Hi All,


I am wondering if it's possible to find a decent subwoofer for under $300...

I was planning to spend more, but I am moving to a new house and this is all I can afford now.

I have a pair of B&W 602 series 3. I will use it for music and movies, but in regards to quality I care more about music. My receiver is a Yamaha HTR-5240

It will be in a room about 20x20feet (basement). I usually don't play music or movies very loud.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Bic h100

Bic H100.. just do it...:)

The 3 faves in the budget subwoofer set at present are:

The HSU STF-1 at $249 +20:
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-1.html

and

The X-sub at $199 + 40:
http://www.**********/products_categ...oofers&brand=57

and

BIC H-100 at $240-260 on Fleabay

All good choices, but that is a BIG room, and even at low volumes I think you will find that the BIC is not going to be enough sub for you. Perhaps you could take advantage of the SVS sale going on right now, and if you could live with a silver or cream sub at a little over your budget, the PB10-NSD may be a better choice for the space:

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-10nsd.cfm

You may also give SVS, HSU, and AV123 a call, and ask their advice on room size. Their sales people are all very knowlegeable. Good luck!

Can you (or someone here) explain the pros and cons of these 4 subs? Is it purely cosmetic at this price point?

Thanks!

Can you (or someone here) explain the pros and cons of these 4 subs? Is it purely cosmetic at this price point?

Thanks!

No flame http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/newbie.gif but they have been discussed numerous times on here already. Please STFF.

BTW

Welcome to the forum.

No flame NEWBEE but they have been discussed numerous times on here already. Please STFF.

BTW

Welcome to the forum.

Not very friendly like, and what does STFF mean, is that like STFU?

Can you (or someone here) explain the pros and cons of these 4 subs? Is it purely cosmetic at this price point?

Thanks!

These are all very well regarded, have great reviews, and are all popular here on the forum. It comes down to price, appearance, and personal preference. If you have the opportunity to listen to them that would also help.

SVS - 10" - very popular, great reviews

STF-1 - 8" - supposedly more musical

X-SUB - 8" - good for mix of music and HT, and more attractive

BIC - 12" - supposedly best for HT

Any one of these would be a good choice for a small or medium room.

Not very friendly like, and what does STFF mean, is that like STFU?



Not sure, but I think it means.....

Search The F______ Forum

I bought the BIC H-100 about 2 months ago and love it. I have a room that is about 25x15 with an 8 foot ceiling and I cannot go about 1030 -1100 on the sub and it *fills* the room. I am very pleased with it for the price. It was either the HSU or this. I figure I'll get a couple of HSUs in a few years when the kids get out of the house. :D My listening is about 80/20 HT/music.

T

what does STFF meanJFGI :p

SVS - 10" - very popular, great reviews

STF-1 - 8" - supposedly more musical

X-SUB - 8" - good for mix of music and HT, and more attractive

BIC - 12" - supposedly best for HT

Any one of these would be a good choice for a small or medium room.

The SVS is certainly better than the Bic is for HT. The BIC has a larger driver, but in real world measurements, its extension is roughly equal to the X-Sub (27-28hz). The PB10 will hit down to 20hz or a little below.

EDIT: I should mention that I'm seriously considering the PB10 for myself, as the onsale models come to about $415 with shipping for me. The one consideration is that I'm waiting til next Wed. to see what HSU releases in terms of B-stock subs.

May I humbly suggest the JBLs120pII for the sub-$300 range? Similar extension as the Bic and X-Sub (27-28hz), but with more output. Though personally, if you're willing to up the budget a bit and could live with the white or silver, you should probably go with the SVS.

Bic h100


I knew you would put in a plug for the BIC........ :D

Not alot out there that really stands out for under $300 but the I hear the BIC-H100 is pretty nice for the money!!!!!!!!
The other one that get a lot of play around here is the X-sub! ;)

JFGI :p
lol :p

i can verify that the H100 is good to about ~28Hz despite it's huge 12" driver

The guy said under $300.
That is NOT the SVS, unless it's used which changes the whole discussion.

It really all depends on how much bass output you're looking for. If it was me and I was wanting a sub in that size of a room, I would have to bump my DIY budget up to 1000.00 in order to get the output I was wanting.

