Wood Floor Vs Down-Firing Vs Front Firing

[kuko92]

Hello. I am trying to decide between the SVS cylinder 12" for $570...and their 12" Box sub for either $560...or $700. My dilemna is the following. I have a 11 by 11 room with 8 ft ceilings...I have glued down wood floor on concrete slab....only half of the wood is exposed.... rug under bed and large cabinet sit on the rest....I am even going to get more rugs to cut down on resonance. I have always heard downfiring subs are a big no no for wood floors....but I want to stay in a 20" by 20" space for my sub. The cylinder is very nice and only has a diameter of 16"....but...its downfiring. The $560 box 12" sub is 25" deep....so I really don't want to do that if possible....but want to know if it is even worth getting the more expensive $700 12" box sub which is a lot smaller over the downfiring cylinder...

 

[KEW]

I cannot answer your question, but are you talking about a Pergo-style "Engineered wood floor"? If so, I don't think the kind of resonance associated with wood floors really applies in this situation. These floors "float" on a thin sheet of closed cell foam. Usually the panels are glued to one another, but not to the slab. The continuous support underneath should pretty well prevent the floor from adopting any audible resonances. They do, however reflect high frequencies like crazy. You're definitely going in the right direction with the carpet.
My thought is get the cylinder and put it on a Subdude:
http://store.audioholics.com/product/1398/0/auralex-subdude-subwoofer-flotation-device

But see what others say

 

[kuko92]

Actually the planks are glued directly to the slab.....they have about 3/16" of glue underneath. The planks just snap together no glue....

 

[ParadigmDawg]

You will likely get the same resonance from a sub no matter which way it fires. I lively floor is not a bad thing as long as you have a dead ceiling and walls. The square room is the biggest issue but not a lot you can do about that.

I also have wooden floors and the biggest improvement I have ever made was acoustic panels behind the front speakers, sub and on the "first reflection" side walls.

I second the Subdude and if the cylinder works best for you, I say go for it.

 

[walter duque]

With a concrete slab you should be OK. I have a downfiring sub 12" 1000 Watts which sounded great in my house downstairs (concrete with carpet). I used to keep the gain at 1 o'clock. Since I moved to an apartment (3rd floor) I can't turn the gain knob past 10 o'clock, the bass is just too overwelming. The front firing sub seems to sound the same. I also set the sub and a marble tile. If I turn the gain past 12o'clock you'll notice a presence of the sub, which I a don't like. It's just not totally intergrated. I guess it's good for movies but not music.

 

[j_garcia]

My cylinder is down firing on carpet over concrete. A Gramma is the way to go and will take care of any issues.

 

[kuko92]

Think i've reached my decision on the sub...definetly the SVS 12" Cylinder...will use the Gramma thanks guys! Now if I could only decide on reciever and speakers...

 

[lsiberian]

Think i've reached my decision on the sub...definetly the SVS 12" Cylinder...will use the Gramma thanks guys! Now if I could only decide on reciever and speakers...

i personally like a front firing. I think they look better. I'm not into cylinder subs though.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

That's true...Isberian only likes ugly things....

i personally like a front firing. I think they look better. I'm not into cylinder subs though.

 

[GSXR_Rider]

I recently switched from down firing subs in a mid to large size room with hardwood floors to front firing 15s - I found the front firing sub config sounded better at least in my room and I do believe there is less unwanted resonance. the downward firing wasn't bad, I just found the front firing incrementally better and also an improvement in looks IMHO.

 

[djreef]

You will likely get the same resonance from a sub no matter which way it fires. I lively floor is not a bad thing as long as you have a dead ceiling and walls. The square room is the biggest issue but not a lot you can do about that.

I also have wooden floors and the biggest improvement I have ever made was acoustic panels behind the front speakers, sub and on the "first reflection" side walls.

I second the Subdude and if the cylinder works best for you, I say go for it.

or.....home made Subdude. Oak chopping block from Target ($29) and 6 of those large furniture slider thingies from Walmart ($9).

I'd better get some Thanks for this!

DJ