MikeHerbst
08-18-08, 02:23 PM
Hello all. The budget KLH subwoofer in my family room went bye-bye this weekend. Since I bought it for like $130 at Costco six or seven years ago, its hard to be too mad.
Need help finding a replacement, but have a few odd things about my room that I need to factor in. In an attempt to be a good forum citizen, here's the relevant data requested by the "Want advice on what sub to purchase" thread:
1. Your budget: I'm willing to go up to about $350 to my door. Either shipped or picked up from a SoCal brick & mortar.
2. Size requirements/limits: Must be cubical (not cylindrical), anything up to about 20" on each side would probably work, but smaller will make the wife happy.
3. Room dimensions: I think about 20 x 30, with low-ish (9ft?) ceilings, however:
Problem #1: Family room is wider than it is deep, and open along the right "wall" to a hallway and the kitchen, probably 600 sqft or so, not counting the air mass of the kitchen/hallway beyond the virtual fourth wall. Viewing position is 8-14 ft. from sub location (one end of couch to the other, see below)
Problem #2: Due to the layout and architecture of my late '70's home, and the decorating sense of my wife, the only viable place to put the sub is in the front left corner of the room. On the hearth. Yes, I have to put my sub on top of a brick hearth about 24" deep, elevated ~4" above the main floor of the room. One wall of the corner is drywall, the other is brick. I'm assuming this means downfiring subs are a no-no. I had my previous sub in the corner at a 45' angle with the rear port into the corner and the driver into the room, that seemed to minimize boominess...
For completeness: The floor is tile, the rear wall is almost entirely glass but usually with a curtain drawn across, and the remaining walls are drywall. Probably a rug over the tile in the near future. If the wife finds one she likes. ;)
4. Primary uses: 60% TV/Home theater, 30% gaming, 10% music. Receiver and its speakers/sub are used for all viewing, even TV. I'd love to say that I'll be spending a lot of time listening to my SACD player, but the reality is that any music I hear will be coming off of iTunes on the HTPC...
5. Listening habits: Mostly tame volume levels. Occasionally the wife lets me blast an action movie at higher volumes, but realistically volumes are typically low enough to permit conversation over the top.
6. Appearance requirements: A black cube is probably OK, since its what was there before and the wife has "gotten used" to it. Something with a woodgrain cabinet might be better or worse, depending on whether or not it matches the other wood in the room. (Wife again)
7. Timeframe. Since my main speakers are the older Energy Take5 series (quite small), I'm certainly suffering without a sub, so I'd like to get something in place within a few weeks. Doesn't have to be picked up from a B&M by the end of the day, but I can't wait months either.
I hope someone can help. I'm trying to keep my needs very realistic here, as the rest of the system is evolving from an extremely "budget" setup, but I have been replacing things with better quality gear as needed. My usual goal is to get something better than what failed or is otherwise being replaced, and eventually the whole system improves, albeit slowly.
Thanks much!
Need help finding a replacement, but have a few odd things about my room that I need to factor in. In an attempt to be a good forum citizen, here's the relevant data requested by the "Want advice on what sub to purchase" thread:
1. Your budget: I'm willing to go up to about $350 to my door. Either shipped or picked up from a SoCal brick & mortar.
2. Size requirements/limits: Must be cubical (not cylindrical), anything up to about 20" on each side would probably work, but smaller will make the wife happy.
3. Room dimensions: I think about 20 x 30, with low-ish (9ft?) ceilings, however:
Problem #1: Family room is wider than it is deep, and open along the right "wall" to a hallway and the kitchen, probably 600 sqft or so, not counting the air mass of the kitchen/hallway beyond the virtual fourth wall. Viewing position is 8-14 ft. from sub location (one end of couch to the other, see below)
Problem #2: Due to the layout and architecture of my late '70's home, and the decorating sense of my wife, the only viable place to put the sub is in the front left corner of the room. On the hearth. Yes, I have to put my sub on top of a brick hearth about 24" deep, elevated ~4" above the main floor of the room. One wall of the corner is drywall, the other is brick. I'm assuming this means downfiring subs are a no-no. I had my previous sub in the corner at a 45' angle with the rear port into the corner and the driver into the room, that seemed to minimize boominess...
For completeness: The floor is tile, the rear wall is almost entirely glass but usually with a curtain drawn across, and the remaining walls are drywall. Probably a rug over the tile in the near future. If the wife finds one she likes. ;)
4. Primary uses: 60% TV/Home theater, 30% gaming, 10% music. Receiver and its speakers/sub are used for all viewing, even TV. I'd love to say that I'll be spending a lot of time listening to my SACD player, but the reality is that any music I hear will be coming off of iTunes on the HTPC...
5. Listening habits: Mostly tame volume levels. Occasionally the wife lets me blast an action movie at higher volumes, but realistically volumes are typically low enough to permit conversation over the top.
6. Appearance requirements: A black cube is probably OK, since its what was there before and the wife has "gotten used" to it. Something with a woodgrain cabinet might be better or worse, depending on whether or not it matches the other wood in the room. (Wife again)
7. Timeframe. Since my main speakers are the older Energy Take5 series (quite small), I'm certainly suffering without a sub, so I'd like to get something in place within a few weeks. Doesn't have to be picked up from a B&M by the end of the day, but I can't wait months either.
I hope someone can help. I'm trying to keep my needs very realistic here, as the rest of the system is evolving from an extremely "budget" setup, but I have been replacing things with better quality gear as needed. My usual goal is to get something better than what failed or is otherwise being replaced, and eventually the whole system improves, albeit slowly.
Thanks much!