May I humbly suggest the JBLs120pII for the sub-$300 range? Similar extension as the Bic and X-Sub (27-28hz), but with more output. Though personally, if you're willing to up the budget a bit and could live with the white or silver, you should probably go with the SVS.
I owned one for a short period of time till the back panel of the enclosure detatched. IMO, it had usable extention at normal listening levels to 31-33hz. Below that, the output was far too quiet. Luckily warranty covered it, I took it back and replaced it with the Infinity SW-12. Again, still not the output I am looking for and thus the reason why it's used on my computer for my music and games.

I knew you would put in a plug for the BIC........ :D

Not alot out there that really stands out for under $300 but the I hear the BIC-H100 is pretty nice for the money!!!!!!!!
The other one that get a lot of play around here is the X-sub! ;)
you know it, I am loving mine!
-Rich

I owned one for a short period of time till the back panel of the enclosure detatched. IMO, it had usable extention at normal listening levels to 31-33hz. Below that, the output was far too quiet. Luckily warranty covered it, I took it back and replaced it with the Infinity SW-12. Again, still not the output I am looking for and thus the reason why it's used on my computer for my music and games.I guess it depends on your room, but from everything I've read about it, and my own experience, it's very solid down to 27-ish. I will tell you that it drops like a friggin' stone after that, but really, for $300 you can't expect much better extension. Anyway, if you do some googling you'll see it got some great reviews in Sound & Vision, and at a beefy 56 pounds it weighs almost twice the Bic, so it's worth looking into in my opinion.

For another choice, what about those $300-ish elemental designs subs a lot of people were talking about a few months ago? I can't remember for sure, but the listed specs seemed pretty great for the price. Did any reliable reviews ever come in on those?

SVS - 10" - very popular, great reviews

STF-1 - 8" - supposedly more musical

X-SUB - 8" - good for mix of music and HT, and more attractive

BIC - 12" - supposedly best for HT

Any one of these would be a good choice for a small or medium room.
That's a concise summary of the forum consensus.

The last three are easily the most popular in this forum in the ~ $250 range. The SVS is distinctly better, but is also in a different price range.

I'd only add that the STF-1 will not be embarrassed by the other two for HT use in smaller rooms. I tested mine in a 2400 cu. ft. room and found it surprisingly impressive, although clearly no match for the SVS's I use there permanently. Its response measures into the 20's, too. If the others go a couple of dB deeper, I doubt most people could detect the difference. Nothing at this price offers clean response below the upper 20's.

As noted above, in this price range you wouldn't go wrong with any of these.

The guy said under $300.
That is NOT the SVS, unless it's used which changes the whole discussion.

I only mentioned the SVS because of the OP's room size.

Many thanks to all for your valuable advise.

Reading the reviews on the suggested SW, so far for me it seems to be between the HSU and the BIC...

However, what really doesn't convince me about the Hsu is that the driver faces the floor...

I'm not sure about how this will affect fidelity when listening to music...

I still have a month to decide, so I will try to listen to these two at least...

Or maybe I can push it a little bit and get the creamy SVS and some paint :) ...

under $300 i would have to say the tightest is the x-sub (probably the stf-1 too although i haven't heard it). but, any of the subs you have listed are best for smaller rooms. due to the size of your room i would have to suggest holding off for a few more weeks or so and bumping your budget.

if you get one of these NOW i feel you'll be upgrading soon because in that room you'll be missing out. it happened to me with the x-sub, which is a FINE little sub don't get me wrong, BUT, now resides in my small 10x10 PC room hooked up to my soundcard and an old technics receiver. where it does terrificly because that is the sized area it is built for.

whether you listen "loud" or not, IMO, you will be missing a good chunk of the lower spectrum. you don't have to be a "basshead" to reap the benefits of a powerful subwoofer. i'm not and i have an svs 25-31pci tuned to 22hz. i actually run this sub flat -1 or 2db with my mains and the difference in range between it and the x-sub is amazing. and even on some tracks like WOTW (not my favorite at all but, a good reference nonetheless) it is incredible.

i think also that the BIC will leave you wanting more in the end too.

so i guess what I'M saying is take my advice as someone who's already invested in the "best under $300 subwoofer". if money is at a premium then hold on until you can get a nice QUALITY 12" sub of your choice (svs, hsu, etc. etc.) you'll have less buyers remorse and save $$ in the end. you don't have to break the bank but, if you can stash away $100-$300 more you can get something that will keep you happier for a lot longer in the $400-$600 range.

good luck.

