Budget subwoofers discussions, opinions and questions thread - Page 30

SicDub,
I haven't found much user experience with the JBL ES250P on this forum so I'm hoping you'll share your thoughts of this model. Do you use it for home theater or music or both and are you satisfied with it's performance?
I have been seriously considering buying one so any thoughts you share will be useful.

Thanks,
Al

Hello,

I currently use my computer for casual tv/movie watching, and I have a pair of Dayton B652s, a Lepai LP-2020A+ amp, and no subwoofer. I will eventually be replacing my sound card (it recently died) and will probably be using a Creative Titanium HD (one of the higher end consumer sound cards). When I am using my speakers, I watch from a TV-viewing distance and not at normal computer-use distance. The living room (though not large on its own) is openly connected (not separated by any walls) to the hallway, dining room, and kitchen. I also have high ceilings (though the height varies throughout). Each room is not large, but as a connected whole they are somewhat large (though I only watch/listen from the living room).

I am definitely not a big bass / explosion kind of person as my ears are a little bit more sensitive to loud noise than others. However, i still enjoy an immersive experience. In the Spielberg version of War of the Worlds, I loved the light "rumbling" sound/feeling in the scenes where the machines were not actually there, but roaring far off in the distance, beyond vision. I also live in an apartment and do not wish to disturb neighbors.

So my first question: is there any point to me getting a budget subwoofer at all?

And my second question: if so, which specific ones would you recommend, with budget and value as primary considerations at the moment (I can always upgrade at a later point if I wish, when I am in a better financial situation), for my specific circumstances?

Thank You.

I have been told this is a really good 8" sub and a great deal:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882117402&Tpk=pioneer%20sw-8%20100

Welllll, the room is medium sized and my budget is a bit smaller.

(sorry, couldn't resist.)

In the case of computer listening, I'm a headphone kinda guy as trying to set up a reasonable sound field around a computer can be vexing in the best of times because of the limitations computer placement brings to the party.

-
Edited by BeeMan458 - 1/23/13 at 7:01am

D'oh! Dbl post.

Everyone should have a subwoofer unless you have towers that go down to 25Hz.

Al,

I have this sub paired with a Pioneer VSX-60, (6) ES30's, and an older E25C. I listen to a lot of bass heavy media - everything from the Dark Knight Rises and Expendables 2 to online first person shooters, dance/electronic and hip-hop. I have carpet and thick curtains in my 2,400 cubic foot room. The subwoofer's crossover is turned all the way down at 0 phase and my Pioneer is set at -7.5 gain at 80 Hz.

I cannot imagine a sub for a better value! I can get anything from loud and boomy to a nice neat and flat bass line - to the point where it's hard to distinguish if the sub is active or not. The overall feel and appearance is of superb quality.

While one ES250P is more than enough, I know mine is not in an 'ideal' position. I plan on picking up a second from amazon.com for ~$260 taxed and shipped to even out the room.

Hope this helps - If you have any questions feel free to ask!!

-Nick

Thanks Nick! I really appreciate your input. Now all I have to do is make up my mind.
By the way Nick, why would another JBL ES250PBK cost you $260 when I have one in my cart at Amazon for $199.99 and free shipping? Are you choosing a different shipping option?

Al

Tax and shipping to New York is $67.46 : / I'm not an Amazon Prime member for free super saver shipping.

What other models are you looking at?

Pretty much everything over $25 bought from Amazon itself and not a third party seller qualifies for free super saver shipping.

Yeah you don't need to be an amazon prime member just order it from amazon and the shipping's free.

Well, I didn't know you had to join up and become an Amazon Prime member to get the free shipping. When I looked at the "Free Super Saver Shipping" details it doesn't say anything about Amazon Prime. So, what do they do? Do they hit you up with that Amazon Prime membership after you pay for your item, or what? If so, that's not right cuz it doesn't say anything about it in the "details".

As far as other subs I've been looking at are the Bic PL-200 which I think you can still get for $249 shipped and the Cadence CSX12 Mark II for $279 shipped. Both are on my short list especially if I have to pay shipping on the JBL ES250PBK. I think the CSX12 Mark II with a weight of 67.25 pounds has the bettter build quality of any sub $300 sub out there including the Klipsch RW12d.

So far all I've done as far as comparing subwoofers is read about them and then that all depends on who's doing the writing. I sometimes wish I didn't live in such a rural area so I could maybe listen to some of these offerings and compare them that way but it is what it is and I guess I'm just going to have to take a chance on one of these and live with it. That's why I refer to the build quality of the Cadence because I can pretty much see that. As far as the subs I have listed here playing in the <30Hz frequencxy range, well, that's not the high point of any of these subs so it comes down to, like I said, build quality, and also how the graphs look in the >30Hz frequency range where they all look pretty good although I have to admit I'm just now learning to understand these graphs.

I have to try and find out about this Amazon shipping thing.

Al

Thanks Stoney and swim! Y'all saved me a big headache!

Al

Did you figure it out? It has nothing to do with Prime. During checkout just select free super saver shipping!

Yeah, I did figure it out but not until I read you and swim33's replies. I started writing my post before you guys posted but I was called away from my computer so I didn't see your post until after I posted. Yeah, it ended up taking me nearly an hour to finally get that post up and by that time y'all had already posted.

Thanks again guys!

Al

what does this mean?

Means he has no idea what he is talking about...

Would 2 BIC F12's or one SVS PB-1000 be better for my living room HT? It is in a room that is 13'x20' with an opening on the opposite end of the TV into a similar sized kitchen. I will use it for 70/25/5 movies/games/music and care more about getting lower than even response, as I'm the only one in the room. I am hoping to keep it under $500. If so, would the BIC PL-200 be an option too?

I would go with dual Bic pl-200's. I own one, and man this thing hits insanely hard. I believe Sound Distributers will accept $279 if you make an offer - $560 shipped is an excellent deal. The pl-200 is massively underrated. For about the same price though, a slightly better option would be dual Lava LSP12 subs. You can get a 15% avsforum member coupon code if you email them.

What difference would dual make versus a single? Is it just louder?

Dual subs will hit harder and lower than a single sub (referring to same subs here). The biggest difference is that dual subs helps tame peaks and nulls in your subsonic frequencies, which massively smoothes out the room response and makes the subs less localized. It really makes a HUGE difference. I am about to add a second RW-12d, and later another pl-200.

It's really less about louder than it is about *better* because of the way that two subs (placed at different locations) will smooth out the in room response. You will gain a bit of headroom but that's really a secondary benefit IMO.

Dual, identical subs will not "hit lower" than a single. The dual subs will still have the exact same -3 dB point as a single. They'll have 3 to 6 dB more total output at the -3 dB point, but the -3 dB point won't change.
This ^^^ is the real reason to add a 2nd subwoofer.

Craig

I add a second rw-12d last month and boy did it make a HUGE difference!!!!

I feel so poor when all I keep reading is you folk installing dual subs and various brands to boot, lol!

It all balances out. I can't afford to live in NYC.

Should I care about room response if it's just me and I'll always be sitting in the same place?

Yes. but maybe not as much and in a different way. If you are the only one ever there and you want to set the sub right next to where you sit then thats ok. I can see why you might not want to get 2 subs if you are the only one there and are only concerned with how it sounds where you are sitting.