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List of budget subwoofers ($300 and less) - Page 13

post #361 of 581
8/21/12 at 9:58am
What are your thoughts on the Klipsh RW 12d vs the HSU STF-2 not technically 300 but now at $319?
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post #362 of 581
8/23/12 at 7:08pm
Brand new Kilpsch RW 12 -d. powered by Denon 1910. Ran Audyssey 3 times to get it to a greater than -12db sub is set now to -15. AVR gave it -5. Listened to chapter 10 of Hunger Games since it was the last movie I watched a few times and booted the SW to -1 on the avr. I can feel the forest fire all around me. big plus over what I had. Will give more impressions as it breaks in and I play it louder with more material. Still wondering if I should audition the Hsu STF-2, just for grins.
So far this is great.
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post #363 of 581
8/24/12 at 10:48am
Ah! It's killing me that I have all this new audio equipment and new tv and I can't try them out! Good to hear about the 12d
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post #364 of 581
8/24/12 at 11:20am


I am looking for a budget <$300 sub to go in my living room along with the Andrew Jones Pioneer 5.0 system I recently purchased (FS51, C21, B21). Receiver is an Onkyo 616 (only 2EQ).

The living room is approx. 17' x 10' and the dining room is approx 14' x 14'. The entire apartment has 9' ceilings.

What would be your recommendations between the RW-12D and the SUB 650? My main priority is SQ as I will not being cranking the sub up very high. Looking for accurate bass that will still be able to fill the room and provide low frequency depth.

Edit: Forgot to mention that the sub will be going in the right front corner of the living room. I could potentially do the back right corner, but the RCA cable I bought from Monoprice when I bought speaker wire is only 15', so it wouldn't reach. So it would add another ~$20 to purchase another cable, plus the $10 I already spent on the one I have.
Edited by emr25 - 8/24/12 at 1:00pm
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post #365 of 581
8/25/12 at 6:51am
No thoughts from any of the experts?
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post #366 of 581
8/25/12 at 8:26am
Not an expert by any stretch. The best buy at 300 seemed to be the Kilpsch Reference RW 12D, before the recent discovery and testing of the Jamo 650. Either way you get allot of sub for the money. The 12D had been reviewed alongside several $700 range subs and held its own very well. I listened to my new one again last night with the original Expendables movie I am very happy with it so far. Not so sure about the neighbors though.tongue.gif
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post #367 of 581
8/25/12 at 6:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by emr25 View Post

What would be your recommendations between the RW-12D and the SUB 650? My main priority is SQ as I will not being cranking the sub up very high. Looking for accurate bass that will still be able to fill the room and provide low frequency depth.

The best person to answer that would be a forum member named Archaea. He has hands-on experience with both of the subs, which I don't believe anyone else does. Send him a PM and perhaps he can help you.
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post #368 of 581
8/26/12 at 8:18am
New thread just for this answer posted last night. Archaea is a very good reviewer.
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post #369 of 581
8/28/12 at 6:19pm
What about a Cadence CSX-12 for $299 shipped? Has gotten some great reviews, especially at Sound and Vision.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Cadence-CSX12-12-450-Watt-Home-Theater-Powered-Subwoofer-/260786023802?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D1657090448687562385%26pid%3D100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26#ht_4836wt_808
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post #370 of 581
8/28/12 at 8:07pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmkarlsson View Post

What about a Cadence CSX-12 for $299 shipped? Has gotten some great reviews, especially at Sound and Vision.

Thanks for the link.

One of my criteria for inclusion into the list is that the price has to be available on a consistent basis, and not just a special or sale. If the seller has them for that price regularly then I'll add it. Have you seen them advertise for that price in the past too?
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post #371 of 581
8/29/12 at 12:37pm
It's usually at $399 but goes on sale from time to time. Last time I saw it for $299 was around Christmas last year.

Wondering how it stacks up to the Klipsch RW12 and others......
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post #372 of 581
8/30/12 at 12:31pm
Just thought I'd update...

I checked with WWStereo to see if they'd get more Jamo Sub 650's in... and according to Ira, it looks like a no.