Whether a sub is down-firing or front-firing, it shouldn't really affect sound quality. So don't let that stop you from considering the HSU.

That said, I'd like to second the "save up till you can do it right" motion. You might tell yourself you'll be real happy with a Bic or an X-sub for a long time, but let's face it, if you're on this board then the upgrade bug is going to strike you sooner or later. I'm overall happy with my JBL but I do find myself occasionally wondering what I could be hearing had I spent just $100-200 more. You can get some decent performers in the $300 range, but the realm of "real" bass seems to start at $400. As someone who was in your position just a few months ago, I'd say it's worth it in the long run to spend a bit more now.

I also believe, if it is possible, save up a little more and do it right the first time. I really got into HT after my old 32" Sony died and I got my first HDTV, Then I new I needed a new reciever, new speakers, and a new sub. Now it is time for round two. Better receiver, better speakers, but I'm all set with my SVS 20-39pci. My room is 16' x 14' with an opening into another 16' x 14 dining room. The sub took me the longest to get, but it was the one thing i did right the first time. I couldn't be happier. If $300 is your absolute budget, i hope I didn't waste your time. I just wanted to give you some food for thought. Good luck.

I have a second theatre area and was in the same situation that you are in and chose the X-Sub and I have to say, it is one sweet sub, VERY fast so it is musically accurate and works well in a home theatre. My other theatre has a HSU VT3mk2 and I am use to great sub-bass but do not miss it with the X-sub for the other room, I think that you will be happy.

I keep hearing about these lower priced subs not getting under 25 hz or lower (like the bic h-100 or the Cerwin vega cls series) how much do movies get into that range anyway? If you dont have a sub that gets that low or lower are you going to be missing alot?

Oh and speaking of the CV CLS series how do they stack up in the 300 dollar range? The cls15 on ebay is running around 269.00.

you cant really hear 20Hz so don't worry about it.

I asked basically the same question myself last week in this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=835251), but somehow got immediately sidetracked into discussing crappy movies people watch just for the low bass. :D Long story short, whether you'll really miss bass below 25hz depends on what kind of movies you watch. If you're into a lot of action or horror movies, it might just be worth it. But yeah, there isn't all too many movies that go that low, relatively speaking.

Thats funny. Why does everyone make such a big deal over the fact that such and such a sub wont hit 16hz if you cant really hear it anyway?

Thats funny. Why does everyone make such a big deal over the fact that such and such a sub wont hit 16hz if you cant really hear it anyway?

Below 20Hz, it becomes more of a tactile sensation (or feel) rather than an auditory sensation.

Below 20Hz, it becomes more of a tactile sensation (or feel) rather than an auditory sensation.
Exactly! :)

http://www.edesignaudio.com/edv2/product_info.php?cPath=2_41&products_id=406

Here is another way to think. Just buy one of those subs now, keep it for a while, and if it is not enough sell it for half price, maybe even a friend give them a good deal (the only potential problem here is not being able to sell it). I have a Mirage S8 in a fairly large room and it is enough FOR ME. By expert advice my room should have at least a 12". My experience is that some of us can get along just fine with lesser equipment.

the problem isn't really with what low frequency the sub will hit. the issue is that a small, cheaper sub will not power a big room like the OP has. AND when it is fed an audible lower frequency below it's rating many times it will distort, chuff and sound bad. a loud fart if you will.

you buy a better sub with more headroom and lower extension you are going to get CLEAN, solid, tight output through it's range.

it isn't about knocking picture off the walls for all of us with larger and lower subs, it is about the cleanliness of power and the headroom to handle it when it is called upon. again i prefer my sub blended well with my mains - a couple of DB- for me that is plenty bass. but it's clean power not farty fuzz.

