Need a Tight Punchy Sub...

[mrrev]

Okay guys, need your audiophile experience, I have a dennon 3805 with polks for the mains, center and surrounds, and an HSU VTF-2. Awesome sub, but I can't get it to sound tight and punchy. I'm thinking of a second sub to place in the room, since it's a wide open room with openings into the dining room, kitchen and a first room. Before the HSU purchase I was considering a SVS, but seems that after much research, the SVS would be like the HSU, deep, deep bass. So my question is, what sub is out there with a punchy, tight bass. I'm considering the Velodine DPS 10 at this point, based on my previous research. This second sub will be combined with the HSU. Thx again for your suggestions and thoughts...rev

[jrhymeammo]

Going with a 10" subs will satisfy to in general. Try to look for a sealed sub, instead of a ported design. So said you are cuurently looking at the Velo DPS10. Are you trying to keep your budget around $500?

-JRA

[anamorphic96]

Okay guys, need your audiophile experience, I have a dennon 3805 with polks for the mains, center and surrounds, and an HSU VTF-2. Awesome sub, but I can't get it to sound tight and punchy. I'm thinking of a second sub to place in the room, since it's a wide open room with openings into the dining room, kitchen and a first room. Before the HSU purchase I was considering a SVS, but seems that after much research, the SVS would be like the HSU, deep, deep bass. So my question is, what sub is out there with a punchy, tight bass. I'm considering the Velodine DPS 10 at this point, based on my previous research. This second sub will be combined with the HSU. Thx again for your suggestions and thoughts...rev

Have you thought about contacting HSU. Dr. Hsu is very helpful on getting your sub set up correctly. Sounds like you might have a placement issue and problems with room resonances. Every Hsu sub I have heard has been very tight and clean sounding.

Setup is the absolute key to making a sub sound good. I have heard cheap subs sound respectable with proper setup.

Send a room layout with dimensions and see what Dr. Hsu says before you spend more money. It can't hurt anything.

[paul_pci]

I would also venture to say that lack of proper calibration, which is very difficult with a sub, is mostly likely the problem here. There are equailzers on the market to assist with getting the proper frequency response out of a sub viz a viz the room acoustics. The Berringer Feedback Destroyer is a popular model. Havent' worked with it myself (but should), so hopefully others that have will come along and give their input.

[drseid]

Try the UFW-10 from AV123.com out. The link follows ... http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=subwoofers&product=1.1 . At $599, it is a good value, but also check out the web site for B-stock discounts (usually in the $100-150 range). I bought one for my dad for music use and he could not be happier. I will warn you though that the UFW-10 is not going to crank out the SPLs like your Hsu (nor the SVS), but it does keep the bass tight.

---Dave

[kelsci]

Some receivers out of their sub outputs may produce a "punchier" sound than others. Such was the case of a Sherwood 7500 versus a 6095R. I just listened to a few receivers in a store of which I intend to write about my findings. I did get to hear a Denon 3806 in two settings. IMHO this unit did not sound like it had "punchy" sound though it was tight and clean. The only receivers that IMHO had this "punchy" sound were a Elite 80 and 81 by Pioneer. On the same token, some sub cables may give a punchier sound than others. However finding one that does it is anothe story. One that I heard that seemed to give a more punchier sound was the 400 sub cable by monster. My brother was using an older 100 cable from Monster that did not have the "punch" on his Mirage S-12 sub. Before jumping into anything, I would take the advice of the other members of audioreview who posted before me. Perhaps contacting Dr. Hsu is a good idea.

[Rock789]

if you do want a new sub... build your own ;o)
or go with a kit:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-760
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-762
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-764

[GMichael]

if you do want a new sub... build your own ;o)
or go with a kit:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-760
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-762
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-764

I can vouch for the 15". It pounds hard and tight. It's a sealed sub and built well.

[kexodusc]

I'll second the notion of getting a sealed sub. Unless you experiment with variable port tuning far below the frequency of resonance of the woofer, you're not going to get the "punchiness" and musical quality a sealed desing offers over a ported.

The Titanic 15" is a good place to start.

I also agree, that you can probably do more sub calibration and set up to improve the sound you are getting, which might be the cheapest, and easiest solution for now. I'd recommend you learn as much as you can about calibrating subs, there's enough info in the archives here that a few searches would provide. You'd need to calibrate any new sub regardless. Parametric equalization from a unit such as the Behringer Feedback Destroyer, and proper sub placement and even room treatment will make a significant difference in the sound quality of any sub.