Def Tech Subwoofers

ledhed · September 2005

Back when we were building our HT, the dealer we bought our reciever from said that Def Tech subs were the cadillac of subwoofers. Just wondering what people here think of them. Im sure you have an answer Sid

gregure · September 2005

Def Tech Subs are boomy, inarticulate and sound like they're bottoming out all the time. Even the big, expensive Super Cubes are this way. They may put out a lot of thump, but unless you like rap music, they are not a great sub. Better for movies than music (well, they're terrible for music), but you can do so much better for the money. Spending the equivalent $$$ on SVS would give you a sub that is at least 3 times better. Martin Logan subs are also exceptional subs. Def Tech is more like the loud, souped up Harley Davidson that breaks down all the time. It may look cool, but is very loud and overbearing.

Airplay355 · September 2005

Man everyone needs to get off SVS's d***. SVS this and SVS that, I'd buy a different sub just so I didn't have one. Half the people that reccommend SVS's haven't heard any other sub then the **** sub they first started out with, so of course it's going to sound like the God of subwoofers.

If you are lookin for a sub, they go out and get your demo on. Talk to dealers who will let you bring stuff home. If not, and you were just lookin for info, then I'm sorry I took a dump on your thread.

faster100 · September 2005

Well airplay you could also put a spin on it and say, people need to do some damm research specially for a high dollar purchase and quit depending on other peoples advice for a purchase like this, Don't be mad because a product is that good, and people like it... no love it. We are on club polk not club martin logan so we aint all rich. so bang for buck, pound for pound SVS corners the market, we sure don't hear many other people comment about any other sub around here and we know people have used other subs. when i hear people like Doro, and madmax make comments or own SVS and we all know they have Nice rigs..... and Dr spec people we trust, that's enough for me.. plus ive owned 2 of them.. don't hate something you aint tried.

I'll assume you haven't

VR3 · September 2005

Def Tech subs suck.

HSU, SVS, Adire

emcclary · September 2005

When it comes to subs all anyone seems to recommend is the SVS or HSU which is a shame. Yes they are cheaper than a lot of subs in the market and even their websites drill you on the fact of how cheap they are. But to say that Def Tech subs a crap is just BS. It seems that every sub that is not mega bucks or SVS is rated like crap by people many of who I am sure have never heard a correctly calibrated sub in the store or their living space. Most consumer electronics stores have no idea how to setup their speakers for best fidelity. When I auditioned my Supercube1 they had the gain jacked all the way up and the crossover set at the next to highest frequency level. It sounded like Sh** and thats when I turned it around an found the settings mentioned. After turning the settings down to true sub like frequencies and a much llower gain they sounded very tight and clean. Go to your audio store and bring your own music to try them out b efore you buy and dont be afraid to alter the in store settings. If they tell you cant make any adjustments to the equipment go buy somewhere else.

VR3 · September 2005

I'm probally THE biggest Def Tech fan you will EVER see. Period. (You have an AWESOME system BTW)...

They arnt BAD subs, but they are fairly boomy, and they do not hit low, not even close to as low as DT says they do. The SC Reference's -3db point is like 27hz...if that.

DT states overall responses.

The SC Reference is a fairly expensive subwoofer to get medicore HT performance.

Its all about value.

But for a small subwoofer, Def Tech does a good job. Definitely.

Velodyne DD and Sunfire are other brands to look into for size.

faster100 · September 2005

bang for buck doesnt always mean cheap... SVS's aren't cheap... IE: cheap is the CC 99 buck sub, or 199.00 polk entry level, or KLH.. SVS would cost hundreds or more , if they were sold in stores for what you get. SVS sells 2500 dollar subs with world class finishes and woofers.. HSU is more budget minded IMO.. my first svs cost me 650 shipped, and my second cost me in at a grand shipped i think, or 950.00 can't remember.. that's not cheap and you get alot for that money.. Buy a sunfire for 1500 or buy a REL sub for upwards of 2 grand or more, you get a name, pay a middle man(ie:store) and i don't doubt it will sound good. for that price.. so hence why SVS is touted as bang for buck, NOT cheap, but cheaper then the competitors for the same or better performance..

Now either try a SVS or stop hateing, or just get your demo on and make your own decision

edit: "the dealer we bought our reciever from said that Def Tech subs were the cadillac of subwoofers."

More then likely they sold DT subs or knew someone who did.. hence the comment.. most salesman have a agenda

emcclary · September 2005

For a 14" cube subwoofer they are hard to beat. The problems of small cube subs has been explained here many times I am sure with their limited cabinet space and the volume of air they can move. But they have won as many awards from "high end" audio magazines as any of the forementioned speakers. Personally I dont put much into the reviews of magazines because history has proven a lack of neutrality in reviews in general. I am sure the SVS units are good as well but everything you read about them states that they are the best at their price point. Oh I wentwith the supercube 1 becuase of space limitations in the setup I am using now and it fit perfectly.

