i think i messed up

[Drumbo]

So i have been trigger happy trying to piece together something for my new system.

I just bought, and have been delivered the klipsch rw12d woofer. I got from from newegg for $300

I like the price.

HOWEVER

I cant stop the feeling that maybe I f'd up. My living room will be about 19x19, then open floorplan into kitchen , about the same size, 9 ft ceilings.

I dont really care if the bass stomps through into the kitchen area, so long as we are good to go in the sitting area.

OBVIOUSLY the $550 i would have spent on epik, rhythmic, hsu, outlaw would have made a difference.

BUT.... should I send this back given the space??? I am torn. how much difference would i feel and hear in the main living space given one of the other units?

 

[jonnythan]

Always always buy the most sub you can possibly afford.

Moving large quantities of air costs money.

 

[zieglj01]

I just bought, and have been delivered the klipsch rw12d woofer. I got from from newegg for $300

I like the price.

HOWEVER
OBVIOUSLY the $550 i would have spent on epik, rhythmic, hsu, outlaw would have made a difference.

I would start over again.

 

[Drumbo]

i think i might,
so this sub sucks then?

 

[FirstReflection]

In my opinion, there is a very, very large difference between what I consider to be all around "good" bass and everything below it.

To me, "good" bass starts at $500 (plus shipping ) with the Rythmik FV12. That is the least expensive subwoofer out there that manages to have no obvious weaknesses. It is a very linear and accurate sub. It offers good transient response (stops and starts, which are what create "fast" or "tight" sounding bass). It has good extension, offering flat response down to about 23 or 24Hz with very useable output at 20Hz (about -3dB). And while it cannot match the sheer output of larger and more expensive subwoofers, it WILL happily play as loud as it possibly can, and then politely refuse to play any louder. Rythmik has engineered very good limiters, filters and compressors so that the sub will never damage itself, bottom out or even so much as produce very high distortion. So you can literally crank the volume as loud as it will go. The Rythmik might refuse to play as loud as you would like, but unlike many other subwoofers, it will not damage itself or even so much as sound bad!

Below the FV12, you will only find subwoofers that have some sort of obvious compromise - and perhaps several compromises. The HSU STF-2 is a very good subwoofer overall at about $350 (plus shipping), but it can't match the deep extension of the FV12 - instead, tapping out at around 25Hz with a gradual downward slope starting up just above 30Hz. So I have no beef at all with the STF-2, but it does have an obvious compromise. In pretty much all other important areas of bass reproduction though, the STF-2 is a champ, and an excellent choice for music, since very little music plays lower than 30Hz.

Now, the other thing to consider is that anywhere the air CAN move, the air WILL move. A subwoofer cannot "know" that only a certain portion of an open space is considered the "theater area". A subwoofer will simply try to pressurize the entire available volume of air. So you have to consider any and all areas where there are openings from your "theater area" into those other areas as all being one, big "room" so far as the subwoofer is concerned.

That said, soundwaves still get weaker and weaker the farther they travel, so you can still achieve louder bass at your seat vs. in the kitchen by positioning the subwoofer closer to your seat. The bass will still travel to any and all open areas, but it will be louder the closer you are to the subwoofer, so careful placement can still help

 

[Drumbo]

so, youre saying theres a chance?

or just cut my losses and get

hsu, rythmik, outlaw, or epik?

 

[FirstReflection]

I'm saying, if it were me, and it were my money, I'd return the Klipsch, spend $500 on a Rythmik FV12, and then position the FV12 fairly close to my chair so that output won't be a problem

 

[FirstReflection]

And since it looks as though Rythmik is waiting for the next container of FV12 subs to make their way across the ocean right now - if you need a new sub right away, the HSU VTF-2 MK4 is a great alternative to the FV12 at a very comparable price point

 

[Grador]

I have an rw12d set up in my father's home theater, and I believe it to be a very acceptable sub. You very well could hear a difference going with one of the excellent choices listed above, but if money is tight I don't think you made a mistake. One note on the rw12d, do yourself a favor and buy an RCA splitter and so you have both inputs used. After having this sub with just a single LFE cable and being pretty unimpressed for several months, bought an RCA splitter on a whim and found the difference to be night and day. If output is one of the things you're concerned about (and I was, this sub is in a VERY large room), the splitter instantly doubled output (circuitry was very poorly designed...).

The sub could dig a little deeper, it could be a little louder, and it could be a little quicker, but overall I am pretty happy with it.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

So i have been trigger happy trying to piece together something for my new system.

I just bought, and have been delivered the klipsch rw12d woofer. I got from from newegg for $300

Just crank it up and see how it sounds. If it sounds great to you, then keep it. If it sounds lacking, then return it and get the Rythmik FV12.

 

[jamie2112]

Send it back, you will be much happier with the Rythmic.All the speculation is baloney.You were "trigger" happy as you put it and we have all done that knee jerk buying of a piece that we regret later. Good thing is, you can send it back and start over............IMO anyway

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yeah, if it were me, I would return it - even if I had to pay the shipping cost.

Just like when I bought 4 Velodyne 10" passive subs - I returned it to Electronics Expo even though I had to pay $120 to ship them back. Then I ordered dual Funk Audio 18.0 subs.

But everyone has a different budget. The FV12 is $550 + shipping, so ~ $600 total.

 

[mtrycrafts]

At times, life's lessons costs a few $$$

 

[TulsaSKD]

I also bought this sub because of the great price for the gameroom setup I did. Downstairs I have a Velodyne Optimum 10 and the Velodyne is in a whole different league but of course it cost much more to buy. I think for $300 its a great Sub but a little big for me and Im also thinking about selling it and looking for something a little smaller but if you have the room itsd a pretty nice sub.

 

[pureiso]

Honestly, I would try to return it and look into DIY efforts for the same cost. You could easily make something substantially better for the same amount of money.

 

[Drumbo]

LOL
it went back, cost me $40 but oh well