Ok, I started off trying to decide between 2 subwoofers with a price point around $600, Now after reading post after post I have widened my selection to 6 subs. The sub is for a rather large open room and I am more concerned with Movies then Music. Finish is not a huge deal.

So Please Vote your opinions!

my vote goes to the

eD A5-350 $600 Shipped

So the Elemental Design and the HSU are the majority vote as of now. If these 2 subs tend to stay in the lead I think I will be going with the ED. Im not crazy about the Hsu deciding between loud or deep as far as pulling a port cap off and fliping a switch. I want a sub that does both decently.

The only bad thing about the Elemental Designs is the long wait. Considering I just purchase a Yamaha RX-V3800 and I have no sub in the mean time.

Craig updated the Official Craigsub rankings thread here on avs earlier today, and the A5-350 looks impressive indeed. If you (and your significant other) can swallow the less-than-stellar finish, it seems like a no-brainer.

abstraxx, I would not be concerned about choosing between loud or deep, I have a 3.3 set in the max output mode. The response is very linear and sounds great with music, but also with movies you can send pulses of bass across the house(dora scene) or explosions that rattle all the glass in the room.

This (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=9164136&postcount=8) may help you decide.

You should look into the VMPS line of subwoofers. VMPS make a true audiophile sub that will walk over anything you listed and is very close to your price limit.

I own the larger sub and can tell you it is VERY good sounding. The sub will play very loud and deep with no strain or distortion at all.

Here is a link to their web site: http://www.vmpsaudio.com/index.htm


Here are some specs on their larger subwoofer:


Frequency Response: +0, -3dB, 17Hz to 250 Hz
THD: 0.5% 20Hz to 250 Hz with 1W
Sensitivity: 92 dB/1W/1m
Maximum undistorted output: at least 115dB/1m SPL at 20Hz with 2.5% THD

Drive Complement: 12" polycone active (or 12" Woven Carbon Fiber active), 15" polycone active. 15" mass-loaded passive recommended crossover range: 60Hz to 250Hz Impedance:4 Ohms (both woofers strapped together; otherwise two 8 Ohm inputs) Power Requirements: 20W to 350W rms (700W rms with woofers strapped) Dimensions: 23 x 32x 19" (HxWxD) Shipping Weight: 140 lbs.; 1" MDF construction finishes: genuine oak veneer, light or dark, black cloth grill; satin black over oak or piano black over oak on special order Internal Wiring: 12 gauge Monster Cable

NASA's Langley Research Center even bought two Larger VMPS Subwoofers as a source of 118+ dB, 20 Hz tone bursts. The Larger Subwoofer was the only commercially available system capable of so doing.



For comparison sake the TOTL Epik Conquest will play a maximum of 109.3 dB at 20 Hz with 6% THD and the output drops rapidly after that. The sub has over 11% THD by 16 Hz and will only play at 104.7 dB.

This is still VERY good, most subwoofers are well over 10% THD by 20 Hz while playing at their maximum output (usually 100 dB or less), but for the $$$ I know of nothing that can come close.

You can also look on: http://www.audioreview.com/cat/speakers/subwoofers/vmps/PRD_120738_2741crx.aspx for some other very good comparisons...