Sub for around $400?

Looking for a good sub for mostly 2 channel music to compliment standmounts (yet to be determined)? I have a small room so I'm not looking for a monster, just something to fill in the gap of bookshelfs.

The adire audio rava and partsexpress.com 10" Titanic kit both sound perfect for you. The Rava will go a little louder and lower, but it's also more expensive. Since it's just for music I would stick to these sealed subs.

www.adireaudio.com

www.partsexpress.com

-Joey

The sub would be for both music and movies, but not a true/full HT setup (although I'm leaning towards multi-channel for sacd). I'm not really up on subs so I'm unaware of the advantages/disadvantages of sealed vs. other types of subs.

Sealed subs tend to give a tighter/snappier sound than ported boxes at the expense of being less efficient. They also can go lower given the same driver being used. Sealed boxes roll off at 12 dB per octave while poreted boxes are 24 dB per octave. So the roll-off on the sealed is much shallower. Ported boxes are louder all the way to its tuning frequency. A filter should be used in a ported sub so that it doesn't play much below it's tuning frequency. This would cause the cone to flap around and possibly cause damage, because it became unloaded from the box (it's just like running the sub in free-air). They tend to be not as tight. and better for movies. However, well designed ported and sealed boxes can be just as good for both.

-Joey

Dual 10" woofers in a push-pull design. 250 watt digital amp (power rating seems true to me, have pushed this sub hard) Can buy for about $230.00 shipped online.

Not the build quality you'll find in more expensive subs. Very clever design. Loud, low, and believe it or not musical. (nothing like the boomy subs Sony generally makes)

Think you can actually go hear one at Circuit City. Might be surprised . Love mine and think it would be hard to beat for under $500.00

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Originally Posted by soundslike

Looking for a good sub for mostly 2 channel music to compliment standmounts (yet to be determined)? I have a small room so I'm not looking for a monster, just something to fill in the gap of bookshelfs.

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look at the HIGHLY acclaimed www.partsexpress.com dayton titanic mk III 10" sub.

The xmax is far better than many premium 12 and 15" subs.

The sub will *obliterate* any $600 commerical 10" sub.

I echo what TG said. The sealed design makes for quicker transient response and lower bass extension. The disadvantage is that they are less efficient and the dropoff in the low end response begins sooner than with a comparable sealed design. Ported subs can sound very even down to the tuned port frequency, but as TG points out, once you go below that frequency, then the dropoff is very rapid and introduces other issues. There are plenty of decent ported subs out there, but it is more difficult to design those right.

If you want to maximize the performance out of your sub, then you should make sure to also at least get a SPL meter to correctly set the levels. And to really get the best possible bass that's tight and well blended in with your main speakers, you should do in-room response measurements using test tones. This will help you both identify the best spot for the crossover, as well as any room-induced issues like large peaks and/or cancellations at specific frequencies.

Large peaks are the most frequent cause of boomy sounding bass because they are tied to the room acoustics (which is by far the most neglected aspect of audio, even though IMO it is up there with speakers as the most critical element of your system), and ways that you get rid of those are with a parametric equalizer and/or bass traps. A parametric EQ will cost you as little as $100, and IMO it's the best investment you can possibly make in your system if you own a subwoofer.

Hsu Research STF-2
$399
http://www.hsuresearch.com/

If my original VTF-2 is any indication, it will more than fill in the gap. :D

Here you have some usual suspects. Adire Audio Rava, HSU VTF-2 or STF-2, Titanic kit, or add on the upcoming SVS PB10-ISD.

My listening room is 11 X 11 and I'm very pleased with the Velodyne VX-10, Got it for about $250 at Tweeter but now I see it online for $150 to $200.

I auditioned it in store with some nice Diana Krall and was surprised by the extremely tight sound.

I bought a DefTech Pro Sub 80 $299 at a clearance sale for my stereo 2-channel setup; I installed it between my receiver and a pair of Klipsch speakers and I am very impressed that for the size and the price it compared very nicely with my much more expensive SVS upstairs. It is a very compact unit, has all the necessary connections, and has plenty of bass (down to 20Hz). Here are the specs from their website:

Dimensions: 9-1/2" W x 15-1/4" D x 12-1/2" H
Frequency Response: 21 — 150 Hz
Driver Complement: One high-definition 8" driver with polymer cone
Built-in Amplifier: 250 watts RMS
Low Pass Crossover: 24 dB/octave continuously adjustable variable (40 —100 Hz), plus direct LFE input option
High Pass Crossover: 6 dB/octave at 80Hz
Auto On/Off: Signal sensing.
Finish: Black ash or white laminate
Weight: 24 lbs.
Retail: $350 ea.