Paradigm Sub 12 or JL Audio Fathom f110

Hello,

I've searched the threads, and I found some but not a lot of information on these two particular subs.

I'm interested in these two because the size and weight are manageable. Anything bigger or heavier is a no-go for me.

I will pair the sub with very good bookshelf speakers, just running stereo for now. My current room is not ideal -- living room, kitchen, and dining area are one big open room, about 5,000 cubic feet. Primary seating position is about 6 feet from the A/V system and sub. 80% movies and TV, 20% music.

I am not expecting miracles. I had pretty much decided on the f110, but the recent thread on the Sub 12 made me look at that one, and it looks pretty good. Anyone with experience with both?

^^^

Yes, that's the thread that got me looking at the Sub 12....

Thanks for the replies guys.

I figured the Sub 12 might be "doing better".... Am I completely missing a bunch of other options? I thought JL was a good starting point; I really wanted a f113, but it is too big and heavy for me right now. I'm renting an apartment, and I can't afford to invest in gear that is difficult to move every couple of years.

Price is not the main factor -- size and weight are. I want the best sub that is pretty small and weighs less than 100 pounds.

Also, Kenshin-Himura, thanks for the links. I ran across those in my research and the f110 received some pretty good comments. I don't mind "over paying i.e. wasting money" a little and I can get a decent deal on a f110. But sounds like the Sub 12 or maybe something else is a better option.

Has anyone seen a frequency curve for the Sub 12?

The Home Entertainment Magazine article (first link in Kenshin-Himura's post above) has a "measured" curve that goes all over the place -- not sure how I should interpret that....

The "calculated" and "target" curves are not flat either, but maybe they are not supposed to be?

Well the chart doesn't say what the distortion is, but if the Sub 12 is putting out 103 decibels at 20Hz, that is impressive.

I wish I could audition both in my apartment. But even that might not matter because I'm going to move again. I may be wrong, but here is my thinking -- the room matters a lot, especially for subs. Also, proper set up matters a lot for subs. This makes auditioning really difficult. I was thinking I would choose between the Sub 12 and Fathom f110 based on measurements and feedback from owners or audio gurus with a lot more experience than me -- looking for a good combination of flat frequency response, low distortion, and high output capability. (If the Sub 12 or something else beats the Fathom f110 on all 3, it would be a no brainer for me.) Whereas most people wouldn't buy their main speakers without listening to them, it looks like a lot of people are buying SVS and other brands over the internet without auditioning them first, based on the great measured performance and user reviews.

Is anyone aware of a test of high end, small, under 100 pound subs? One of these days, I'll buy a house and not have to compromise on the size and weight, but for now I'm just looking for the best I can do within those constraints. Thank you for all of the advice!

BTW, the calibrated (black line) response of the f110 at modest listening levels looks pretty good. I'm still not sure which way to go.
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/s...iew_fullscreen