So now it seems the only choice is Vann's for $300... with questionable warranty.
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post #373 of 581
8/31/12 at 9:40pm
Please add Energy ESW-M8 to the list. Just got it for $300 and its absolutely amazing. Suggested price is $800 but it always sells for $300 it seems.
Edited by Flavius - 8/31/12 at 10:54pm
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post #374 of 581
8/31/12 at 9:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flavius View Post

Please add Energy EWS-M8 to the list. Just got it for $300 and its absolutely amazing. Suggested price is $800 but it always sells for $300 it seems.
according to Newegg on the Energy
Frequency Response36Hz-200Hz
Max Driver Excursion: 102.6dB @ 30Hz, ground plane, 1m
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882269022



I guess it depends on what you are looking size wise because the Energy sub is smaller but the Klipsch RW-12D supposedly hits 116dB @ 30Hz @ 1m according to Klipsch site, and it is also $300 on sale frequently.
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 24-120Hz +/-3dB
http://www.klipsch.com/rw-12d-subwoofer


103dB vs. 116dB is roughly 4x's as loud since a doubling of volume is 6dB.
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post #375 of 581
8/31/12 at 10:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Archaea View Post

according to Newegg on the Energy
Frequency Response36Hz-200Hz
Max Driver Excursion: 102.6dB @ 30Hz, ground plane, 1m
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882269022
I guess it depends on what you are looking size wise because the Energy sub is smaller but the Klipsch RW-12D supposedly hits 116dB @ 30Hz @ 1m according to Klipsch site, and it is also $300 on sale frequently.
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 24-120Hz +/-3dB
http://www.klipsch.com/rw-12d-subwoofer
103dB vs. 116dB is roughly 4x's as loud since a doubling of volume is 6dB.

Okay, maybe now I will buy the Klipsch and compare to that! All I know is that deep movie sound effect sounded wonderful on this little thing. That Klipsch is also bass reflex and open ported. What's the use if the sound is 4 times louder if its going to sound bloated and muddy? And isn't 103db enough for any sane person to listen 30Hz at? Supposedly "100 db is equivilent to the sound level in clubs, or at construction sites when they use a jackhammer. It can harm your ear if your exposed to the sound for a longer period of time permanantly." So why the hell do I want 116dB? biggrin.gif

I don't know... perhaps I don't know what the hell I'm talking about and 116dB @ 30Hz @ 1m doesn't actually mean I am hearing the sound at 116dB if I put my ear 1 meter away from the woofer during the test??! Because if it DOES mean that, it will probably be too damn loud even 8 feet away.

Regardless of my potential ignorance here... can anyone recommend a sub $300 subwoofer that is a SEALED system? Meaning no open ports? Now that I've found that I much prefer the sound of a sub without any open ports, I am wondering if any others in 10" or 12" exist in the price range. For a while I thought my now broken JBL 12" was a sealed sub, until last night I tipped it over to find a huge gaping port hole on the bottom. But the ESW-M8 has these special passive radiator things on the left and right that look like drum pads... and no holes! Maybe that's why I think it sounds so good.
Edited by Flavius - 8/31/12 at 10:55pm
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post #376 of 581
8/31/12 at 10:53pm
If you can swing it do buy the Klipsch for comparison. That would be interesting. cool.gif
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post #377 of 581
8/31/12 at 11:02pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flavius View Post

Please add Energy ESW-M8 to the list. Just got it for $300 and its absolutely amazing. Suggested price is $800 but it always sells for $300 it seems.

Do you have a link to where you can consistently get it for $300? I like to include that when I add a new sub to the list.
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post #378 of 581
8/31/12 at 11:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flavius View Post

Regardless of my potential ignorance here... can anyone recommend a sub $300 subwoofer that is a SEALED system? Meaning no open ports?

How about the Energy ESW-M8? That might work for you. wink.gif

$300 acoustic suspension subwoofers are few and far between I'm afraid. The vast majority of budget subs will be bass reflex because they allow for more volume and deeper bass from a less sophisticated driver and amp. Acoustic suspension needs more power and a better driver to achieve similar results, which precludes anyone from selling it for $300 then. About the only way you'll get a decent sealed sub for $300 is to find a more expensive one on sale.
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post #379 of 581
9/1/12 at 12:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JimWilson View Post

Do you have a link to where you can consistently get it for $300? I like to include that when I add a new sub to the list.

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-ESW-M8-NA-1200-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B004TA8YNW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346525967&sr=8-1&keywords=ESW-M8
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post #380 of 581
9/1/12 at 12:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JimWilson View Post

How about the Energy ESW-M8? That might work for you. wink.gif
$300 acoustic suspension subwoofers are few and far between I'm afraid. The vast majority of budget subs will be bass reflex because they allow for more volume and deeper bass from a less sophisticated driver and amp. Acoustic suspension needs more power and a better driver to achieve similar results, which precludes anyone from selling it for $300 then. About the only way you'll get a decent sealed sub for $300 is to find a more expensive one on sale.