obviously the OP wants the best sub he can afford right now and has a budget concern. buying something lesser now will only cost him more if he can't sell it. the average joe has NEVER heard of an x-sub, hsu or bic and they can be really tough to unload. trust me i tested the waters in L.A. with the x-sub (before i put it in my PC setup), just to see if i could recoup some of the loss. L.A. is a big city, and you would think it was full of "audiophiles" or whatever. but, not one bite on it.

then again, the OP may have already made his decision by now.

adamanteus...Points well taken. I guess that old rule, "buy the best you can afford" is still good advice. That way, you are more likely to be satisfied well into the future. Good quality does not disappoint, just makes our wallets lighter. I have never regretted a quality purchase, as long as my finances have caught up. With budget constaints, the question always seems to be, "can I do it just as well or pretty close for less money?" I suppose that is one of the great quests of these forums.

I don't have a sub at all now (just 5 Polk speakers, RT12s in the front).

Our basement is 14 feet wide, 20 ft deep.
Since it's a townhouse, I haven't got a sub for worry it'll annoy the neighbors - walls are very thick though (can't hear a baby screaming on the other side).

Is the H-100 a bit small for that size room as well? The size, weight and price are right on the H-100.

60 lb subs like the SVS PB10 might catch me hell, if my girlfriend can't move it.


The 3 faves in the budget subwoofer set at present are:

The HSU STF-1 at $249 +20:
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-1.html

and

The X-sub at $199 + 40:
http://www.**********/products_categ...oofers&brand=57

and

BIC H-100 at $240-260 on Fleabay

All good choices, but that is a BIG room, and even at low volumes I think you will find that the BIC is not going to be enough sub for you. Perhaps you could take advantage of the SVS sale going on right now, and if you could live with a silver or cream sub at a little over your budget, the PB10-NSD may be a better choice for the space:

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-10nsd.cfm

You may also give SVS, HSU, and AV123 a call, and ask their advice on room size. Their sales people are all very knowlegeable. Good luck!

I don't have a sub at all now (just 5 Polk speakers, RT12s in the front).

Our basement is 14 feet wide, 20 ft deep.
Since it's a townhouse, I haven't got a sub for worry it'll annoy the neighbors - walls are very thick though (can't hear a baby screaming on the other side).

Is the H-100 a bit small for that size room as well? The size, weight and price are right on the H-100.

60 lb subs like the SVS PB10 might catch me hell, if my girlfriend can't move it.

1) Buy the PB10 before she moves in. :D
2) If she is already makin' these kind of decision prior to ...... RUN AWAY FAST ........... because you're thinkin' with the wrong head. No flame intended. :eek:

1) Buy the PB10 before she moves in. :D
2) If she is already makin' these kind of decision prior to ...... RUN AWAY FAST ........... because you're thinkin' with the wrong head. No flame intended. :eek:

we bought the condo together, your advise is like 3 years late. :)

That's the irony, now with 2 incomes to split the bills, I have lots of money, just not much control over it. :D

we bought the condo together, your advise is like 3 years late. :)

That's the irony, now with 2 incomes to split the bills, I have lots of money, just not much control over it. :D

Let me get this straight.

You bought it together. But your post above implies she is just now, or in the near future, moving in. While at the same token, by implication and admission, your money is no longer yours to control. That sounds like; what is hers is hers but what is yours belong to both under her control.

My advice in my post is still valid.

RUN AWAY FAST

:D

Let me get this straight.

You bought it together. But your post above implies she is just now, or in the near future, moving in.

No, we've both lived here for over 3 years. She won't care if I buy a sub, but if it's some big ugly 60 lb thing . . . . :)

Anyway, I ruled out the x-sub and Elemental since they seem to be slow shipping, and looking at the H-100 or PSB10.

No, we've both lived here for over 3 years. She won't care if I buy a sub, but if it's some big ugly 60 lb thing . . . . :)

I guess I confused by this posting of yours.

60 lb subs like the SVS PB10 might catch me hell, if my girlfriend can't move it.


Remember, BEAUTY is in the eye of the beholder.

:D

No, we've both lived here for over 3 years. She won't care if I buy a sub, but if it's some big ugly 60 lb thing . . . . :)

Anyway, I ruled out the x-sub and Elemental since they seem to be slow shipping, and looking at the H-100 or PSB10.

