semi-budget sub. Which should i get?

[Gid]

First off let me say that my speakers aren't the greatest. Just what came with my shelf system back in the day. I'm going to start building my system piecemeal starting with the sub because I don't yet have one. I am a college student with a budget.

That being said, I have been shopping around for subs lately and starting by thinking I should buy a sony sub for 150. Realized that wasn't what I was looking for. Thought about a JBL for 250, demoed it at BB and found it was a lot weaker than a Klipsch SUB-12.

I then went to a small home-audio retailer and he recommended paradigm. But now we're getting a little too high in price.

These are my current options:
Paradigm PDR-12 about $430 after tax, but may be not as powerful as I want.
Klipsch Sub-12 ends up around $550 after tax
Paradigm PS-1200 ends up around $600 after tax

This is my first real home theater purchase (and one of my most important because I LOVE bass) so I'm not quite sure what I should do here. This is a lot more money that I was planning on spending, but I figure I better spend a little more and go with something that will really please for time to come.

And another note, the small home-theater place from where I would get the paradigm is so small in fact that they don't have a demo area. If I go with the paradigm I will be buying on faith.

 

[Matt34]

Check out the ones recommended in this thread(post #21 and #25) and their specs, I think you'll find they will beat the "bang for the buck" value of the subs you listed. Also make sure to check out the SVS PB-10 which is around $470 shipped.

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22705&page=3

 

[jcPanny]

Sub options

There are some good options in your price range like the above mentioned SVS PB-10. Also check out the HSU STF-2 for about $400. Another option would be two of the Onix X-Subs from AV123.com for $400. Might be a little easier to move than a single 50-60 lb. sub since you are in college.
All three are internet direct so you have less marketing and overhead than a B&M sub from paradigm. Also, SVS and HSU specialize in subwoofers.

 

[Tomorrow]

The best bang-for-the-buck sub I've ever seen was $74 delivered (!!) for a 12" Advent from Amazon.com. I just checked and they are out of stock, now, however. For a little more than $400 it's hard to beat the Hsu or (so I've heard) the SVS.

 

[Gid]

Okay, so the general consensus here is scrap my list and go with HSU or SVS.

Now I'm willing to go a little more expensive if it means the sub will take care of me when i move into a house and out of an apt. I hear that a down-firing design is generally better and I like the integrated baseplate and design of the PB12-NSD. Do you think it would be worth the extra 200 to go with the STF-3 or PB12-NSD?

I have such a hard time making decisions like this, and it's only amplified by the fact I don't know a lot about audio.

I don't think I mentioned, but this will be used mostly for movies. The only time I would listen to music is if at some point in the future I get a nice sound card and hook my computer up to the reciever.

oh and jcPanny, convience for moving isn't really an issue. My college is a hometown so it makes it easier. Plus with the other stuff I have, foosball table, my own bed, huge desk, etc. moving is not going to fun either way

 

[ltworf14]

My brother has the Paradigms and my Athena's knocked it out of the water for half the price.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10062281&catid=

 

[ironmike86]

For movies = SVS still sound good with music IMO

 

[Matt34]

The PB-10 is now under $400, making way for the new models.

 

[Ron Temple]

The PB10 @ $380 + is a steal. It would be my first choice of all the subs listed. The Mirage S12 at Vanns for $400 shipped would be second choice. The Hsu subs (STF2 and VTF2) are probably slightly better than the Mirage, but they are all so close, it would be a matter of price. What isn't close is the extension on the SVS.

 

[Daz3d&Confus3d]

yeah gid if your looking down the road at having it in a house and primarily for HT purposes go with the svs models...the biggest you can afford...if you can get one of the 12" driver models...I'd go that route over the 10" for a $100 or so more...just my own opinion

 

[Reorx]

It depends on how much money you have to spend now, at this moment.
If you are trying to keep it cheap, you can get 1 PB10 now, and then a 2nd if it's needed when you move into a house.

SVS PB10-ISD Clearance $379
SVS PB10-ISD b-stock(wht) $349

Just a thought.
Reorx

 

[Gid]

Just an update.

Thanks for all your input guys. I ended up spending a bit more than I originally wanted (was planning on 150 for a sony ) and I ended up buying the SVS PB12-NSD. It will be arriving on monday so I'm stoked to bust it out of the box and set it up.

