Hello everyone....the million dollar question...which subwoofer should I get? According to HSU I have around 2200 cubic feet in my room, flat ceiling just less than 8 feet tall and it is in a basement, so floors are carpeted over concrete. I have 3 full walls and one partially full wall with a larger walkway. Below is the setup that I currently have:
Mains - (2)Paradigm Monitor 11 v.7
Center -(1) Paradigm Monitor Center 3
Rears - (4) Polk 6.5 inch in ceiling(Unsure of model)
Subwoofer - JBL E250P 250 watt RMS/500 Watt Peak, 25hz low end Freq Resp. 50-150hz
AVR - Onkyo NR838 7.2 Channel
TV - Samsung UN60ES7100
I was convinced that the HSU VTF-3 MK-4 was the right sub, even overkill perhaps. When I called to order it today, they were no longer available. Bummer, since it was only $619 plus shipping on clearance. I've considered the various SVS subs PC/PB2000 and PB/SC2000, Outlaw Ultra X12, and now maybe even the HSU VTF15H for $729. Now, HSU has the new VTF-3 MK-5 as well for $799. I am also considering the Golden Ear Forcefield 4 or 5 but have not heard any feedback from anyone on that. I guess I am somewhat confused because I have never actually heard any of these subs. I have also considered getting a Paradigm Monitor SUB12 but it seems I can get so much more subwoofer for tyhe money, buying it from a specialized company. I've read though some of the threads and I suppose opinions are unique to each situation, which is the reason for this post. I prefer to stay around the $600-700 range but if there is that much of an advantage, I would spend more.
For $1000 I would get the biggest sub I could or a pair of smaller but still good subs.
Top of the $1000 subs are the HSU VTH15MK2 and Reaction Audio PV15X. The HSU is tuneable for output and extension and can even by run in sealed mode. The amp has nice options for customization and is easy to use.
You could get a pair of SVS PB1000s for $950 or a pair of Rythmik LVR-12s for just over $1000. Dual subs will help fill out the bass for a more even sound over more seating area.
Really leaning towards a couple of options now....I am thinking of getting one SVS PB12-Plus or HSU VTH15MK2 or potentially 2 of the PB2000. Will two of the PB2000 fill the room more than one of the HSU VTH15MK2 or SVS PB12-Plus mentioned? Obvisouly, I love the fact that SVS will pre pay frieght both ways but i am not reallylooking to return them, unless they arent good for my room.
I would rather spend 1000-1500 for one sub and get a sub that will be more than suffice for my space than spend 1000 for two that wont fill the space as much or less, in comparison to dollars spent. Basically is it really advatageous to spend more for two cheaper subs then to just get one nicer large sub?
I wonder when they will get more in stock? Currently, they are out. I was also really leaning that way but other options look good on paper. Some have said the response time of a 15 is not as good as a 12, possibly creating more port noise but honestly, going form the JBL to something else is going to be a vast improvement.
Supposedly the VTF15h mk2s could be in stock as early as the end of next week, from what I read from the vtf15h mk2 thread. As for the response time of a 15" not being as good as a 12", that is purely a myth. Response time is not governed by the woofer diameter. There are 18" woofers out there which are much faster than 8" woofers. Response time is going to be governed by the force exerted on the woofer. For example, a Hyundai Accent weighs 2500 lbs and a Bugatti Veyron weighs 4000 lbs, but which will have faster acceleration and why? Like cars, subwoofer drivers have motors, and many analogies can be drawn between the two. As for port noise, its the same deal. The ports must be able to handle the influx of air, and if it can't, turbulence and compression can occur. The ports need to be a sufficient size to handle the movement of air. A 10" sub could easily be made to chuff with ports that are too small, and a 21" sub could be made to never chuff, as long as the ports are large enough. On any of these higher performing subs like the Hsu, chuffing probably can happen, but only at the outer edges of their performance. If they made a sub where it is impossible to chuff, the cabinet and ports would be impractically large.
The reference to automotive was perfect....as that is the industry that I work in. So considering the reference to engines, if I had two PB2000 and only one HSU 15HMk2...would I get more room fill for the dollar? I suppose it depends on if the PB2000 are 185 HP each and the HSu is 600 HP....or is it?
For the dollar, the Hsu sub will give you a lot more output. But as far as room fill goes, two subs have an advantage over one, as rooms can create a rocky frequency response in bass when the sound comes from a single point. When the bass sound comes from multiple points throughout the room, the frequency response becomes smoother throughout the room, so in a sense, two PB2000s can have more 'room fill', however they will not be able to get as loud. In this sense, the car analogy doesn't translate too well.
However, you could say that the Hsu sub does have a higher HP motor than the SVS subs. But even here we can not judge the subs on that alone, and you could probably think of cars which have middling HP but can still outperform cars with lots of horses under the hood. As with cars, subs should be judged on its performance on 'the track', ie actual measured performance rather then specs.
Here is another thought if you are interested, have you considered building your own? If you go to the DIY speakers and subwoofers threads there is plenty of information. I have asked lots of questions and was pretty much set on buying a Reaction sub. It was mentioned by several people you can get more for your money by DIY. I am going this route I will spend less than 750. be able to add a second sub for another 450. This maybe a little much but I am going with a Stereo Integrity HT18D4 a Marty Cube Flat pack and a Behringer Inuke nu3000DSP add cables connectors and depending on how you want to finish it. The 18 is 160 the amp 280 and the flatpack 250 ( I do not have a table saw so pre-cut or flatpack was my choice.) For comparison check out the Data Bass chart. Look up the DIY SI HT18 D2 sealed box compare those measurements to the other subs out there. You may not want to be bothered with building your own just thought I would mention it.
Just an update on what i ended up doing. I went with 2 of the GoldenEar Forcefield 4's. It sounds superb for both music and movies. I am impressed with the low extension along with the clarity that I am getting from them. I haven't even properly placed them yet and they sound amazing. I stole them for the price I paid, around 1000 for the pair, and dollar for dollar I think it was the best sound and output that I could get for my dollar. Most reviews I read, which was limited, were all very good. I would suggest that someone with a budget who wants a nice sub, without worrying so much on appearance, then these are for you for sure. I would have upgraded to the Forcefield 5 but with the price of the 4, I couldn't pass it up.
In the future I will definately consider making my own. In fact, my neighbor is a woodworker, so he has alrwady said he'd be glad to help with the cabinet. My problem is patience...I dont have it.
I lied...they were actually closer to $1100 for the pair.
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