Thanks for the info Jim... $300 was my limit for a sub. I'm a cheapskate audiophile wannabe. smile.gif I don't just buy any old stuff, but I also don't want to spend too much on audio, rather spend it on TVs.
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post #381 of 581
9/23/12 at 6:17pm
Thread Starter 
Added
Acoustic Audio CS-PS65, CS-PS8, CS-PS10, CS-PS12, CS-PS15

Removed
Monoprice 12" (discontinued)
OEM PS-12 (no longer being sold for less then $300)
Edited by JimWilson - 9/23/12 at 6:37pm
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post #382 of 581
10/1/12 at 9:34pm
Hey long time lurker but finally created an account.

I'm in the process of revamping my home theater audio set up in my living room to compliment a 55" Samsung 6400 series LED I've had a couple years. This past week I upgraded my front stage to a set of cherry Klipsch RF-7 II's and an RC-64 II center and got it hooked up to an ancient Sony 6.1 receiver I've had laying around... surprisingly doesn't sound too bad but not enough power to really push the 10's in the RF-7's. I ordered a new Pioneer Elite SC-61 that will hopefully fix that issue and also bring me to the modern world of receiver integrated HDMI and everything else that has come down in the past decade. Anyways... the hunt was then on for a reasonably priced sub. I decided to snag 2 of the Klipsch 12d's for 300 a piece from newegg. I'm hoping they impress me, but anything would beat this tired, pathetic 8" Sony sub... so I'm afraid I wont be able to offer much context. wink.gif
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post #383 of 581
10/2/12 at 4:18am
The absolute best $300 sub, in my opinion, is definitely the Bic pl-200. Watched Avengers on it, unbelievable. Out of this world.
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post #384 of 581
10/2/12 at 2:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by blake18 View Post

The absolute best $300 sub, in my opinion, is definitely the Bic pl-200. Watched Avengers on it, unbelievable. Out of this world.

bro, that sub is straight bad-azz!!!! read tons of great reviews on it! awesome deal for 1000w, 250w rms!
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post #385 of 581
10/6/12 at 8:16am
RW12d is on sale for $280 at new egg for 2 days
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post #386 of 581
10/10/12 at 12:44pm
RW12D is on sale for $299 after $50 off promo ending 10/10
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post #387 of 581
10/10/12 at 1:37pm
I have been reading this thread for a while and now I just got to try to get the best subwoofer under $300 that will fit what I have and do.

The subwoofer will go in my living room with B&W 685 bookshelf speakers and Pioneer 521K 5.1 receiver. The system used 90% movies, TV shows and 10% music and it is ON approximately 5-6 hours daily.
I am not sure if it matters, have a large dog that likes to relax next to TV and 3 months baby that doesn't care about noise as long as it is not a food processor.

The living room is approx. 18 x 20 with large kitchen to the right and the long hallway the goes all the way to the other side of the house and front door. The entire house is an open plan with 12' ceilings.

What would be the best choice? Can the sub be placed behind TV? Trying to keep all equipment and wiring from the floor, but it is not a deal breaker.
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post #388 of 581
10/10/12 at 6:50pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rustester View Post

The subwoofer will go in my living room with B&W 685 bookshelf speakers and Pioneer 521K 5.1 receiver.

B&W speakers with a budget subwoofer? Because of the difference in quality you may encounter a blending issue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rustester View Post

I am not sure if it matters, have a large dog that likes to relax next to TV and 3 months baby that doesn't care about noise as long as it is not a food processor.

This infers a down-firing subwoofer might be more appropriate, but very few inexpensive subwoofers are oriented that way. The vast majority are front-firing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rustester View Post

The living room is approx. 18 x 20 with large kitchen to the right and the long hallway the goes all the way to the other side of the house and front door. The entire house is an open plan with 12' ceilings.

That's a very serious amount of space. A single budget subwoofer will probably get overwhelmed by your room, but one to consider is the Klipsch RW-12d. If you can swing a little more the Premier Acoustic PA150 would work a bit better. You can use the 'make an offer' button and bid 10% or so below list. Sometimes they accept that, which would make it around $375.
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post #389 of 581
10/17/12 at 9:27am
SO what is the best HT sub for under $300 now? The Jamo Sub 650 is no longer available and the Klipsch RW-12D is $350 now... Hmm...
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post #390 of 581
10/17/12 at 5:21pm
Perhaps the BIC PL200 or the Lava LSP12 once you add the AVS member discount. Both subs don't have particularly have much deep bass extension below 30hz however.

That said, you would be better off waiting for the Klipsch to go back on sale which seems to be quite often.
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