Help choosing subwoofer for HT

jc2001

I'm looking to buy a sub to go with the following setup for my HT.

LSiM 703 front L/R (new)
TL2 satellite speakers for rear (new)
CSi230 center (old)
Yamaha Aventage receiver A740. (new)

I was originally going to get a PSW505 but I missed the opportunity to buy it on sale. I can't find it on sale and seems like some people have had issues with them not lasting very long. So now I'm looking at the DSWpro 550 or 660. It will be mostly for music and movies (netflix/bluray). Our room size is 13.5' x 21'.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

In case you were wondering I am retiring an old pair of RT1000i tower speakers
and replacing with the 703's in combination with a quality sub.

Jeff

ken brydson

SVS has a 45 day in home trial with free shipping both ways. You can get a PB1000 for $499 or watch their outlet section for deals on B-stock.

Nightfall

If I could make a suggestion, as far as your AVR, I wouldn't go with the 700 or 800 series. Bump up to the 1000 series or higher. The RX-A740 is $650 at Best Buy brand new, you can buy a RX-A2020 or RX-A3010 for the same price at accessories4less.com The 700 and 800 series are (basically) glorified RX-V's. When you step up to the 1000 series and up you get a real Aventage: much heavier (better power supply), symmetrical power amp layout, vibration damping, and more features. The RX-A3010 was over $2,000 dollars when it came out. I promise you you'll be happier with it, unless you really have to have Dolby Atmos.

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/category/avreceiver/home-audio/receivers-amps/home-theater-receivers/1.html?skip_redirect_suffix=&view_id=5f7f22cfacae8cbe3a40279bcea93e1c410c8973&mode=&search_query=&category=&thumb_sort=brand.desc


For a sub, see if you can find a SVS on your local Craigslist.

EndersShadow

First, welcome to the forum.

Second, nice little setup you've got there.

Third, in regards to your question....

Most of us here agree Polk has some great speakers. Their sub's IMHO dont offer the same price to performance ratio as their speakers. Many of us find subs from companies such as Outlaw Audio, SVS, PSA, HSU, and others offer better values.

I myself had a Polk PSW-125 and found it to be very anemic compared to the sub I later bought (used) which was a eD A2-300 (an internet direct company that since folded).

I think for the price your looking to spend on the DSW's you could buy a similar or maybe slightly more expensive sub from someone like Outlaw Audio (LFM-1) which would perform better.

My suggestion would be to list what your sub budget is and see if we cant recommend some better options to get more bang for your buck.

Myself I could say the Outlaw Audio LFM series, HSU VTF series, SVS ported subs are probably close to the same price but would perform better IMHO.

And again, welcome to the forum!

shadowlight

Another sub company to add to the mix is Rythmik Audio and their LV12 (own the GR Research version of the Sealed Servo Sub)

Inspector 24

HSU VTF-15h Mk2. Biggest bang for the buck short of building one yourself.

VTF-3 Mk5 very close second.

teekay0007

I can't comment on the above mentioned subs since I haven't heard them myself. However, I do currently have two Polk DSWPRO550wi subs that I use at least one of almost every day. I use them for HT (movies, TV, etc.) and music and think that they do a terrific job for both. I've used them with LSiM703s as well as my SDAs and Monitor 10s as fronts. They complement each of the setups admirably and I've received many compliments from friends and family members that they sound great and really fill out the low ends nicely.

They sound MUCH better than other subs I had tried previously and I would highly recommend them. I also found them to be more to my liking than the 660 for music. I can't comment on their wireless function since I haven't tried that application. The 550 would be plenty enough to fill out your room size too, in my opinion.

jc2001

Thanks everyone for your help. I guess I should add that my budget is $500-$600. The hardest part for me is where can I sample the outlaw, HSU, VTF, or DSW 550?? The reason why I was leaning toward a polk sub was my belief that it would balance well with the other polk speakers. I'm looking for musicality and only secondarily to shake the room during a movie. My fear would be getting something too boomy or overwhelming that the quality sound coming from the 703's gets lost.

Thanks.

PSOVLSK

ken brydson wrote: »

SVS has a 45 day in home trial with free shipping both ways. You can get a PB1000 for $499 or watch their outlet section for deals on B-stock.

