Need a sub

[madmax1]

OK heres my system so far:

Yamaha 1300 receiver
B&W 602 s3 Mains
Polk audio center and rears( gonna change these to B&W soon!)

I want to bye a sub next,have about $1300 to spend, but if i dont need that much then i can get my B&W center and rears sooner??
My room is about 15X20
95% movies
5% music
Want to feel the bass during a good movie, nice and tight responce!
Box or cylinder it doesnt matter.

[Mash]

The best deep bass will be had from a Paradigm or Velodyne Servo-15. (The Velodyne Servo-18 seems to be overkill, except for fanatics.) A non-servo-feedback sub will simply not be competitive in the sound-quality department with these servo-feedback-controlled subs. Do a web search on "servo-feedback controll" and you should get the picture.

$1300 should pick up a new Paradigm Servo-15. $700 should pick up a nice USED Paradygm or Velodyne Servo-15.

[This Guy]

I say you look at SVS. Big ported subs with power=HT dream subs. I'm not sure of their current models, but I'd get two tubes with the crown amp. Normally I would agree with Mash on the Servo subs, but I have a feeling that feature would be wasted if you're mainly watching movies. The servo subs aren't as efficient so they wouldn't go quite as loud as a pair of SVSubwoofers.This is my opinion based on their specs and reviews, I haven't personally heard either.

-Joey

[Woochifer]

Whatever sub you wind up going with, definitely read up on how to properly set it up. In addition, you should get some tools to measure the levels and frequency response for the sub. A SPL meter, setup DVD, and test tones (can download test tones or buy a test disc from Stryke and other vendors) are the bare minimum you should go with. In a typical small to medium sized room, you will wind up with at least one or two room-induced problems at specific frequencies. If those problems are peaks, then it can make the sub sound excessively boomy. Ideally, you want the response as flat as possible so that you can set the subwoofer level based on the overall level rather than letting a high peak at one frequency dictate the setting. The way to address this issue is with bass traps and/or a parametric equalizer. In my system, the parametric EQ was a critical difference maker with the subwoofer.

The subs that seem to be most frequently recommended include SVS, Hsu, Velodyne, Adire, Paradigm, and Rocket. Unfortunately, most of these are mail order brands, so you can't do a comparison unless you buy them first. The thing about evaluating subs is that their sound is largely dictated by the room acoustics, so what you hear in one demo room could sound entirely different in another room. The main distinction to watch out for is a sealed sub versus a ported one. Ported subs will give you higher output down to the tuned port frequency, while sealed subs will give you a deeper extension, albeit with a dropoff that begins sooner and a lower overall output. Most home theater subs are ported because of their higher efficiency, but you also get a wider range of sound quality with ported subs as well because it's more difficult to design those types of subs properly.

[mtrycraft]

OK heres my system so far:

Yamaha 1300 receiver
B&W 602 s3 Mains
Polk audio center and rears( gonna change these to B&W soon!)

I want to bye a sub next,have about $1300 to spend, but if i dont need that much then i can get my B&W center and rears sooner??
My room is about 15X20
95% movies
5% music
Want to feel the bass during a good movie, nice and tight responce!
Box or cylinder it doesnt matter.

I would also suggest you check into the SVS sub. Very powerfull and goes deep and loud.

[topspeed]

Why not B&W's subs? They are sealed and very musical (as far as subs go) and the new PV1 is wild! DefTech also makes very powerful, very good sounding subs in their SuperCubes.

[Bryan]

Room size? Openings into other rooms?

Without that knowledge:

1. SVS PB2-Plus. All of $1,298 delivered. Downside is it only comes in black. However, it will go with anything.
2. SVS PB1-Plus. Another $1,198 delivered subwoofer. Here you have your choice of four wood looks.
3. Rockets upcoming UFW-12. Look for it to go for around $1,200 but you can get dual UFW-10s in the mean time.
4. VMPS Larger Subwoofer with Megawoofers. $929. A monster of a sub. Will need amplification for it such as a Crown XLS 402 amp for $329 delivered from PartsExpress.
5. ACI Titan. $1,050 plus shipping.
6. Paradigm Servo 15 (try haggling).
7. SVS PC-Ultra. $1,149 plus shipping.
8. SVS 20-39PC+. $825.

Of course, you should be able to mix and match. For example, use a single Rocket UFW-10 for frequencies between 40 - 80Hz and a SVS 20-39PCi for everything below that.

[Mikey]

SVS's tend to be boomy as hell, slow and innacurate. A Paradigm Servo 15 will serve the music much beter. If you're just into a blob of low frequency energy rattling your windows SVS is fine but for proper reproduction the Paradigm will stomp all SVS products.

[Bryan]

I would hardly classify the SVS subs as "boomy as hell, slow, and innacurate." My experience has been far from it. My VMPS Large Subwoofer is better than the SVS for both music and HT but the difference isn't great enough to make me trade in or sell one sub for the other. I would classify a boomy sub as one that tends to exagerates frequencies from 35Hz - 63Hz. The Sony SA-WM40 is a boomy sub. My SVS 20-39CSi is in a completely different league.

Now a servo sub will be better for music but it will be closer than you may initially think. Of course, the Rocket UFW-10 should give the Servo 15 a run for its money with music but the Servo 15 will easily be the victor for HT. Best compromise to me would be to mix and match the Rocket and SVS.