OK...to answer your question is the H-100 too small that room??? I would have to emphatically say NO. I have this sub running in my combo liv/din/kitchen about 16x25 and it totally rocks. You will not be disappointed for the price.

T

How do these two subs stack up against each other. I never hear anyone say anything about the infinity, but it is in the same price range as the H-100 shipped, so I just thought I would at least ask.

My room is also pretty large approx. 20 x 18 but it is open pretty much all the way around.

Thoughts?

How do these two subs stack up against each other. I never hear anyone say anything about the infinity, but it is in the same price range as the H-100 shipped, so I just thought I would at least ask.

My room is also pretty large approx. 20 x 18 but it is open pretty much all the way around.

Thoughts?

I don't have experience with the Bic, but I do have experience with the PS212. My impression is that the PS212 isn't worth anywhere near its ~$500 MSRP, but at half that price, it's not a bad deal. It got plenty loud (though I used mine in a very small room, so I can't guarantee it will be loud enough for you) and actually had pretty decent sound quality, IMO. The biggest issue I had with it is its lack of deep extension. The PS212 had good power and impact above 30hz, but it pretty much ceased to have good output below about 28hz, in my experience.

For this reason, I've since upgraded to two SVS PB10-NSD's and the difference in deep bass in dramatic. The PB10's have taken things to a whole new level. They were well worth it to me, but I could see the Infinity doing a very respectable job for people who don't spend all day on these forums reading about the best ultra-low bass scenes in the newest movies ;). It won't win any "product of the year" awards, but it's certainly not junk. Again, I haven't heard the Bic so I can't give a head to head comparison. Judging from the Bic's reputation around here, I'd think it might be a bit better than the Infinity. I know it can probably dig 3-4hz deeper. Not sure about sound quality.

Anyway, hope this helps. Keep me posted, and good luck.

Hi All,


I am wondering if it's possible to find a decent subwoofer for under $300...

I was planning to spend more, but I am moving to a new house and this is all I can afford now.

I have a pair of B&W 602 series 3. I will use it for music and movies, but in regards to quality I care more about music. My receiver is a Yamaha HTR-5240

It will be in a room about 20x20feet (basement). I usually don't play music or movies very loud.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Go with the HSU, you cannot go wrong. I love this Sub. Very musical.

This thread is almost a year old so I'm wondering if anything else has hit the market worth considering. Two new questions. What is the advantage of having two subs in a medium sized room and when trying to match a new second sub to the old sub what concerns should be addressed, like mfg, or output, or size etc? Also, we've been talking under $300. How about under say $450?

This thread is almost a year old so I'm wondering if anything else has hit the market worth considering.The one I don't see mentioned here is the Cadence CSX-12 for $299 with free shipping (http://www.cadencestore.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=137&idproduct=396). You can find a user's review here: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/speakers-subwoofers/268629-impressions-new-cadence-csx-15-csx-12-subs.html

I just moved and my gaming room went from 12x10x8 to like 10x7x8.. I use 2 dayton sub 100s. One just started acting odd after 2 months so I am rmaing it. Lol I am drunk not sure what I wanted to ask.. The chonic is shaking this tiny house.. I guess I am wondering what I should replace my weak ass second broken dayton sub with. I'll be getting back like 400 in tax's.. Taxes?? Anyways I know about ed/svs/hsu/bic.. This house is super small.. But I want more bass cheap.. Not just ****** fart bass.. I want my dogs to run out the room and for the police to beat me with sticks.

Get a refurbed L8400 JBL from harman audion on ebay at right at 300.00 , It is better then the Bic H-100 ( Ive owned both )

Has the OP considered a DIY option?

For $300 or close to it a DIY sub build will give him performance way beyond any of the selected subs.

As for the comments about the BIC-H100...Its a boom box and its a decent starter sub but it really does suck once you have a better sub. Make sure you "tweak" it enough to stop it from Booming all the bass horribly.

I had had the PB10, Polk cheap sub, H100 and old Velodine and SVS subs . I now have DIY subs.

Thats funny. Why does everyone make such a big deal over the fact that such and such a sub wont hit 16hz if you cant really hear it anyway?