They can do that because no one ever returns one

tonyb

jc2001 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your help. I guess I should add that my budget is $500-$600. The hardest part for me is where can I sample the outlaw, HSU, VTF, or DSW 550?? The reason why I was leaning toward a polk sub was my belief that it would balance well with the other polk speakers. I'm looking for musicality and only secondarily to shake the room during a movie. My fear would be getting something too boomy or overwhelming that the quality sound coming from the 703's gets lost.

Thanks.

Hi JC,

Don't fret over balancing a sub brand with the same brand as the speakers. Low bass isn't brand exclusive like trying to voice match speakers. What you do need is a sub than can keep up musically with the speakers in speed.

That said, Polks DSW or Micro pro subs are better than the PSW lines, which are more so HT subs. The other brands mentioned are also extremely good and would encourage you to look in that direction. Some are internet based brands with no showrooms so I get your concerns about hearing them first.

However, if you stick to that philosophy, your limiting yourself to what the big box stores sell, and believe us, many better products await outside that line of thinking. HSU...Velodyne...SVS, are going to out perform anything big box stores sell.

A boomy sub has more to do with the settings you choose and placement in a given room. With any sub, those parameters are to be adjusted by you, the user.

For the 703's, Polk's micro pro subs would work well, as with any of the other brands mentioned. Good luck to you in your search.

mikeyb128

I've had quite a few polk subs. Psw 505,303. Psw 112, micro pro 3000, dsw 500. The micro pro and dsw Subs were by far the best. I did like the 505 for the money, but at that time I like loud crappy boomy base. A svs pb for sb1000 walks all over polk subs. im absolutely floored at what my little sb1000 can do, and everyone is as equally floored by the output vs size. I preach svs only because I've had 5 of them. A friend has the rhythmic fv 15ph and is absolutely amazing. Any of the other members mentioned subs are great.

Couger

I bought an SVS based on the reviews and I dare say its been the best decision I have made in years. I never knew what "tight bass" and "pressurizing the room" meant until I tried it. I have Polk 70s, 60s, 30s in an 11.1 setup and the bass is crazy good.

The wife complained about the size but even she admits it sounds great. I will never by any other sub.

tonyb

Couger wrote: »

I bought an SVS based on the reviews and I dare say its been the best decision I have made in years. I never knew what "tight bass" and "pressurizing the room" meant until I tried it. I have Polk 70s, 60s, 30s in an 11.1 setup and the bass is crazy good.

The wife complained about the size but even she admits it sounds great. I will never by any other sub.

Cool man, which SVS did you grab ? Welcome to the club too btw.

Tight bass ? We men like everything tight don't we. Tight screws, tight rear ends, tight bass.....it's all relative.

Couger

I have had my SVS for a few years, it's the PB12-NSD. It's only 400 watts but it fills my 13x14 room with 14 foot cellings easily.

doggie750

SVS all day.

jc2001

Thanks everyone for your help. I went ahead and purchased the SVS PB1000 and I decided to go with the Yamaha Aventage RX-1050. I bought Polk LSiM 703 bookshelf speakers for front and Polk TL3 for the rears. I can't wait for everything to arrive and set it up. My ears have been adjusted to my old system for so many years I'm interested to see what my ears pick up with this new setup.

Mikey081057

You will be happy with SVS... There are very few folks that aren't blown away by their SVS subs... My single SVS-PB13 ultra replaced dual Polk MP3K subs and it wasn't even close.

It was so dramatic that I am embarrassed to put the MicroPro's up for sale.

rooftop59

Mikey081057 wrote: »

It was so dramatic that I am embarrassed to put the MicroPro's up for sale.

I think you should, in a small two channel setup I bet one or both of those would be sweeet...

EndersShadow

Mikey081057 wrote: »

It was so dramatic that I am embarrassed to put the MicroPro's up for sale.

I agree. Ship them to my house and I will put them in my closet to live out their lives in shame...

MetropolisLake

jc2001 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your help. I guess I should add that my budget is $500-$600.

For that kind of money you could have two of these:

http://stereointegrity.com/product/ht18-18-subwoofer/

and one of these:

http://www.parts-express.com/behringer-nu3000dsp-inuke-3000-watt-power-amplifier-with-dsp--248-6706


And it will literally run all over these other dinky little subs people are posting. Of course you'd still have the cost of the box and wire and will have to build it. If that's not your thing, you can start with one of these:

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-18-ultimax-subwoofer-and-cabinet-bundle--300-7099

Those flat packs are stupid easy to build. Add some terminals and wire, maybe a pint of paint and some poly fill, you could do it for less than $700.