Looking for a new sub. Buy vs Build?

[gdipilato]

I currently have a logitech z 5500 in my room for movies and playing music but ive been wanting to upgrade everything. in the future i want to get a reciever and new speakers but i want to start out with the sub. I want a sub that will go lower than my z 5500. I am looking at spending as little as possible. I am unsure whether to build a home subwoofer or to buy one. If i was going to build one it probably would be ported and would be 3/4 inch mdf. I am looking at a polk audio psw505 or a bash 300 watt plate amp and a dayton 12 inch sub.

 

[lsiberian]

I currently have a logitech z 5500 in my room for movies and playing music but ive been wanting to upgrade everything. in the future i want to get a reciever and new speakers but i want to start out with the sub. I want a sub that will go lower than my z 5500. I am looking at spending as little as possible. I am unsure whether to build a home subwoofer or to buy one. If i was going to build one it probably would be ported and would be 3/4 inch mdf. I am looking at a polk audio psw505 or a bash 300 watt plate amp and a dayton 12 inch sub.

If you want the best low cost DIY sub with a good low response. Go to the DIY area look up the Infinity Kappa mid vq project and complete that. To save cost you could use a ep1500 instead on just one sub. And I bet you could use a low pass filter. If you have access to the tools then by all means go for it. I suggest you follow the specification as precisely as possible. You won't find a better lower cost option than that sub. And you won't find any sub under 1000 commercially that's as good. Just ask those who've built one.

 

[gdipilato]

If i decided to not want to spend the time biulding a subwoofer from scratch would the polk audio psw505 be a good sub? Im only loking for something a little better than my 188 watt sub i have now

 

[alexwakelin]

I haven't heard many good things about polk subwoofers, after reading this review, I can see why.

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_2/polk-psw-505-subwoofer-4-2005.html

The specs on amazon claim frequecny response is 23hz - 160hz, which even accounting for room gain is quite a stretch. It might be ok for a budget sub, and probably better then the logitech, but you would be better off spending a bit more and building the kappa. The reviewer speaks favorably about the polk in the conclusion, but the numbers just don't look that good to me. Another option would be to buy used, check craigslist for something from Hsu or Velodyne.

 

[annunaki]

The dayton Sub-120 is a very good performer for the cost. Sure it is a tad boomy and such but for $100 or so it is hard to beat.

 

[MidnightSensi]

The dayton Sub-120 is a very good performer for the cost. Sure it is a tad boomy and such but for $100 or so it is hard to beat.

This.

Dayton's kits are a good deal still:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-770