Budget subwoofer help.

detroitHOOLIGAN

Ok, I have posted here before, I have tried a couple of lower end polk subs from a big box retailer that didn't suit me, and I will ask once more as my budget has changed slightly.

I run a budget system. I am not an audiophile, I listen to poorly recorded punk, classic rock, and bass heavy 90's rap. Mainly I use this setup for TV and some blu ray.

It consists of a Yamaha V-671
Monitor 60's F
CS2 C
Monitor 30's R
Panasonic St-50 3d 1080p plasma
Panasonic Blu-ray
Crappy HD cable

And a subwoofer rotation of a 100 watt Paradigm PDR-10 and a 150 watt JBL Sub 300. Both VERY low end. The JBL is louder and obviously the Paradigm is smoother.

My small room is @ 14x16. I like very "boomy" bass. It doesn't have to be too "tight" or "accurate" I cut my teeth in car audio, and while I hate the sound of 1000 watt sub amps mixed with head unit powered coax speakers more than I hate the sound of the bose wave alarm clock, I still love big rap bass to impress the boys with, and I would like if movie explosions rocked my living room a bit more. Actually ALOT more. So............

I have a small budget of @$400 for a new sub. I have looked at the DIY Dayton 15" sub, Various polk models in the price range (lets keep in mind, I was using the big box yellow tag store, which means double the price! but I just wanted to try them out in my living room and be able to drive around the block and take them back.)

I have also considered 2 BIC F-12's or even multiple (3-4) PSW10's only because I would LOVE matching Cherry subs! I have also looked at the lower end SVS and Outlaw models, but after buying a lower end paradigm, I don't need musical precision and I don't want to go that route. A $1000+ higher end sub would be awesome but isn't going to ever happen. I want big bass for my budget system that I am crazy about! Any help (suggestions for large bass in my $ range!) would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

spock 2054

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-2.html
Under 400 and a quality unit.

If you want more new jack boom and can swing another 50:
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-1mk2.html

detroitHOOLIGAN

thank you! I was looking at two 505s but I have been researching all day and I am ready to order, so these 200 watt ten inch subs are going to shake my small house better than two budget 12"ers like 505s or bic f12s or perhaps the klipsch 12d? I understand the hsu subs are of much higher quality and that all amps are not created equal and how subjective ratings are and all of that. If these are the "feel it in my chest, make it hard to breath devices " I am looking for great!

McLoki

I don't suppose you have any woodworking skills to speak of? Your best bet with that budget is really DIY. If you don't rent, infinite baffle may be an excellent choice for you as well.

There are a lot of great subs out there. With a $400 budget, your best bet for great sound is going to be DIY - second best bet, purchase used.

Good Luck,

Michael

detroitHOOLIGAN

I do have plenty of mechanical/ww skill. I did very high end mobile audio for years, and even opened my own shop with decent success. But, but, but, I really do not have room for a separate power amp, in this setup. One day, I will finish my basement and build your atypical mancave theater.

But for this room, I do not believe in WAF but I do have an aesthetic look I am going for. As far as infinite baffle, again just not in this living room. I actually have 3 attached closets and could do it ( I already experimented with 2 12" Alpine type S subs and an OLD Technics SU-7700 Class A 150w x2 amp and it sounded good, but lots of rattle from the built in shelving in my room. I think I.B. would be cool, but I just want to throw a better sub in the mix. I have a young daughter, this won't be my final home theater. I have decided to purchase both the Klipsch 12d (340-350 watts rms BASH amp 12") and the HSU STF-2 (200 watts RMS BASH amp 10") and audition them. I do have the time to do that, but I do not have the time (daughter, full time electrical engineering student, self employed) to do any DIY right now.

This setup is 90/10 HT to music. My "hi fi" is the aforementioned old Technics setup hooked to old C-V DX-7's for parties and a mix of classic silver faced Pioneer SX and Marantz 22xx series receivers in various states of refurb with RTi35's and some vintage Wharfedales for listening to music.

So long story long (sorry), I just want to throw something in the mix to really up my bass per dollar in a 14x16x8 room with a normal doorway into the hallway and a small entrance way (4x6) in the rear right corner. It is a small enclosed room and I just want the most SPL for the buck. It already sounds better than any of my friends HT's by a long shot, I have tweaked and tweaked to fix holes in the freq. range, I just need some loud forceful bass but unfortunately due to my situation (young child and temporary roommate in my basement preventing completion of my dedicated HT) and the fact that the Detroit metro area is not a hot bed of used audio gear (I have seen 3 newer highend subs in a year on CL and ALL were way over priced.) I won't go the used route via the net. I like to know I can show up at your door if you rip me off. I get all my vintage solid state stuff from CL so I do frequent it but it is all crap HTiB, though I did get my monitor 60's in trade for a Snap-On ratchet off of there.

Thanks guys. My plan is in order I believe.

McLoki

detroitHOOLIGAN wrote: »

I have decided to purchase both the Klipsch 12d (340-350 watts rms BASH amp 12") and the HSU STF-2 (200 watts RMS BASH amp 10") and audition them.

