Another Sub Selection Thread

I'm sure these get old, but I'll be honest, I'm new to subs and I had no idea that is was this complicated. My situation:

13 X 22 X 10 foot room
70% Music / 30% HT
Monitor 70 / CS2 Mains
Budget Under $500
Listening: I guess I'm looking for tightness and punch more than anything else. I like music more, but I don't want to miss out on too much in the low end for HT...obviously there will be some compromise.

Potential options:
HSU VTF-1
HSU STF-2
Energy VSW-10
Cadence CSX12 Mark II

I've got a crappy old Onkyo sub from a previous setup now...so anything will be an improvement...the bar is real low. I've been amazed at the clarity and detail in the uncompressed Bluray soundtracks and would like to extend that to bass.

At this point, I'm sure all these choices would be great. I've read that the Energy might be a good deal right now given that it's on sale for $349 shipped. My other question is about the STF-2 vs. the VTF-1, it's on sale through the weekend at only a $60 difference...would the max output switch really get me that much more when I watched movies vs. music?

I never though choosing a subwoofer would make me think this hard...thanks ahead of time.

I had someone else message me about the Rythmic when I posted this, I hadn't read about it...their direct servo technology is very interesting. The specs on the speaker are pretty impressive...

At the suggestion of another that feels like the Rythmic would seriously limit the amount of compromise for a mere $100 more, I'm seriously considering it. The one thing I notice about my monitor70s is that they don't hit hard, especially on the kick. Very clean, very detailed in the mid and highs, but nothing low. I'm sure part of that is that they're only getting 105 watts, but it looks like the Rythmic would fill things out nicely.

Although now my sub is going to be more expensive then my fronts were....oy. You guys are dragging me down.

Thanks for all the help. I'm actually glad that I now started this thread, because I would have overlooked the Rythmik. I'm just going to spend the extra dough and get the Rythmik...I've read a lot of good things about it blending very well in an overall system. Plus, being a bass player, does anything but bass matter?

One last question...I might be able to pick up a Emotiva Ultra Sub12 from a buddy for a couple of hundred less. I know it doesn't go quite as low, since it's sealed, and wouldn't be quite as loud. Do you think the Rythmik will out perform it a lot?

All right, I'm in. Bought the Rythmik yesterday...looks like it might be here by Friday!

I'll let you know how it goes. When I originally planned my purchase, I didn't think that the Sub was going to make that big a difference....but I'm pretty sure right now that this is going to shore up a lot of the issues that I'm having.

Thanks for all the suggestions...I would have overlooked this sub if it weren't for you guys.

- DT

I'll let you know...I know it's sitting on my front porch right now...and I can't get out of work fast enough...

I should have some preliminary results tomorrow...I've got high expectations....

Real quick first thoughts, as I've not had much time with it, nor much time to integrate it well. I really haven't spent any time dialing in phase or looking at the frequency response on my RTA.

Remember I've got Polk Monitor 70 fronts, and a Yamaha Adventage receiver.

Music: This sub has changed my opinion about subs and music. It is very, very tight. I've listened to high end Velodyne (I know, old school), and others and could never figure out why you wouldn't just listen stereo... seriously. I've also listened to an Emotiva Ultrasub 12 and liked it, but only at lower volumes. This thing hits hard, and fills out what the 70s were missing. I am a bass player and like a little more in my EQ than is probably normal. This sub gives it to me without it sounding directional....usually I'm looking in the corner of the room and pointing....there's the sub. Right now, with the little tweaking I've done, it blends perfectly. Listening to modern jazz like Chris Potter, Bela Fleck...tight, focused bass, especially in the kick and toms. Nothing resonates. Gospel music that is heavily bass and drums fills out nicely, even at low listening volumes. Rock, like U2, Foo Fighters, Pink Floyd has a nice deep bass sound without over powering...it sounds lame to say "clean", but it's a really good descriptor. I still really need to work on the EQ on the mains to match this new beast, but I'm really happy thus far.

HT: Watched one movie and a couple of clips from others, and there's a huge difference...LFE effect I can physically feel...but they aren't overpowering or fatiguing. ex. when I hooked it up, I never thought my wife would like this thing...anytime loud bass come on in a movie, she says turn it down, it bothers my ears. She wanted to watch her Lion King Blu-Ray, and in the first scene that has LFE effects (Elephant Graveyard), this thing rumbles the house, and my wife looks at me and says "woah, that was cool." She actually likes it...it was worth the price for that.

Like I said, I've really got to tweak phase, dampening and extension setting to dial in...but initially this thing is great.

Also, it's huge and heavy, which I also like....very man-ish. More to come.