I got the Bic F12

ROHfan

So over-analyzing and reading everything I could about a decent sub in the $200 range lead me to buy the Bic F12. I got it for $188 including next day shipping from Amazon and I had $18 left on my account from a previous gift card bringing the final total cost to about $170.

My goal was to get something that didn't distort. I wasn't as critical with how well it would do with music, I was just tired of the port noise from my PSW10 and the BIC did not disappoint. I always had the volume set very conservatively on the Polk but now that I can set the BIC where it should be the difference is night and day.

Should I have went with the PSW505? Maybe, maybe not. The reason I didn't was because all the comparisons, reviews and testing analysis clearly put the F12 over the PSW505. The only place the Polk was suggested over the F12 was here, as would be expected. So for now, I'm happy. Brand loyalty factors into my audio decisions pretty heavily but this time it wasn't enough to want to stay with Polk. I feel so...dirty

Ron Temple

ROHfan wrote: »

So over-analyzing and reading everything I could about a decent sub in the $200 range lead me to buy the Bic F12. I got it for $188 including next day shipping from Amazon and I had $18 left on my account from a previous gift card bringing the final total cost to about $170.

My goal was to get something that didn't distort. I wasn't as critical with how well it would do with music, I was just tired of the port noise from my PSW10 and the BIC did not disappoint. I always had the volume set very conservatively on the Polk but now that I can set the BIC where it should be the difference is night and day.

Should I have went with the PSW505? Maybe, maybe not. The reason I didn't was because all the comparisons, reviews and testing analysis clearly put the F12 over the PSW505. The only place the Polk was suggested over the F12 was here, as would be expected. So for now, I'm happy. Brand loyalty factors into my audio decisions pretty heavily but this time it wasn't enough to want to stay with Polk. I feel so...dirty

If you like it that all that matters. I owned and compared budget subs several years ago and heard the F12s percursor the H100 several times. I tend to think it's a better sub than the 505 (which I've only heard in stores). It was very clean, was decent for music and more than adequate for HT duty. For $200, you're not likely to find better. Good budget subs are a gateway drug. The next plateau and those beyond will get you more jaw dropping performance, but enjoy what you have for awhile.

ROHfan

Ron Temple wrote: »

If you like it that all that matters. I owned and compared budget subs several years ago and heard the F12s percursor the H100 several times. I tend to think it's a better sub than the 505 (which I've only heard in stores). It was very clean, was decent for music and more than adequate for HT duty. For $200, you're not likely to find better. Good budget subs are a gateway drug. The next plateau and those beyond will get you more jaw dropping performance, but enjoy what you have for awhile.

I like that analogy of the F12 being a "gateway" drug. That's kind of how I viewed my old R50s. They were just good enough to put the audio bug in me. For now, the system I have is satisfying to me and will be for a little while. After I gut and re-do my living room the next upgrade will probably be four cherry monitor 30s, for rears and front heights, and a cherry CS1 so that all the speakers visually match my cherry M60s. Much further down the line will be an avr with preouts and external amplification so I can drive the M60s a little better.

B Run

ROHfan wrote: »

After I gut and re-do my living room the next upgrade will probably be four cherry monitor 30s, for rears and front heights, and a cherry CS1 so that all the speakers visually match my cherry M60s. Much further down the line will be an avr with preouts and external amplification so I can drive the M60s a little better.

That was my first system, it sounded really good. I tried about 5 avr's with them and personally think the Yamaha rxv1900 was by far the best sounding with those speakers. I didn't get my amp until after i got my Rti's though.

ROHfan

B Run wrote: »

That was my first system, it sounded really good. I tried about 5 avr's with them and personally think the Yamaha rxv1900 was by far the best sounding with those speakers. I didn't get my amp until after i got my Rti's though.

Can I ask which 5 avrs you tried and what they all sounded like? Was one a Denon?

B Run

I had a crappy panasonic, onkyo 504, onkyo 674, denon 1909 and yamaha rx1900. The denon is a quality receiver but i prefered the yamaha matched with the monitors. It's slightly bright and very detailed and works well with the monitor line. However I hated it with my Rti's because it was too bright. I ended up with a pioneer 1120 which I liked the sound a lot but lacked the punch I wanted, after adding an Adcom amp I no longer have to worry about that.