Really notice 28Hz vs. 20Hz?

atlanticjay

Hi -

Trying to choose a sub and wondering how low I really need to go? Room is about 3,000 cubic feet with a doorway to another room slightly smaller and an opening to a stairwell (room is in the basement). Room will not be dedicated HT - will be a family room where my HT setup happens to be.

I am thinking an SVS, HSU, Epik or similar are out of my price range - and need range - right now. Plus being in Canada limits some of those options (or at least makes them overly pricey)

Looking at some Velodynes in the DLS series. Depending on the model, they are said to go down to 28 (the 10 inch), 25 (12 inch) or 23 (15 inch).

Question I have is where it is not a dedicated HT room, do I really need to be concerned about going to 20Hz or lower? Would I be disappointed only getting to 25 or 28??

HTguru1982

IMO the lower the sub can dig, the better. My current sub claims to go down to about 27hz but in our listening room it's barely noticeable. The space is about 30x30 with a 20ft vaulted ceiling. It also opens into the kitchen and a hallway. In a room like this, the sub has a little oomph but nowhere the amount of kick it would have in a smaller, more dedicated space.

20hz

I dont think so since there is so little stuff in the 20 hz area but its nice to have the ability if it can go there .

mdaudioguy

20hz wrote: »

I dont think so since there is so little stuff in the 20 hz area but its nice to have the ability if it can go there .

Why don't you call yourself 28hz, then?? Of course it makes a difference!

kuntasensei

Keep in mind that you'll still get output below any sub's specs due to the room. Anechoic specs don't tell the whole story. That said... I wouldn't trade my SVS 20-39CS+ for anything. It's flat down to 18Hz in my room, and with my Buttkicker blended in, I'd put it up against any movie theater here.

treitz3

The last 8 Hz going down to 20 are the hardest frequencies to properly reproduce [place and properly power] well and yes, they make one hell of a difference. Though the sounds do not come around as often as a 1kHz signal, it is still part of the musical and reproductive system and you would be surprised how often you do hear these frequencies once you have something that can properly reproduce them. It's kinda like having a V-8 in a car. You don't need it to get around from point A to point B, as a 4 banger can do that. When you need to pass 3 16 wheelers going up a mountain slower than you wish and you only have a limited pass lane? It sure is nice to have that V-8. Same thing with the last 8Hz. You don't need it but it sure is nice to have for when it's needed. Same scenario with the overpowering of a rig. You don't need to but it sure is nice to have that extra headroom for when a demanding transient response comes.

thsmith

go as deep and flat as you afford or you will be unhappy.

praedet

How much can you spend? There are a few sub-$800 subs that play flat below 20 Hz...

20hz

mdaudioguy wrote: »

Why don't you call yourself 28hz, then?? Of course it makes a difference!

I build all my subs and 20 hz is a nice number , since I can choose what frequency to have my subs respond at (thanks Win-isd) I make it happen .
Once in a great while I get subsonic info and it makes my day
My sub does 109 db at 20 hz it holds its own against all subs I heard .

cnh

As said, those last few hzs take a lot of power to reproduce and rooms are important. My sub only reaches to 25hz (supposedly), the previous sub got down to 32 hz. The 'difference' is pretty obvious when running the same 'source' materials.

My next sub will get that last 5-7hz! Where you feel more of the rumble than hear it? This run in a mid-sized media room! It's really up to you and your neighbors if they want their windows rattled, etc.

cnh

atlanticjay

praedet wrote: »

How much can you spend? There are a few sub-$800 subs that play flat below 20 Hz...

I don't really have a set budget. I could technically afford to go for the gusto and spend something in the $1,500 - $2,000 range, but my wife would not see the beauty in that.

The system I'm trying to put together is kind of mid-range, so I was hoping to keep the sub under $600 - but I now see that this is foolish thinking if I want anything other than what the box stores sell.

Again, being in Canada limits some of the options - I can get SVS easily enough, but the SB12-NSD will cost me about $850 Canadian after sales tax and shipping.

Anything else will require adding shipping, duty and brokerage fees to get it across the border, so I'm still probably looking at something in the $800 Canadian range for even the mid-range (??) stuff from HSU, Elemental Designs or Epik (which doesn't ship to Canada).

That price or more would be hard for the wife to swallow - not because we can't afford it, but rather because she doesn't give a #%$% :cool:

HTguru1982

For a midrange system, something like this should work:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-770

You can even opt for 2 and you still be within your budget. It's not going to be an SVS but it should beat the crap off of most box store subs in the same price range.

cheddar

atlanticjay wrote: »

That price or more would be hard for the wife to swallow - not because we can't afford it, but rather because she doesn't give a #%$% :cool:

Sounds like she does give #%$%, just for the wrong reasons. If you can afford it, sometimes it's best when they don't give a #%$%.

atlanticjay

cheddar wrote: »

Sounds like she does give #%$%, just for the wrong reasons.

True.


I am leaning towards the SVS (SB12-NSD) right now. I've read a lot of reviews about SVS products and it sounds like they are worth the cash. I emailed the Canadian SVS dealer today and since they are not shipping the next round of these until mid-September, they are giving a small pre-order discount. After taxes and shipping (not free) it costs me $775 CAD - damn sales tax.

The HSU VTF-2 MK3 is on sale right now, and after shipping and duties, would probably run me close to the same price as the SVS.

Anyone with any thoughts on how it compares to the SVS?