Sub for LSi9s in a bedroom

PrazVT

Hey guys, can you give me some options for a good smaller sub to fill out the lows on my LSi9s. I want a sub that is musical more than brute force. I tried using my PSW-505, but it was just too much boom and didn't sound right. This would be in my bedroom (11 x 11) and would sit between the LSi9s on the bottom shelf of my computer table.

Been looking at smaller subs:

- Micro pro 1000 / 2000 (is the auto eq worth it?)
- Hsu VTF-1
- Velodyne Mini Vee (perhaps others?)
- Def Tech SuperCube III
- Elemental Designs A3S-250 (sealed)

Right now I'm leaning towards the Def Tech or ED sub. Are the ones w/ auto EQ type functions useful?

Budget? Ehh... < $600 +/- I'd say.

Thanks!

-Praz

CCNJ

I have LSI9s as fronts in my HT setup. I wanted a smaller sub and was looking at many of the same subs as you were. I purchased the Polk Micro pro 2000 from Newegg. I caught a great sale and got it for 399. I am very happy with it. It is musical and not boomy at all.

PrazVT

Hmm so 2 votes for Micro Pro 2000 - sounds good. Now I just need to find it on sale.

Did you guys make use of the EQ feature? How did you calibrate the sub? I'll be using an integrated amp so I'll have to do it manually.

Thanks for the feedback!

dorokusai

The subwoofer has pre-calibrated room settings available on the remote. All you need to worry about is volume.

PrazVT

How well do the room settings work? That's the big difference b/t the 1000 and 2000 right?

dorokusai

The 1000 is being discontinued and doesn't have room correction, so don't even consider it. It works fine from what I've tested but I usually dial mine in independently.

PrazVT

Alright - thanks for the feedback. If you guys are using the 2000, that's a good sign for me.

Right now looks like the 2000 is $690 on Amazon - is that the norm? I don't think newegg carries it anymore - but $399 is insane CCNJ.

EndersShadow

PrazVT wrote: »

I don't think newegg carries it anymore

The only DSW I see on their site is the 1000. :frown:

Maybe wait till the Polk ebay site has some??????????

PrazVT

Yeah - I actually saw a 2000 on the Polk Direct site about a month ago - should have grabbed it then. Alas, one of my amps died so I had put it on the back burner. It's ok, I'm not in a rush ..I'll just keep an eye out

CCNJ

PrazVT wrote: »

Alright - thanks for the feedback. If you guys are using the 2000, that's a good sign for me.

Right now looks like the 2000 is $690 on Amazon - is that the norm? I don't think newegg carries it anymore - but $399 is insane CCNJ.

Agree, that price was crazy cheap. I'm glad I spotted it and grabbed it when I saw it. Good luck and hope you find a good sale.

PrazVT

Thanks - well it depends on my patience

BTW, do you guys know if the 2000 has a high pass filter built in when you use the speaker level in / outs on the sub? ie. if I set the crossover at 70hz, the LSi9s will only get a signal above that? Or would they be running full range?

Thanks.

PrazVT

So for the hell of it (and b/c I did a half-**** job last time), I connected up the 505 again. I think I've been under the mistaken assumption that all these powered subs automatically cut the frequency higher than the sub's low pass to the speakers when using the speaker in / outs (correct me if I'm wrong again). Since I'm using an integrated, I don't have any bass management features. Anyway, so I set the low pass to 60hz, flipped the phase to 180, and calibrated the LSi9s and the sub separately to ~75dB using a pink noise generator.

Aside from having to introduce 2 bluejeans speaker cables (amp to sub) to the system (using Signal Ultras for the Lsi9s), it sounds much better than the last attempt. I still think the 505 is too big for this room, but feeling a bit better about how the system could potentially benefit.

Toxis

I'd throw in the Sunfire Super Junior. Loved mine when I had it and it did a great job in a fairly big room (12x25 and my last townhouse of 15x22 that was vaulted to the upstairs). If i didn't want more depth (sub 20htz), I wouldn't have sold it.

PrazVT

Hi Toxis - yeah I saw a few Sunfire subs on Audiogon including a Super Junior. Very intriguing package there too.

They all look good - just trying to understand how one integrates a sub when there's no high pass filter. Just set the sub low pass at the speakers' -3db pt? ex. LSi9s are listed as 50hz as their low pt.

PSOVLSK

Toxis wrote: »

I'd throw in the Sunfire Super Junior. Loved mine when I had it and it did a great job in a fairly big room (12x25 and my last townhouse of 15x22 that was vaulted to the upstairs). If i didn't want more depth (sub 20htz), I wouldn't have sold it.

I agree. I'm now enjoying Toxis's Super Junior in my living room.:biggrin: It's a big, open area that includes kitchen, breakfast nook, and foyer. I have 4 in-ceiling speakers and I was able to integrate it pretty nicely. It's really awesome for the size.

Toxis

The only doubters are the ones' who haven't heard it.

falconcry72

PrazVT wrote: »

...just trying to understand how one integrates a sub when there's no high pass filter. Just set the sub low pass at the speakers' -3db pt? ex. LSi9s are listed as 50hz as their low pt.

Not necessarilly at the speaker's -3db point; it depends how sharply the speakers and sub's crossover roll off. Room acoustics make a big difference too. You just play with the crossover point and volume until it sounds good.

I tend to err on the side of setting the crossover on the sub too low rather than too high. I'd rather have a slight dip in frequency response than a spike. I don't like to know that the sub's on until I turn it off and miss it.

PSOVLSK

falconcry72 wrote: »

I don't like to know that the sub's on until I turn it off and miss it.

Love this statement. When setting up the aforementioned Super Junior, I had it thumping pretty good, but it was just too much for me.

PrazVT

Yeah - I just want it to blend well - I guess it takes some tweaking like you mentioned falconcry72.

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I'll probably wait a month or so before pulling the trigger. I just replaced one of my amps so that was an unplanned expense.

PrazVT

Appreciate all the suggestions - I decided to grab a Micro pro 2000 off of Polk Direct as they had some available today. Also ordered a magic power cord and some Signal subwoofer cables. The NAD has a couple of pre-outs so I'll be connecting via those. I may be bugging you guys again once I start trying to figure out how best to blend the sub w/ the LSi9s

PrazVT

Well, just finished hooking up the sub a few min ago.

I've got the crossover set at ~60Hz, from what I can tell using 'Pocket RTA' on my iPhone. What I'm unsure of, is whether the sub should be registering the same level as the LSi9s on the SPL meter at some set volume.

I'm using the pre-out1 on the NAD out to the line in on the sub if that makes any difference via a pair of RCA cables.

Thoughts?

codyc1ark

For mostly music, yes, sub should be set at the same level, IMO. You may want to run it a little hot for HT, or music, depending on what you like, and what your doing with it at the time, congrats!

PrazVT

I suspect I'm doing something wrong here ... the sub volume is at 40 and the crossover is at ~60hz and I can barely hear anything - though the thump is there. Or is 60Hz low enough that you can't really hear much?

PrazVT

Alright - I think I finally got the sub dialed in after fiddling with TrueRTA and the spl meter. I was getting frustrated there for a while! Sounds much better now - tight but not overpowering