Good Luck and let us know how they sound. (How they compare and if they meet your needs or not)

Michael

detroitHOOLIGAN

Will do! Unfortunately I won't have the fancy frequency roll off graphs or any fancy box building software charts. Just an SPL comparison and personal opinion. I really want to know what makes the HSU STF-2 so impressive. I will know soon, next tuesday or so I hope. I read another review here that said he replaced a 505 with it.

Does anyone have experience with two 505's?

decal

personal opinion.

The most important part of the equation.

20hz

if you dont mind a fan buy a used prosound amp and build a box for used sub or subs , put it in the cornor .
my current setup is four 12" subs in a diy isoberic sub behind the tv driven by a qsc gx5 .

detroitHOOLIGAN

I have done DIY subs before, and I have an amp or two (NAD) laying around that need some work ,I also have a pioneer SX-1250 with tuner issues that would make a mean amp with 8ohm subs. But, in this room, which is small, and our front room, + a very exploritive 1 1/2yo and two large dogs, makes this not the room for it. I have a really purpose built setup in here, other than the TV, I have stuff that can be replaced because of the room and because it is ALWAYS in use by the family. I have a Hi-Fi room upstairs, and eventually all of it will go downstairs in my media room. I am allowing my best buddy use my basement to get back on his feet, but he is doing well and I have a rental house lined up for him.

As stated before I am planning a purpose built media room (which is why I have been collecting things like amps and I also have a set of B&W speakers from a close friend in Ireland who gets the stuff blackmarket, I paid for shipping, An Epson projector, and other various pieces I have been collecting for my theater But in the mean time this system is going to be subdued, with the exception of the bass. So while 4 subs would be nice and is probably much closer to the high SPL I want(believe me my mind is rampant with DIY sub ideas. I love DIY audio!) I need to keep this room a bit more subtle for now.

Thanks guys! I am throwing a super budget off brand sub in the mix as well. The Premier Acoustics PA-150. I have been going back and fourth with a tech guy at HSU, so I hope that works out. They have gorgeous stuff, I never really looked into it being internet direct. I know they used to sell it at comp USA back in the day, but I never cared for that store. We will see, orders go out Tuesday :cool:

DrkHwk

I ran 2 12" velodyne subs if that helps ya. You can find the older ones pretty easily

DrkHwk

You can find the older ones pretty reasonably priced as well.

DrkHwk

For years I just ran one. After running the second one I had to turn down the volume on both, but I felt the bass was more evenly distributed.

detroitHOOLIGAN

Well I have tested subs in the $400 range, and I have to be honest, this is going to sound cliche' and fan boy-ish. But after trying a Klipsch 12d, HSU STF-2, and 2 505's from Amazon for $199 a piece, I have to give it to the polks.

In my setup, using two polks along the front wall in my nearly square room, gave the loudest response. Actually, 1 505 was louder than the Klipsch or the HSU. The HSU had a much smoother response, and required little to no "dial in" it just filled the gap under 80 HZ perfectly, but it had no volume and I tried it all over the room. Sounded great.Very smooth, but, no chest thump even with the receiver sub level and sub level pegged. The Klipsch I received was beat to hell (deep scratches,broken grill), and my old JBL sounded better IMO and in a couple of my buddies opinions.

If you like heavy bass, that is both smooth and can be kicked up to rock the house, I found the Polks to work best (in my case at least!).

I am still trying to dial them in (I am running opposite phase (I tried both ways it sounds better) it really is pretty smooth but there is a hole around 70hz (bass CD, not perfect I know, but on heavy rap it is noticeable) I cannot dial out, so I may have to go into the receivers EQ mode and dial it up on the Monitor 60's and run the LFE crossover at 60 hz. But I like a flatter sound, and I am afraid it will muddy up the sound. (How can you muddy up a bass heavy system? I dunno you just can

In conclusion, I am done shopping, this time at least for this month, and for home theater, with the receiver set at +1.5dB and the gain on the 505's @ 25%-30% with the phase set opposite of one another, it rocks. When they really break in I will really push them. As far as Heavy Metal and Rap, I can make my wife and dogs leave the room at half volume. If I reach behind the subs and crank them up to half, I can knock over pictures on our very solid built in hardwood bookshelves. That is as hard as I have pushed and they made me very happy. Best deal under $400? For a normal person, HSU. For a bass head, 505's. Except DIY! Because I don't want to get yelled at! thanks guys!

ss1

helpful info

dudeinaroom

Man with those DX-7s you should have all the bass you need. A couple of guys and I used to DJ with a pair of them, and we could shake the gym with a 35/ch Yamaha receiver powering them. If you aren't to fond of them, you could always take the 15s out of them, make enclosures for them and get all the boomy bass you ever wanted, with a power handeling capability of 400 watts and 102-104 db efficiency you could even make your neighbors shelves rattle. BTW hello fellow Michigander. I used to like in Hazel Park.

drummer87

PSW110 Great price and great sound got mine for 125 use it in my small-average living room system. Bass is good in music and great in movies!

be83663

I would recommend Velodyne EQ-Max 15 Inch Subwoofer for $750.

Spiffyfast

Been extremely happy with my svs, can pick up used in that budget