If you had $750 for a sub what would you buy?

[Ragtop]

Okay so I have a new home with a basement home theater. My speakers, with the exception of the subwoofer, get the job done very well in my opinion. I am really just missing that bottom end oomph. I have managed to round up some cash and am looking to upgrade my sub. I came to $750 because that is the price of the paradigm PW 2100 which I heard and liked. That was before I discovered this site and realized all the options out there.
The room is 13'x28'x8'. Do I need to go to a 12" sub will a 10" still do the trick? Looking for advice. My local paradigm dealer obviously really likes it but I was hoping for some less biased opinions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[wafflebird]

Get an SVS and be done with it... just make sure your house has a good foundation

Check these guys out. They will beat the pants off of just about anything at twice the price.

If you want a box sub then look at this one for the price

http://www.svsubwoofers.com/subs_pb12_isd.htm $599.00

http://www.svsubwoofers.com/subs_pb12_isd_v.htm $699.00

(pay attention to the specs.... and man look at the price) then try to find something else with the performance for the price. And it is about $150.00 less than your budget for the first one, but don't worry it will be MORE than enough. If you don't mind a tube, or cylinder style then look at

http://www.svsubwoofers.com/subs_pcplus_25-31.htm

You will not find a better deal. Just look at the reviews on both and you will see what I am talking about. I am going to be purchasing one to replace my Velodyne DLS-3750R (it is going to the bedroom)

Take some time and read the CUSTOMER Reviews. This is always important because it is what the people who purchased the sub think.

http://www.audioreview.com/Subwoofers/SVS,PB1-ISD/PRD_154580_2741crx.aspx

Good luck. Keep me (us) posted on your decision!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[silversurfer]

Hsu Research VTF-3MK2, and be done with it.

 

[RuSsMaN]

HSU/SVS offer a near unbeatable price/perf ratio. If you like P-dime, save up and go big or go home, Servo-15. The Dayton Titanic Kits at PE are a viable option also.

Have you conidered DIY?

Cheers,
Russ

 

[Zarg]

SVS or HSU

You simply cannot go wrong with either one for your budget. Both brands offer nearly unbeatable performance for their price points.

Let me reiterate: If you choose SV Subwoofers, you'll have a lot of company here congratulating you and very few (if any) critics. If you choose HSU, you'll also have a lot of company here congratulating you and also very few (if any) critics.

Pick one and be done with it.

 

[Ragtop]

Alright research time tonight. Those tubular subs are interesting but probably not my style. The PB12 ISDV looks pretty sweet and with shipping only $25 over my initial budget Thanks for the information and i'll keep you all posted.

 

[jmgillespie]

Just thought I let you know after a long decision I've decided to go with the 25-31PC-Plus. I was also looking at the PB12 ISDV but at $25 more the 25-31 plus has a better woofer and 200 more watts of power (I think the cylinder look is pretty cool myself especially since the 12plus box would cost me $200 more and not give any better of performance). It also has the variable extension which was the main thing for me I will use it for 75% movies 25% music and I wanted that ability to drop down to 20hz which will probably go down to 16hz in my room and give me that theatre quality bass while in its native 25hz will give me the most decibals. I hope you enjoy the PB12 ISDV and can't wait to hear your review it also sounds like a great sub, I will post my review of the 25-31PC-Plus once I get it (hopefully by saturday).

 

[Yamahaluver]

Yamaha YST SW1500.

 

[jaxvon]

As a matter of pure physics, I would get nothing smaller than a 12" sub. The 10" just doesn't have enough surface area to fill your room with sound. It will be working too hard to give you the desired output. I concur with the others. Look at 12" SVS and Hsu subs in your budget. These are the sweet spot for value in your price range.

 

[RuSsMaN]

Thanks for the laugh Cochise. Yam sub? That's funny.

A couple of words come to mind regarding Yammie subs, boomy, muddy, sloppy. If I want a Piano or Trombone, I'll head straight for my Yammie dealer. Audio? Not in this lifetime.

There are a couple things Yamaha did right, a few studio monitors, and the big man-amps from the late 70's, early 80's.

Cheers,
Russ

 

[mfabien]

Wouldn't trade my SVS PB-12 ISD sub for a Porsche Cayman!

 

[Yamahaluver]

Thanks for the laugh Cochise. Yam sub? That's funny.

A couple of words come to mind regarding Yammie subs, boomy, muddy, sloppy. If I want a Piano or Trombone, I'll head straight for my Yammie dealer. Audio? Not in this lifetime.

There are a couple things Yamaha did right, a few studio monitors, and the big man-amps from the late 70's, early 80's.

