Subwoofer Upgrade Advice

[sapo916]

I run a budget HT system, my current sub is a BIC America V-1220 paired with some Athena and Boston speakers with a decent receiver. This subwoofer works real well in my TV room however I really want some even some even more earthshaking bass.

I was considering just buying another V-1220 since they are about $170 new with shipping, if one of them is already so loud I'm pretty sure two would give me the desired effect.

Any advice on if this is the best path to take or if I should consider a single more powerful subwoofer?

 

[shadyJ]

I think what you are looking for is deeper, rather than more of the same. Look at subwoofers with greater extension, something that will dip down to 20 hertz or lower. They will, of course, cost more, but I don't think you will gain as much as you hope to with another v1220. You will hardly gain more than another few db by just adding another BIC. I would sell the one you have and look at and ED A3-300, a SVS PB12-NSD, a Hsu Research VTF2 mk3, or a Outlaw Audio LFM-1 Plus.

 

[sapo916]

Will going from 23hz (V1220) to 18hz (A3-300) really have that much effect? So adding another 100-200W would just have a marginal effect with subwoofers? That is very suprising to me.

 

[njedpx3]

Will going from 23hz (V1220) to 18hz (A3-300) really have that much effect? So adding another 100-200W would just have a marginal effect with subwoofers? That is very suprising to me.

Adding the second V1220 will give you the effect you are desiring. A second matching sub can enhance the the sound level significantly, especially if you are pleased with the current sub sound of your V1220.

Later if you decide to upgrade your system SVS are Hsu are excellent subwoofers, but at significantly more $$

Good Luck!

Forest Man.

 

[AVRat]

The V1220 @ 23 Hz is the lowest response with no actual output level (-3dB) spec. It may only do 35-40 Hz @ -3dB. So, yes the A3-300 is a better sub. And it should be for the price difference. It would help to know room size for proper sub sizing. In a smaller room, the A2-300 would work well.

 

[tcarcio]

Have you thought about building your own.You will get much more for your money.

 

[HDPCsound]

Yeah, building a customized one really helps saving some bucks, or can also buy some used ones, if you are willing to. The Sub Woofer 15 Bomber Upgrade Sw15ug-350w is gr8!

 

[skers_54]

Do you have an SPL meter? You can use it to measure the output of the sub by playing test tones and graphing the level at each frequency. This will show how low your sub is actually going and if you have a suckout at your listening position.

 

[Jeff R.]

I am happy with my ED A2-300's. I went duals, however I would think a single would definitely be a large improvement over your current sub.

 

[sapo916]

Wow, the notification feature was somehow disabled.

Anyway, after reading more and such I have been convinced to buy a new subwoofer. I wasn't really considering building my own but I have built a custom box for my car subwoofer so I will probably research that some more. Thanks.

I was looking at the ED A5-350, AV123 MFW-15, and the Epik Sentinel for my next sub.

I will be narrowing down my exact choice over the next few months as I'm not in a rush.

Thanks for all the advice so far.

 

[lsiberian]

Wow, the notification feature was somehow disabled.

Anyway, after reading more and such I have been convinced to buy a new subwoofer. I wasn't really considering building my own but I have built a custom box for my car subwoofer so I will probably research that some more. Thanks.

I was looking at the ED A5-350, AV123 MFW-15, and the Epik Sentinel for my next sub.

I will be narrowing down my exact choice over the next few months as I'm not in a rush.

Thanks for all the advice so far.

Building your own is a cheaper way to go for most folks. But it will require some woodworking skills and precise cuts. A good table saw would make the job trivial. You can also use a circular saw.

The cheapest build reasonablly good build would be a ported Shiva-X. If you are good with a soldering iron you could build your own amp at a fraction of the commercial cost as well. The designs at 41hz look promising. You can also purchase a bash amp from O-Audio.

A well executed design would easily beat any commercial offering of similar price. However I believe you should only do this if you find such a project fun. If it would be a chore buy the sub and save yourself the trouble.

 

[sapo916]

Building your own is a cheaper way to go for most folks. But it will require some woodworking skills and precise cuts. A good table saw would make the job trivial. You can also use a circular saw.

The cheapest build reasonablly good build would be a ported Shiva-X. If you are good with a soldering iron you could build your own amp at a fraction of the commercial cost as well. The designs at 41hz look promising. You can also purchase a bash amp from O-Audio.

A well executed design would easily beat any commercial offering of similar price. However I believe you should only do this if you find such a project fun. If it would be a chore buy the sub and save yourself the trouble.

I actually just read every page of the stickied thread where I saw you posted a good amount about the Infinity Kappa VQ box. I am really inspired to create that sub setup with the exact amp and eq recommended. I have a feeling it will be way overkill so I will probably do some additional research on that sub you recommended and some other. One of my good friends does professional woodwork and helped me build my car sub box for me so building it won't be a real problem. I am always up for a new learning experience so it would be fun. I love bass but I need to keep it reasonable as well.

Can you maybe suggests what you would find Shiva-X and the Infinity Kappa VQ would be equivalent in output to any commercial subs?