VR3 · September 2005

Actually SVS competes far beyond their price point, my lowly 600 dollar subwoofer can compete with much more expensive subwoofers on the market.

SVS has no middle man (the store), so that 50-60% mark up stores put on products is not in place with SVS subwoofers... so their value goes far beyond their asking price.

Your right, for a small cube, DT subs are good subs.

And agreed, reviews, etc don't mean much in the end result... its just good press that they paid for.

emcclary · September 2005

It all comes down to where you buy and what they sell. Lets face it every store is in business to "SELL" and you will never hear them badmouth one of their products against their competitiors. THe biggest problem with the SVS is getting to actually hear them. Unless you know someone who has a set of them for comparison you are stuck with buying and sending them back within their 45 day period. THere is an advantage to being able to actually listen to ten or twelve speakers in the same sound room even though it may cost you a few bucks more. Like I said svs makes good subs but they are not the end all in spoeakers nothing ever is.

emcclary · September 2005

By the way I will give credos to SVS in their manuals. They do give you much more info on setting up their subs than a lot of manufacturers do.

VR3 · September 2005

I believe you wouldnt have a problem finding a SVS demo in Northern NJ...

Im sure someone lives within 50 miles of you that owns one...

SVS is not the end all be all, of course... but they do indeed hold the value in the market along with companies like HSU.

Depends on how much you are willing to spend and what you are trying to obtain eh...

ledhed · September 2005

Well, I was just fishing for responses seeing as there are pretty much no high-end audio stores around here (East Tennessee) I believe Tweeter is right at the best we have. If there are other ones in Knoxville-Chattanooga area, they stay hidden. Hidden as in nothing in the Yellow Pages.

emcclary · September 2005

Sid

I know where I can demo one I already have. My thing is if you arent sure which size or unit you would need for your room you may be out of luck or be spending large amounts of time to try and find poeple who have different units for you to preview. You also wouldnt be able to hear them in the same sound room for direct comparison. What you save in taking out the middle man you give up somewhere else.

VR3 · September 2005

How big is your room?

emcclary · September 2005

My room is quite small by most standards it is 11 x17 and is used exclusively for the HT.

VR3 · September 2005

Exclusively for the HT?

Depending on your budget...

you are looking at PCi or PC+, the PCi would vary, in your room the PCI 20-39 would be a good bet, but I would skip that and go straight for the PC+ 25-31 since it is tuneable, etc...

Im not a box fan, but if thats your style, the PB12+ would be your ticket unless you wanted a cheaper sub like the PB12 ISD..

emcclary · September 2005

Yeah I use it only for Ht and my sons PS2. It is my room in the house everything tghat gets done in it is by my rules only. Even the wife doesnt have a problem with it I just give her the rest of the house.

emcclary · September 2005

Oh I demoed the SVS PB12 ultra at a buddies house up in northern Bergen county. Its just to much sub for my room in my opinion.

emcclary · September 2005

I also use bass traps in my room and when the re do is finished I will post photos.

hotwheelman · September 2005

ledhed wrote:

Well, I was just fishing for responses seeing as there are pretty much no high-end audio stores around here (East Tennessee) I believe Tweeter is right at the best we have. If there are other ones in Knoxville-Chattanooga area, they stay hidden. Hidden as in nothing in the Yellow Pages.

Yep, tweeter is the only one I could locate when we were down that way.

Hey not to derail this thread but the east Tn. forum members need to have a get together somtime, how bout it fellas?

ledhed · September 2005

I agree-There is you, Macleod and I know there are a few more-we might even be able to recruit a few N.C folk

VR3 · September 2005

Yeah Ultra anything would be to much for your room..

The Ultra is for rooms 20x20 (and larger)...

The ISD and + is where your at.

hotwheelman · September 2005

ledhed wrote:

I agree-There is you, Macleod and I know there are a few more-we might even be able to recruit a few N.C folk

Don't forget shack daddy. Lets see who all we can cull into this thing if they are interested and set a date, lets call it the "damn I wish I could have been at polkfest meet".

ledhed · September 2005

hotwheelman wrote:

Don't forget shack daddy. Lets see who all we can cull into this thing if they are interested and set a date, lets call it the "damn I wish I could have been at polkfest meet".