Cheers,
Russ

I see, it is Yamaha bashing time again, well, subjective as this is, Yamaha has been in sub business for long and their strengths have been musically accurate subs, the current crop being no exception, the tightest, most musical subs out there along with REL. By the way, Yamaha till today makes fantastic speakers highly rated for their accurate sound, it makes drivers for their musical instruments, therefore accuracy is a must there. Sadly, very few in US get to hear the latest range of Yamaha speakers or amps like the MX-D1 or NS-8HX or NS-200/300.

Just my biased rant, please ignore if my uneducated opinion offends you.

 

[WmAx]

Okay so I have a new home with a basement home theater. My speakers, with the exception of the subwoofer, get the job done very well in my opinion. I am really just missing that bottom end oomph. I have managed to round up some cash and am looking to upgrade my sub. I came to $750 because that is the price of the paradigm ....

For $750.00 USD, I would buy the raw parts and build two very high quality subwoofers(it's easy!), as opposed to getting a single subwoofer(of lesser quality) for the same dollar amount. If you don't have any tools, then I guess that's not an option. But hey, it's just an(economically viable) option that I thought should be suggested.

-Chris

 

[Khellandros66]

Yeah, Hmm

I have a Yamaha YST-SW315 I ama diehard Definitive Tech fan, and honestly on a budget Yamaha is truly hard to beat. Some brands I pitted against were B&W, Paradigm, Velodyne, JBL, Klipsch, and Definitive. Out of all these I bought the Yamaha esp since I listen to a wide variaty of music, and didn't want a $800 one note speaker. My next choice was Definitve SuperCube I, since money doesn't grow on trees where I am from it was something to look forward too in the future...

~Bob

 

[Sheep]

i agree

yeah, to say that yamaha hasn't made anything good audio wise since the 80's is just plain naive. i have the lowest end yammy amp for the year i bought it (RXV440) and it is still WAY more then i need (mind you a z9 its always welcome ). It doesn't have that much power, but its goes loud enough and still sounds clear, so numbers in my case don't mean squat.

basically, to bash yamaha is to say i don't need air........yeah.
sheep

 

[cgk]

make it yourself

For $750.00 USD, I would buy the raw parts and build two very high quality subwoofers(it's easy!), as opposed to getting a single subwoofer(of lesser quality) for the same dollar amount. If you don't have any tools, then I guess that's not an option. But hey, it's just an(economically viable) option that I thought should be suggested.

-Chris

I'm wondering which parts (driver, amp) you would use and any suggested plans?

 

[furrycute]

I once had a Yamaha sub with dual 8 inch drivers. It was really good for a small room. Even to this day I regret selling it. The other subs I heard were either very good but way too expensive, or very cheap but way too boomy.

 

[Yamahaluver]

I once had a Yamaha sub with dual 8 inch drivers. It was really good for a small room. Even to this day I regret selling it. The other subs I heard were either very good but way too expensive, or very cheap but way too boomy.

Yamaha is still making some mighty fine subs, the one Khellandros mentioned above is a very good deal and if you are in a rumbling mood, check out YST SW800 and 1500.

Yamaha bought out Swedish company Audio Research in early 80s, this company had developed the Active Servo tech which uses specially designed amp circuitry with negative impedance to get great bass out of small enclosures.

With the latest YST SW 800, they were the first to use class D amps which Yamaha designed specially for their subs and also developed a special driver material for their sub speaker. Combined with all these, it makes for a formidable combo.

 

[WmAx]

I'm wondering which parts (driver, amp) you would use and any suggested plans?

It's tough for me suggest specific parts to you, since I don't know your specific preferences or objectives. However, I would first check out something(cost effective) like the Parts Express Titanic 12" subwoofers. Solid designs at low(relative) cost. There are many options in this general price range(<$150 each drivers), but you need to find one that meets your specific need(s). If the budget was a little higher(average $240 each driver), I would suggest the Infinity 12d VQ subwoofers. The reason I recommend this device is that it has been confirmed to have relativey high SPL and linearity, and is simply a very good product design. But the biggest feature is that you can physically modify the mechanical characteristics of the driver motor with included interchangeable parts. This means that you can use this subwoofer in any type(sealed, ported, infinite baffle, dipole, etc.) of enclosure that you want, and it will operate optimally. This provides for extraordinary flexibility in the future. Normally, when picking drivers, you must first consider the maximum SPL you require, bandwidth, enclosure size and type. But these are pretty much irrelevant in the case of the suggested Infinity driver. As for amplifiers, I prefer componet amps, as opposed to integrated plate amps. Just my preference(based on versatality). Behringer, QSC and other pro sound companies make excellent high powered amplifiers. Alternatively, you can get a used amplifier off of ebay. I personally use an Adcom 555 for subwoofer applications, that was aquired at a rather low price off of Ebay.

-Chris

 

[mazersteven]

Ragtop,

The SVS is a monster. Great sub.