How big should my subwoofer be?

The guys here will need to know your budget to make the best recommendation but I'd swing with a 12" out of those choices..
Edited by XStanleyX - 1/10/13 at 8:33pm

It's not the diameter of the driver particularly, altho the larger drivers can possibly move more air. The wattage is only so meaningful in terms of the efficiency of the driver. The design as to ported or sealed or opposed etc is another consideration. Direction of driver, downfiring, front firing, opposed. Lots of considerations...and it's the combination,, or execution of all these, that's important.
What is your budget? Placement options (might be hard to know what the room configuration is now but perhaps an idea of cabinet size)? Willingness to go dual subs?

If you want to feel things shake, you should probably go with a ported 12". I have a ported 10" and while it provides alot of deep bass, it doesn't shake things off the walls (which is good for me, i'm not a basshead). Elemental designs, SVS, and HSU all offer some pretty powerful, efficient subs in 12" ported options. On the other hand, you may want to go to a 15" if you have the budget.

Right now for $329 HSU is running a sale on this. http://hsuresearch.com/products/stf-2.html The shipping is $43 so it would be stretching your budget, but there is also the STF-1 which is a downfiring 8" as opposed the 10" in the STF-2. Also at http://velodyne.com/subwoofers/vx-11.html they are running a sale on the VX-11 where you can get a pair of them for $229. That would give you a pair of 10" subs well within your budget.

From what I have read about the s12, be aware you probably won't do better than it for $300, and maybe not as good.

Much of what you're experiencing, or what it is you're lacking can be tied to a subwoofer system that's not properly integrated into your room's acoustics. Before doing any upgrades, if your subs are in good working order, my first suggestion would be to make sure your subs are properly integrated and tested for; dial dem puppies in.

In my opinion, an upgrade path should include a bench period where the individual takes the time to get the best out of what they have so when they have better, they'll be able to get the best out of what they upgrade to. If one doesn't take the time to educate themselves as to the integration of their subs into the room's acoustics, the same conditions that plagued their lesser subs, will plague their much more capable replacement subs.

Just saying.

My subwoofer sonic upgrade path below:

Currently, I'm waiting on the arrival of replacement drivers and passive radiators to upgrade our currents pair of 12" subwoofers. I'll use the same box and amplifier. It's not ideal but makes for a good home based, lab experience.

Prior to the above, I picked up a DSPeaker, Anti-Mode, 8033S II and some room measuring gear, downloaded and learned how to use a copy of REW to do room frequency sweeps with.

From here, once the replacement drivers/radiators have about fifty hours of play time on them to loosen them up, I'll dial the system in, play with a pseudo sound panel (love seat cushion being held and moved about the room) to see the cause and affect/benefit, all in the name of educating me to our personal acoustical space. After all other financial commitments are met, then and only then will I upgrade the subwoofer system as I'll be better prepared to try and get the best out of the replacement subs. In my opinion, at the least, it's all about properly integrating a pair of subwoofers into the acoustical listening environment. Sans doing this, for the most part, one is wishing-and-a-hoping.

AC/DC;"Long way to the top if you want to Rock-n-Roll"

And when you get there you can sing for all to hear:

Kiss: "New York Groove."

...............

-
Edited by BeeMan458 - 1/13/13 at 5:14am

While the stf 1 and 2 are ok for music in a small room they will provide no punch unless maybe in a 4x4x4 closet. If you are looking for accuracy and punch for $300 keep looking for something used.

+1

NVM, it seems you have a more realistic grasp than .your original post.

Are you familiar with Lava Subs? I haven't heard them for myself, but I have read some good things about them.

I can sell one of my Emotiva Ultra 12 for $300 or get two from me for $500. Try beating that .

I'm also in Atlanta.
Edited by quattroatl - 1/14/13 at 10:30am

No more than you it would seem. Never heard one but read good things. Are you eyeing one in particular?

2 for $500 is a good deal. I have seen them for $429 new.

So you still have the S12? If so I'd keep it, make sure it's setup well and possibly add to it....maybe take quattrotl up on his offer.

OTOH you still don't say what you did to set it up with your system (you employing room correction or have some sort of bass management? did you try various placements in your room like the sub crawl? etc). Your room has a great effect on the sub, especially a single (and duals help smooth that out).

The Lava subs are clean sounding budget subs. While they sound great with music and have decent punch for movies IMO, the Klipsch RW12d is a better all around sub at or under $300. I have had experience with both subs BTW.

+1

I would keep the S12 and try to better integrate it. Perhaps you could try to find a second one used on Audiogon. Also the Emotiva Ultra 12 subs are great all around subs with good extension down to 30hz and great midbass punch. I have an Ultra 10 in my bedroom (about 11x15) and its a potent little sub. The Warranties are also 5 years and transferable on Emotiva products.

Cool thanks for that info. I personally am not looking for anything new, at least not at the moment, but the Lava 10" fell within the OP's budget which is why I was asking about them. Perhaps the OP should just keep the RW-12D and just do a re-tune then? Unless they are really unhappy with it.

Ahh, ok. Not really eyeing one in particular, but as I noted above the 10" fell within the budget of the OP.

when i shop for something like this, i go to amazon, best buy, etc.. and then narrow my search (subwoofers) then i read a ton of reviews on different brands and compare specs. and pick one that is half or more off. for example: why should i buy a $300 sub, when i can get a $600 sub for $300. i wait for the big/well known brands to go half off or more. and if they have 4-1/2 stars or more.


Yamaha YST-SW315 with QD-Bass (Quatre Dispersion Bass) technology (down-firing but sends it out in 4 different directions) and 20-160Hz freq. range.
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YST-SW315-10-Inch-Digital-Subwoofer/dp/B00009W8XH/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1358118674&sr=1-5&keywords=yamaha+subwoofer

read about the product, read the reviews, and go from there. (think i paid closer to $200 though)

You would be far better off going by the recommendations here. Big name subwoofers are rarely very good, and even at half off do not represent the same value you'll get from one of the subwoofers as we typically recommend. I'll put my $549 Outlaw LFM-1EX against anything at Best Buy selling for $1500.

Not the first time this question's been asked:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1364182/list-of-budget-subwoofers-300-and-less

You can also go here, and follow your budget:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1425179/the-subwoofer-recommendation-by-pricepoint-thread

I'll bet you have no idea what QD Bass means let alone determine if it's actual technology or marketing bullcrap.

That sub is not in the same league as what the OP has now let alone some other subs being mentioned. It only lists on Amazon a FR of 40-140hz, without even specifying a spec let alone the usual +/- 3dB rating; the Yamaha site says it's 20-160hz at -10dB (!); the high cut filter interestingly on the Yamaha site matches up to the Amazon FR spec....but if it's on the internet it must be true when it comes to Amazon, right? That sub selection method isn't going to get you very good results consistently IMHO, Amazon reviews often lump multiple models of a brand together, hard to know what the heck you're reading about sometimes let alone the intelligence level of the reviewers. You have a better shot here by far.

Generally a sub is only worth what you can or are willing to pay for it, not what it's MSRP was...not to knock bargain hunting (the Klipsch RW12D being a good $300 sub but not a good $700-800 sub as it's original MSRPs were).

I do, and it is marketing bull crap. It works exactly the same as every downfiring sub, as they all have omni-directional radiation.

Of course you know...