Richard - I need some sub suggestions

[hertz]

Hi
I am looking for a sub around 1200$. The use is 70/30 music/movies. So that makes me a music lover. I am planing to mate this with a high quality bookshelf speaker like the dynaudio contour1.3.I need a powerfull, fast, very low distortion sub which can go down to atleast 25 HZ flat.It needs to mate well with the fast bookshelf speaker and produce tunefull, clean bass. I listen to Jazz and rock. When I listen to the double bass in diana krall's cd, I need the clean, fast, realistic tunefull bass and when I listen to pink floyd, I need to feel the tactile, tight, deep extended bass line.I actually prefer a high end fullrange floorstanding speaker but they are way out of my budget now. So I want to settle down with a good quality sub/bookshelf setup for a while.It is strictly two channel due to budget limitations.
I was thinking about the REL Strata 3.
Any thoughts ?

[bargainseeker]

I am not Richard, but a subwoofer you may want to consider in that price range is the SVS PC-Ultra (http://www.svsubwoofers.com/subs_pc_ultra.htm). There is a thread here (http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=226179) describing the results of someone who recently bought one of these subs primarily for music.

[hertz]

I am not Richard, but a subwoofer you may want to consider in that price range is the SVS PC-Ultra (http://www.svsubwoofers.com/subs_pc_ultra.htm). There is a thread here (http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=226179) describing the results of someone who recently bought one of these subs primarily for music.
Thanks........I am following it up.....:))

[Richard Greene]

Fast bass requires the use of a dipole subwoofer (usually DIY) or a parametrically equalized monopole subwoofer in most rooms (I'd say 90%) to reduce the effects of bass resonances caused by standing waves between opposing room surfaces.

Without EQ subs are rarely better than +/- 10 dB at the listening position.
There are usually two or three audible bass peaks under 80Hz.

With EQ you can expect +/-5dB or better at the listening position.
Nearby seats will benefit too.

In most rooms, the Parts Express Titanic 15" kit (one hour assembly) plus a Behringer 1124 parametric equalizer ($100) will provide more natural sounding reproduction of bass instruments than ANY unequalized monopole subwoofer at ANY price.

That's how important the room acoustics (and parametric EQ to eliminate bass peaks) are for generating high quality bass.

[Worf101]

I, for one, am very glad to see you back. I remember you from the "bad ole days" and I'm happy to see you here once again....

Da Worfster :D

[hertz]

Fast bass requires the use of a dipole subwoofer (usually DIY) or a parametrically equalized monopole subwoofer in most rooms (I'd say 90%) to reduce the effects of bass resonances caused by standing waves between opposing room surfaces.

Without EQ subs are rarely better than +/- 10 dB at the listening position.
There are usually two or three audible bass peaks under 80Hz.

With EQ you can expect +/-5dB or better at the listening position.
Nearby seats will benefit too.

In most rooms, the Parts Express Titanic 15" kit (one hour assembly) plus a Behringer 1124 parametric equalizer ($100) will provide more natural sounding reproduction of bass instruments than ANY unequalized monopole subwoofer at ANY price.

That's how important the room acoustics (and parametric EQ to eliminate bass peaks) are for generating high quality bass.

Hi Richard,
Right now I am based in india.I need to find out if parts express will deliver out here.If they don't, I will need to pick up some branded sub available here. The brands available here are:
1.REL
2.INFINITY
3.QUAD L SERIES
4.VELODYNE
5.Paradigm

I know that a parametric equalizer is needed to reduce peaks. Do any of the aforementioned brands have any with eq in my price range ? I could try out the internet direct companies like HSU and SVS also.

[bargainseeker]

A Behringer Feedback Destroyer (http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=248-656) is a parametric equalizer that can be used with any subwoofer. It may be available to you locally from a supplier that specializes in Pro Audio, DJ and/or musician equipment.

[kexodusc]

I'll second Mr. Greene's sentiments on the 15" Titanic MKIII...the reviews from knowledgeable people in this industry about that subwoofer are nothing short of spectacular. Best part is it's affordable because it's a DIY kit...less labour/overhead mark-up.

If that's not available to you, I'd recommend checking out Hsu Research, Velodyne, or Paradigm...Hsu Research seems to pass off the least amount of marketing hooplah of all speaker manufacturers I've seen...a nice change.

Budget for a BFD as well...

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I, for one, am very glad to see you back. I remember you from the "bad ole days" and I'm happy to see you here once again....

Da Worfster :D

Bad ole days, when was that? When we fought alot here??? LOL

I second that, I really missed my boss.

[Worf101]

Bad ole days, when was that? When we fought alot here??? LOL

I second that, I really missed my boss.

You know FULLLLL WELLLLL exactly what "bad ole days" I referring to. There was a time here a noob woulda been shot fulla holes and strung up from the nearest tree. If you didn't have at least 500 posts you were considered a "punk kid" and a snot nose. Instead of the Hatfield's and McCoy's we had the "nOrh's" and the "Swan Divas". And lets not even mention (he says in a hoarse whisper) "double blind testing" of cables..... Ohhh it was a sad, sad time in da land....

Da Worfster :(

[Richard Greene]

1.REL -- reputation exceeds actual performance (average for the price)
2.INFINITY -- some models with one or more parametric EQ bands have an advantage
3.QUAD L SERIES - no experience with Quad subs
4.VELODYNE - good reputation for 15" & 18" driver models (forget 8" & 10" models)
5.Paradigm - Servo 15" is a winner, but cheaper models are only average for the price

HSU and SVS and ADIRE AUDIO = great bargains by eliminating the middleman -- but their ported designs may overload small rooms under 200 square feet with excessive output at 20Hz.

Buy a Behringer 1124 12-band stereo parametric equalizer for $99 before it's replaced by a twice-as-expensive new model. I own one that I thought was the most incredible bargain of any audio component I've purchased since the 1960's (hundreds).
And I paid $120.

Some subs have one band of parametric EQ built in at an affordable price (better than none) but only 20-30% of rooms need only one band of EQ (most rooms need two to five EQ bands).

[hertz]

Thanks guys.

[thepogue]

i gotta a couple questions...

1 where does the Behringer "plug into" your system?

2 how does it work...does it just send a signal to cancel a certain fequency?

3 is it only ti "fix" problems? I dont know that I have any real issues w/ my 2 channel system (paradigm 100/ w Monitor Audio ASW 210 sub) or will it imporve on what I'm already hearing?

thnaks for your advice in advance and good to see no blood-letting here (at this time anyhow ;)



Peace, Pogue