of different brands over several years and the difference I could hear seemed to be related to the (usual) numbers, not the orientation.

Oh by the way - hasn't a thread on this very topic been "featured" on Sound and Vision's front page for like, the last year? What's up with that? ..."Top ten signs of a dead forum"...
/None-value-add-post

 

[mulester7]

...RJBudz, this is RJSmythe....(Smythe??)....(well, we gotta' be careful, this IS the internet)....

....I'd personally vote for a tall glass of no-bounce, but I feel the more important issue is two subs up front....suddenly four seem to be kicked in, instead of one....one, that is a very directional one, down-firing OR direct.....

.....but if a system-owner is determined to only have one sub, I feel they are better off with it being, in fact, down-firing, for less directional effect.....

.....a little direction from subs is what I want, though, and I can justify it by it sounding like it's my Mains going down......

.....question, concerning that cheapest Martin-Logan sub....the one that front-firing or down can be chosen....which direction is the actual woofer element facing at both choices?....or is there a choice of it moving?......

 

[claudermilk]

It's a good question. I'm looking at getting one of the smaller Hsu down-firing subs due to the required placement (stuffed in a corner) and figured a front-firing wouldn't work too well in that situation. Logic tells me that since the sub is set to fire at the floor & is set up to work that way, it shouldn't matter as much where the walls are; but as a newb to this I may be way off in left field.

 

[MDS]

Bottom, rear, side, front...it doesn't really matter. Given that many times placement near a corner works well for bass reinforcement, I think the only advantage to a down firing sub is that it would be easier to place because no matter where you put it, it will fire at the floor.

 

[Tomorrow]

Obviously the reason I'm asking the question is to hone in on my choice for my next purchase. I've had both in the past, and I can say without hesitation that the side-firing was more directional...I could tell exactly where the thing was. On the other hand, Mulester has the resolution to that problem....get two subs....unfortunately, a pricey solution.

 

[Spiffyfast]

doesn't have to be pricey, remember that if your getting two subs, you only need half the sound out each that you wanted out of a single sub. So if you were planning on getting a 10 or 12, dual 8's could sound very nice, myself I'd just get dual 12's and make all my neighbors hate me

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

With a front firing sub, you don't have to worry about floor type . If you own a downfiring sub without a base, carpeting will sound different than hardwood. The benefit of a downfiring sub is that you don't need to worry where you aim the port (assuming you have a port). It's omnidirectional and harder to locate. The flipside of a downfiring sub theoretically is that the weight of the structure eventually pulls down on the coils, thus weakening the unit. Some say this may lead to excess movement, and possibly sloppy bass.

 

[mulester7]

Obviously the reason I'm asking the question is to hone in on my choice for my next purchase. I've had both in the past, and I can say without hesitation that the side-firing was more directional...I could tell exactly where the thing was. On the other hand, Mulester has the resolution to that problem....get two subs....unfortunately, a pricey solution.

.....Rjbudz, twooooooooo SVS 10 inch subwoofer front-firing boxes to my door for under a grand needing only their signal, please....I promise that is what I would do if I had none, and I have seen evidence that two up front would sound like 3 and 1/2.....

.....I'm considering a pair of the 10's anyway, to put in the middle of the two large boxes I have....Samurai Buck turned me on to the idea of having two different-typed subs to cover the whole sub-spectrum....the 10's adding POP to the gentle and firm oscillations of the large boxes may be in the future for me....if I'm not wild about it, I can always find a home for the 10's, but I believe it would work....

.....Buck and Mac, I ask you to give the SVS 10 inch subwoofer boxes a good listening-to on the 22nd....please listen for punch, and clean seperation in the oscillations....I guess that's the only way I will get any comments on them considering NOT ONE, who reads here owns any....(as if)....(big ole' chickens).......

 

[Tomorrow]

Mulie,

I've run side-by-side 8" (down-firing) and 12" (front-firing). 'Twas indeed very potent, BUT also very difficult to multiply into a full-range, display of sound (or worthy of your 3 and 1/2 sum). In fact, I freed myself of the 12" via the ebay and rather enjoy the crispness of the little STF-1. Now keep in mind I have some rather large towers that I have the rx set to 'large', so the bass is adequate gratis a couple of passive 12's. VERY clean, in fact.

But the big BUT in the system....not enough sheetrock cracking on reference HT settings. My addition was gonna be the SVS 10..but (there that word is again) it's a front-firing jobber. And I'm still not sure......................

 

[happy540i]

Have you considered having both? M&K's subwoofers are what they call push-pull. There are two drivers in one enclosure, one facing front the other facing down. My opinion is that it gives you a deeper bass and at the same time shakes the room.

 

[Tomorrow]

Mulester,

I could if you'd loan me a couple of large bills.