Two months ago I bought a new Sony 52W3000. I then discovered, a Pioneer receiver I purchased about three years on a close out sale, is a 110 Watt/channel 7.1 AVR with Dolby Digital etc. capability. After neglecting my audio system for many years, this knock your socks off TV and reasonably good AVR inspired me to dust off my old equipment, salvage what I could, buy new equipment as necessary, and put together a home theater. Yesterday I finally installed and wired the last piece; the surround speakers. My 5.1 system really put a smile on my face when I tested it with the lobby shootout scene in the first Matrix.

I am using a twenty year old NEC SW300 60 Watt subwoofer. I had to have the speaker rebuilt as the surrounds had decayed to dust but it now seems to work great. Some 'knowledgeable" friends strongly suggested that this pathetic 60 Watt device is not what the rest of my system deserves.

I would like to understand why I need a higher power subwoofer (e.g. 200-300 Watts) when the SW300 appears to fill my relatively large family room with plenty of bass. I have the gain set at only 50% so I would think that it even has unused capability. Is clipping and distortion an issue that I am blissfully ignorant of and will not appreciate what I am really missing unless I buy a higher powered unit?

If you really want to know what's missing, find some decent audio stores that specialize in HT and have smaller listening rooms. Don't go the the big box stores that have speakers and subs out on the main floor. Get a demo of a quality sub with good hardware driving the speaker system. When you actually feel gunshots, explosions and other LF special effects, you will then know what's missing at home.

If you heard a "real" subwoofer you would know why would want to upgrade. I good sub will make your room feel like it is shaking from the foundation. Even when you can't "hear" it your entire house will be shaking...

Actually those NEC subs are magic. They are small and have almost no amp but can still fill a room with more bass than anyone needs.

Hey if it sounds good to you than stick with it. However, you are posing the question to a bunch of bass obsessed people in here--so I am betting most will tell you that you should get a newer "better" sub. The old NEC truly may be a wonder and again if it sounds good to you enjoy it and don't worry about what others say. However, (here it comes) as good as you think it is I seriously doubt that thing digs very deep and you are more than likely missing quite a bit of information in most of todays movies. The subwoofer world has taken almost quantum leaps in just the last 2-3 years not to mention the last 10-20. It is just like most things. Think about the top of the line computer from 1995 right now. It would be completely useless--it wouldn't even have enough space to hold today's operating systems. Engineers and designers have been hard at work to sqeeze more and more performance out of subwoofers and even some of today's highly affordable mid level subs perform vastly better than some of the finest subs (that costed 10 times as much) of their time from just 7-10 years ago. Bass has come a long way--quickly. sub 30hz used to be considered crazy good, now it isn't even decent entry level. I am sure the NEC can pound and it probably does put out a lot of volume, I just doubt it is capable of what a high quality $500 sub is today. Again though if you are happy, stay happy, but you did ask the question so...

If you heard a "real" subwoofer you would know why would want to upgrade. I good sub will make your room feel like it is shaking from the foundation. Even when you can't "hear" it your entire house will be shaking...

BINGO

I appreciate all the responses.

I think I might be able to borrow a Defintive Technology Super Cube II. It should be simple to compare it to my previously esteemed NEC SW300.

Now that I am very focused on the bass, I suspect the bass from a high powered high quailty unit will sound much more "crisp". The bass now seems to "rumble".

Thanks again for the help.

BTW, the "power" of the sub isn't the important factor, it's the driver and the box design (+power). A big 15" subwoofer with 100 watts will likely outperform any 10" subwoofer with however many watts you can feed it.

And, yes, subwoofer driver design has come a long way in a short period of time. 5 or 6 years ago a subwoofer with 15 mm of excursion (= how much the woofer can move) was a top of the line sub, now you aren't in the game with less than 20 mm of excursion. Your sub probably has 4-6 mm of excursion. If you're lucky, 8-10 mm. But, more importantly, it probably (surely) wasn't designed to produce the sounds that are typical in today's movie soundtracks.

The only problem with using the SC2 is that it is by no means what most here consider a "Real" subwoofer. It simply will not be a good comparison at all (Kind of like a VW bug compared to an Enzo) to the Hsu, ED, SVS, AV123 MFW15, Epik etc. And keep in mind a lot of the subs these companies make are actually less money than the SC 2 you are going to be using. Coming from a sub I thought was "good" and going to an actual Awesome sub, I can tell you the difference is night and day. You will hear things you never even knew were in movies and with POWER!!!!! It is like comparing a tack-hammer to a 12 pound dead-blow sledge hammer. It will be huge difference. The SC 2 will probably show you some more, but the ones mentioned above will show you a lot more, for an awesome price.:cool:

Though I've not heard one, by many accounts the Definitive Technolosgy Super Cube II does not sound "crisp".

To more get the idea of what is being discussed here, you might want to try and find a high end audio store in your area where you could demo a JL Fathom or a Paradigm Servo15. Anything else that would fit the bill, for a reasonable price, is likely going to be internet direct (SVS, Epik, AV123, Hsu, etc...).


Tim