Lol, yea, maybe we can give out XM stickers....

gregure · September 2005

Well, this thread has certainly taken off.
I may have come off a little strong saying Def Tech is crap, but at least I supported my comments. Honestly, though, I really feel they are terrible subs, and to be as costly as they are, it's simply robbery.
I happen to work in a store where we take great care to dial in our subs, many of us are fanatical about spending time setting speakers up just right.
Next to REL and Martin Logan subs, Def Tech is just not very good. Why would a company like DT, which apparently has so much money to put multiple full-page ads in trade mags, need to overstate their frequency responses? Does anyone actually believe they're getting realistic and strong output to 15 Hz from one of their super towers? I don't hear it. The Super Cubes are, again, boomy and inarticulate. I believe a good sub should be good at both music and movies, although some subs, like most of REL's models, are actually geared more toward musicality than HT. The Q series does a fair job for both HT and music, and the 201 is smaller than a Super Cube II. The Q201 has one 10" driver in a tiny box cabinet and puts a SuperCube II to shame, as does a Martin Logan Grotto with one 10" driver. The Grotto is only $1000, not that much more than a Def Tech.

Honestly, I realize most people can't afford a Martin Logan Descent, or REL B1, which is why I normally recommend SVS, because it is an affordable way to get near that quality of performance. Those who would complain that we recommend SVS too much should compare them to similar priced subs and realize why we like them so much. You would have to spend upwards of $1500 - $4000 on a sub to get close to the performance of a SVS, depending on the model. If I could afford a Descent, I'd probably get one, but I'd seriously consider a SVS PB 12/2 Ultra as well.

The reality is that Def Tech is overrated, their subs are not worth the price tag, even dialed in properly, and SVS is the ****, especially for those of us on a budget.

VR3 · September 2005

Def Tech is NOT overstated. Get your facts straight.

Def Tech does not state -3db responses. They state overall responses. If you want to know the -3db response of any of their speakers, email Chet. If you dont want to email him, I'll ask him.

Def Tech is very liberal on everything they post. I honestly don't know WHY they dont post -3db responses. But when I asked Chet, he basically said the general public (95% of the population that buys HA products) just does not care about the -3db response, but only pay attention to the overall.

That was their excuse... but ya know.. who knows right?

I will tell you this, the Supercube Reference's -3db response is around 27hz. It has a large bump in its range around 50-60hz.

Also, audio is all about design goals. You should know this. Def Techs primary market is Home Theater. Very few people take them serious for music (thats everyone elses loss). But their HT subwoofers have always been boomy. They are geared torwards HT. They make ALOT of noise above 30hz and can dig down to about 22-24hz in a room. Is this alot? Not really - but it is what the general public wants. A small subwoofer that rattles their teeth.

They don't know the difference. To folks like us, they equate to crap. Although that crap may not have your desired sound. They are built like tanks. Each Supercube features 1" thick medite enclosures and some nice woofers. They are just setup differently.

mantis · September 2005

If you want to make a choice on a sub , get off the damn computer and go listen to some.

m-rorem · September 2005

While I don't agree with everything that has been said in this thread, I do have a lot of experience with many of the products discussed here.

I can tell you that IMHO SVS is one of, if not the best value in hometheater subs on the market. With that said, please note that I am not saying they are the best QUALITY/PERMFORMANCE subs on the market. I have used virtually every sub from Polk including the venerable PSW1200, Def-Tech, ADS, SVS PB12/2plus, and my current sub the Velodyne DD15. I can assure you that each of these has it's own merits and each offer a value in some area. However, the Velodyne DD15 is BY FAR the best sounding sub I have ever used, but not the best value as it sells for $4000.00 (almost twice that of the SVS PB12Ultra/2).

If your primary listening is with movies, then you will likely find that the SVS or Def-Tech will offer you all you need (with the SVS being the better value IMHO). But, if you are looking for the BEST sub (price no object) then there are certainly many other options on the market, many of which are FAR superior to the performance of SVS IMHO.

Of course, this is just my humble opinion, as mantis said, "get off the damn computer and go listen." Or better yet find a dealer that will allow you to "test-drive" some options in YOUR listening room with YOUR equipment. One thing great about SVS is their money back guarantee (less shipping). Also make sure you take the time to experiment with placement and equalization as your room will make a huge difference on how the sub performs. Placement options, unfortunately, is where SVS is lacking IMHO as they are much larger than most subs, and can be difficult to place in the room depending on your environment.

mrorem

ledhed · September 2005

The main problem I have is that I am a highschool student with no job. Money back? Ive got none to give so I can GET it back. And sadly, not many audio stores in my region. I was just wondering, seeing if the dealer was being honest or not. Thanx for all the help though. I really appreciate it

Def Tech Subwoofers

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