SubMersive vs Descent i

I think the hesitation for some people is that ML is a national brand and Seaton and other companies loved by AVS members are not. In real world the Seaton is the superior sub...we both know that but he has to get comfortable with that notion on his own. If multiple glowing reviews won't convince him, not sure an audition would either. Even an SVS sub would destroy the ML and I favor Seaton and JTR over SVS. I came off a highly regarded Paradigm Sub 15 (and servo 15 before that) and my JTR subs are more musical and much more tactile. Perhaps you could poke around the Seaton thread and see anyone local would be willing to give your friend a demo.

I would say this to your friend if he is reading. ML is a fine company with a good reputation. They make quality products but they are not a subwoofer company. They likely offer a subwoofer because it completes their HT portfolio..not because it is a particular strength of theirs. No reviews I have read place them anywhere near the top of the subwoofer game. Companies like SVS, Seaton, JTR, etc.. make their living off these kinds of products and when compared by some of the most critical customers in the world…AVS members…come out on top both from a performance standpoint and build quality standpoint. And these aren't random impressions, they are often measured results of the subwoofer. Finding a local demo might be the best option at this point to help him decide what would work best for him.

The SubMersive is very highly-regarded for its combination of output, extension, sound quality, build quality and good looks - all at an ID (Internet-direct) price that easily undercuts other higher-end subwoofer brands. I haven't read anything bad about it, or about Mark Seaton, either.

Lets change tactics since your friend is reading this forum. As somebody with a history in Marketing and Product, a sub like the Seaton Submersive or JTR Captivator will shake your walls, so accurate that the source material is left smiling, so tactile that the foundation of your house will beg for mercy, so impressive looking women will call you "El Capitano", so well built that Fort Knox is jealous.... you get the point

I had a ML Descent a few years ago. I now own 3 Submersive HP's. I will say that the ML Descent is a great sub, one of a few that are in the same league as the Submersive, especially in terms of sound quality. With it's 3 drivers in a triangulated, sealed cabinet, the Descent uses a similar type of "balanced force" design that removes cabinet vibrations completely. This helps improve the sound quality.

The Descent is spec'd to 18 Hz +/- 3dB. It uses three 10" drivers and it has a dedicated 250 watt amp for each driver. The three 10's would give up about 35% cone area to the two 15" drivers in the Submersive. In addition, the Submersive is driven by more than 3x the power, (3 x 250 =750 in the Descent vs. 2,400 in the Submersive HP.) I would expect the Descent to hit the LF extension spec, but not to be able to keep up with the Submersive HP in terms of total output. They are within a few dollars of each other, so I would definitely give the nod to the Submersive, unless the aesthetics of the Descent are important. It is a very nice *looking* sub.

Just my $0.02

Craig