I have a $1500 DIY IB sub array (4 Q18s), I can hit below 10hz easily but I can also cause structure damage to my house!!! :D

Movie scenes have sub 20Hz frequences and I can feel the house shake during those scenes. I had some contractors outside my house when it was being finished, I tested the sub system and they thought a jet flew over the house and they were outside.

Once you feel serious compression during the scenes you know you have a good sub system.

I want my dogs to run out the room and for the police to beat me with sticks.



lmao!!! My dog will not stay in the room, she runs into the shower!! :D My wife hates when I do that too her ;)

Get a refurbed L8400 JBL from harman audion on ebay at right at 300.00

Great post but in general the OP should look for "used" subs out there. Audiogon, avsform, ebay, craiglist and so on have subs for sale.

I would really like to build my own subwoofer but I have no wood working skills.. That's what sorta breaks the deal for me.. I have no problem building most things.. I just don't have all the tools to create an enclosure.

I always see people on this forum touting the ability of the HSU, SVS, ED, BIC, etc., & I have this question on another thread, but I will ask here as well just to make sure that I am making the right decision. I have to stay below $250 (shipped), so automatically the HSU, SVS & ED are out.

With that being said, would you guys still consider the Bic H-100 to be a better sub than the Infinity PS212 or JBL Sub 12? I have really tussled with this at length & I have real trouble buying a sub that I have never listened to at all, which would be the Bic.

Am I making the right decision to get the Bic (even though I cannot hear it) & bypass the Infinity, JBL & Polk? I mean are there any woofers in those lines that would even come close to Bic?

Thanks for the help

With that being said, would you guys still consider the Bic H-100 to be a better sub than the Infinity PS212 or JBL Sub 12?

In the end only you can decide that. We all will have an opinion on what they sound to us but its your ears that matter.

The Bic is a great value sub, no doubt if that is your max $$$ then you should be okay. I had one for a while and it worked well for my needs back then.

I am pretty much in the same boat as ddrheretic. I really like the look of this DIY project: http://www.partsexpress.com/projectshowcase/indexn.cfm?project=Boogieman. I have been through the DIY speaker and sub thread and it seems to be more for people who know what they are doing but have questions. Is there a book or something of the like that could help a noob out? Thanks

The Sony SA-W3000 is a nice 12" sub that goes into the low 20's.

I have two of them with my Left, Right and Center channels going through the speaker level inputs/outputs.

Hi !

I am looking for good low budget subwoofer [between $200 - $300].My room is 22x14 and has high celling [open loft above ].I need subwoofer specially for MUSIC.
I am interested to buy JBL ES150P.I read on previous page ,that Acoustech H-100 is very good.Can I have any sugestion ? I just bought
receiver Pioneer Elite VSX-91TXH and I still use my old JBL speakers,but they are on the way to change.I want to start with good subwoofer first.
Thanks for help.

The Sony SA-W3000 is a nice 12" sub that goes into the low 20's.

I have two of them with my Left, Right and Center channels going through the speaker level inputs/outputs.


I highly doubt that a Sony subwoofer ouputs lots of oomph in the 20-30Hz regions. :o

Hi !

I am looking for good low budget subwoofer [between $200 - $300].My room is 22x14 and has high celling [open loft above ].I need subwoofer specially for MUSIC.
I am interested to buy JBL ES150P.I read on previous page ,that Acoustech H-100 is very good.Can I have any sugestion ? I just bought
receiver Pioneer Elite VSX-91TXH and I still use my old JBL speakers,but they are on the way to change.I want to start with good subwoofer first.
Thanks for help.

The Premier Acoustic PA-120 and the tSc T250 come highly recommended by some members. :)

Before you dismiss under 25hz you may want to read the thread about Kung Fu Panda (KFP) http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1085027

The lower end subs with no extension in several movies (Generally action related) really putter out. A sub being able to extend to 17hz means it can push 25hz easily as opposed to barely hitting 25hz.

Lets look at it another way.

A 100hp car vs a 200 hp car both weighing 2,000lbs. They both can drive 90 miles an hour. One is going to get you there much easier and still be responsive.