Best compact sub - 8" for $200

Hi guys,
Looking for a sub to complete my set of Energy Take 5 Classic speakers. This will be used with my PC and since it'll be placed more or less beneath the PC desk, power is not an issue nor a priority.

I bought the Energy Take 5 satellites from Newegg for $129.99 and need a Subwoofer to complete the set. These will be plugged into my Harman Kardon AVR1700 receiver.

The subwoofer will be placed underneath the computer desk so it needs to be compact as there is absolutely no other place to put it in the room. I should be able to accomodate a sub 14"x14"x14" but nothing larger than that

Thoughts on the following?

• Energy EW-100 ($149)
• Lava 8" LSP08 ($168-$198)
• JBL Studio 150P (seen it for as low as $149.99-$239)
• MartinLogan Dynamo 300 8" ($$119-159)

Thanks!

I can stretch my budge to $249 but space is also important. It's a small room. Basically the smallest room in the house has been turned into my digital aka PC work room. And I saw the sub on eBay. My only gripe is that it being used I have no idea how they used/abused it. Hmmm, thanks for the input, I have the sub on eBay on watch...will reach out to the sellers.

Just saw the dimensions on the M8. It just might work out, 2 sides are 14" and one is 10" so that falls within the specs I listed

Hopefully they'll offer a promotion on it soon so I may snag one at a discounted rate. That will be the cherry on the top. Thanks again!
Edited by Cyberathlete - 1/3/13 at 1:12pm

Ugh. Shipping on the M8 is $32 so that takes the total price to $282. Kinda really stretching my budget as I also want to buy some new speakers for my car and replace the factory ones.

Also throwing into the equation is the Infinity Primus PS38. Any thoughts on that one?

• Energy EW-100 ($149)
• Lava 8" LSP08 ($168-$198)
• JBL Studio 150P (seen it for as low as $149.99-$239)
• MartinLogan Dynamo 300 8" ($$119-159)
• Infinity Primus PS38 ($149-$199)

This is the setup I'm hooking up to my PC
Old
Klipsch Promedia 4.1 (perfectly working, but I want a center channel and want to hook up my sound card to my receiver)
Creative X-Fi Titanium (too many issues using optical out, buggy software/drivers)

New
Soundblaster Z Series soundcard ($120)
Harman Kardon AVR1700 receiver ($199)
Energy Take 5 Classic Speakers (satellites only, no sub) ($120)
??? Subwoofer??? ($200 max)

I just saw that the Martin Logan Dynamo 300 was for $80 at Newegg.com during Christmas 1-day special sale. Ugh, why was I not in the market for this 10 days ago?!?!?!?!

The sub is for my PC and will be sitting underneath the desk. Uses
Music 60%
Movies 20%
Games 20%

Thanks!

Also found a refurbished Velodyne VX-11 ($150) with full manufacturer 1 year warranty. How about this one now?

I think I have enough subs in the mix....just need to pick one, pull the trigger so it'll be here next Tuesday/Wednesday. Thanks again guys!

• Energy EW-100 ($149)
• Lava 8" LSP08 ($168-$198)
• JBL Studio 150P (seen it for as low as $149.99-$239)
• MartinLogan Dynamo 300 8" ($$119-159)
• Infinity Primus PS38 ($149-$199)
• Velodyne VX-11 [refurb with 1 yr warranty] ($150)

Appreciate the responses but no one has flat out recommended any sub yet though The specs and what a sub does is mentioned but no solid recommendation.

Thanks guys! I know this is not a hunt for a high end audio product, but at the same time want to make a sound investment (no pun intended) even if so it is on the low end. Thanks!

PS: My HT subs are the Klipsch RW-12D x2

I appreciate that. My ONLY concern is that it's a used sub and if there any issues whatsoever I may not pick up on those since I don't know how it sounds brand new and if anything sounds a little bit off with this used sub, I wouldn't know. I have bought used speakers in the past, but since they're always in pairs, u can always hear the drivers individually and compare them side by side to see if sound is off in any one speaker.

Subs are a little trickier to gauge in that matter


Oh snap 2 for $229? That may just tide me over and I could end up using the other one at a different location in the house. Or have a dual set up in the future. Hmmmmm

Effin A, you're right. I just checked the space and my limitations are still 14x14x14.

Sigh out with the Velodyne.

Ended up getting the ML Dynamo 300 for $130 (after tax) satellite speakers will be here Tuesday along with the Soundblaster Creative Z soundcard. Will do some test on Wednesday to see how it sounds. Hopefully it has some oomph and punch to it as opposed to the boomy subs in this price range.
Thanks for all your help guys!

Thanks! Yea Fry's had it on a one day sale. $130 was too good to pass up. It's also pretty compact, i think the smallest out of all the subs I listed and yet still takes up a bit of room. I'll take a picture once everything is set up and post it....

will let you know how it fares.

PS I replaced my working Klipsch Promedia 4.1 system with this 5.1 set up

May be should've asked about what speakers are comparable before jumping the gun for Energy Take Classic 5.

Old PC Sound Setup:
Creative X-Fi Titanium
Klipsch Promedia 4.1

My PC sound setup (recently revamped):
Creative Soundblaster Z (new series) ($110, wish there were a slickdeal on this but since it just came out, I doubt it)
Energy Take Classic 5 Speakers set ($130, Slickdeals )
Harman Kardon AVR1700 receiver ($199, Slickdeals )
Martin Logan Dynamo 300 ($130, Slickdeals )

Headphones:
Senn HD598
Audio Technica m50s LE
Edited by Cyberathlete - 1/6/13 at 11:05am