 

[ducker]

Now I'm willing to go a little more expensive if it means the sub will take care of me when i move into a house and out of an apt. I hear that a down-firing design is generally better and I like the integrated baseplate and design of the PB12-NSD. Do you think it would be worth the extra 200 to go with the STF-3 or PB12-NSD?

well, you're not talking semi-budget really anymore

 

[Gid]

haha, yeah I guess that's true. My roomates think I'm insane for spending 600 on a sub. I figure, what's one month's spending money, right? It should be arriving today. I'm stoked!

 

[danglerb]

I have yet to meet somebody that says, Holy Crepe, that subwoofer is too large and powerfull for me. Its all evil grin and how do I get the rest up to par.

My own preference for a value sub is to build one, like the ************.com Dayton kits.

 

[Gid]

Well I got it and set it up last night.

Holy Crepe, that subwoofer is too large and powerfull for me.

Right... just kidding. I love it. Turned it up halfway and in some of the heavier bass scenes from the matrix it literally felt like an earthquake in my apartment. I don't think the guys below me would be too happy with that setting. But hey, I loved it.

Now I just have to... get the rest up to par. Any recommendations on speakers? And since I just blew all of this months spending money on the sub, I have to wait until july to buy speakers And then of course school starts soon after and I make lots less money and have to save up for the next year to get the tv that goes along with it. Woe is me.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Well I got it and set it up last night.

Holy Crepe, that subwoofer is too large and powerfull for me.

Right... just kidding. I love it. Turned it up halfway and in some of the heavier bass scenes from the matrix it literally felt like an earthquake in my apartment. I don't think the guys below me would be too happy with that setting. But hey, I loved it.

Now I just have to... get the rest up to par. Any recommendations on speakers? And since I just blew all of this months spending money on the sub, I have to wait until july to buy speakers And then of course school starts soon after and I make lots less money and have to save up for the next year to get the tv that goes along with it. Woe is me.

Gid,

Congrats on your new purchase. And a great purchase at that! Can you post some pics?

What speakers are you currently using? Do you need something to tie you over for a few years, or do you plan on going all out in July? Jaxvon, a college student and popular member here, went with some affordable Venturi speakers and a HSU sub. They run just over $100 a pair for bookshelves, and $100 or so for the center. You can put a nice Venturi surround system together for cheap unless you have a larger budget available. I had a pair of DV62si bookshelves, and was very impressed with the sound for the size back in the 80's. Amazon usually carries good deals on them.

 

[SackoHammers]

That looks like a nice sub. I just got my new sub in yesterday. Instead of the SVS route I went with the HSU STF-3. It was way bigger than I was thinking it would be... about the size of an end-table. I plugged it in and set the volume to 1/2. I put on the opening battle in Master and Commander, the one where the Suprise is battling the Acheron. It was insanely powerful. Its like the first time you pick up a very large shotgun... say... when your grandpa puts a 12 guage in your hands when you're like 14 years old and he has a devilish grin on his face. You fire it and you realize you got yourself in way over your head. I was sitting there on the couch and I realized how much things were shaking... I was engrossed in the movie and the experience and the bass shook me out of it. I think I was actually bouncing slightly on the couch... like the sub found the resonating frequency of the floor of my house or something. Hahaha, I had to turn the sucker down. My girlfriend sitting in the back bedroom trying to watch Simpsons was not pleased. haha.
Not only was it loud, it sounded good.
Good times with new subs. Hope you're enjoying the heck out of yours.
As for speakers. Check out the Ascend's at ascendacoustics.com
Read the reviews, do the research. I LOVE mine.

 

[G-force]

On a humorous note, with my SVS PC, when I watch movies with good LFE tracks I find myself rewindind scenes quite often on DVD's with big impact scenes. My GF hates it.

Another thing I'll frequently find myself doing is. while I'm laying on the couch watching a movie I'll keep my left palm on the floor to measure exactly how much the floor is moving with big LFE.

Aren't subs fun?

Now aren't you glad you didn't settle for a weak $150 sub?

 

[j_garcia]

I had watched Master and Commander a few times with my PB-10. Was it ever an eye opener when I threw it in to try out my Tempest the first time It shakes everything. I had initially dialed back the receiver and put the sub at 50% gain; and I was still blown away by the output. I currently run it at about 30% gain....it was insane at 50%.

I rewind scenes with great bass too