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Help, need subwoofer advice.

post #1 of 21
3/9/13 at 12:14pm
Thread Starter 
I am new to home theater (that isn't in a box that is), and am having a problem on my subwoofer selection. The other components to my home theater are the marantz SR5004 receiver: http://us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?Catid=AVReceivers&SubCatId=0&ProductId=SR5004, Episode 700 series LCR speaker: http://www.snapav.com/p-425-es-700-lcr-5-blk.aspx, 2 Episode 500 series SAT speakers: http://www.snapav.com/p-411-es-500-sat-4-blk.aspx. I was thinking of holding off on the rear speakers for now due to space/money.

These are the subwoofers that I am interested in. Episode® 8 in. Ported, Powered Subwoofer: http://www.snapav.com/p-929-es-sub-8-110-blk.aspx, Episode® 10 in. Ported, Powered Subwoofer: http://www.snapav.com/p-930-es-sub-10-200-blk.aspx, Episode® 12 in. Ported, Powered Subwoofer: http://www.snapav.com/p-931-es-sub-12-300-blk.aspx, and The Episode® Triple 8 in. Powered Subwoofer: http://www.snapav.com/p-1253-es-sub-trp8-300-blk.aspx.
Should I go cheaper on the sub and buy rear speakers or spend more on the sub and buy the rear speakers later?
The size of the room is 13ft x 15ft with the left side completely open to the dining room(like another 13ft). This is also the bottom floor of a condo, and the floors being tile. Any advice is much appreciated. If any other questions are needed, I would be glad to answer them. Thanks smile.gif
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post #2 of 21
3/9/13 at 1:42pm
Never heard of Episode myself until now and looking around a bit. Why this particular brand? You buying from an installer? What kind of costs are associated with these choices? What's your budget? The entire floor is tile, no rugs?
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post #3 of 21
3/9/13 at 2:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovinthehd View Post

Never heard of Episode myself until now and looking around a bit. Why this particular brand? You buying from an installer? What kind of costs are associated with these choices? What's your budget? The entire floor is tile, no rugs?
Yes, I am going through an installer and I'm getting an exceptional deal. He happens to be a family friend. I originally was leaning toward the GS bose cinemate ii system and was talked into purchasing this setup. After a lot of research, I think it's the better option. Budget isn't to much of an issue with the specs listed. I just want the best option for the space provided.
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post #4 of 21
3/9/13 at 3:10pm
What's the installer proposing? Any one of these or a pair? How much space for the sub itself do you have? Do you have room for a pair? You still don't provide budget, but there are many subs with better specs than these.
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post #5 of 21
3/9/13 at 3:13pm
I can't speak to the goodness of the Episode subs, but I am using their series 700 bookshelves in one of my rooms and am quite happy with them. They were much better than the polk monitor 70s they replaced.
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post #6 of 21
3/9/13 at 3:41pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovinthehd View Post

What's the installer proposing? Any one of these or a pair? How much space for the sub itself do you have? Do you have room for a pair? You still don't provide budget, but there are many subs with better specs than these.
I am getting the sub at cost, so going for another brand seems irrational. I would say 400 dollars would be at the top of my budget for a sub. I'm not sure if I could fit a pair of subs and if I could, would it really be necessary with the space provided?
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post #7 of 21
3/9/13 at 4:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsims89 View Post

I am getting the sub at cost, so going for another brand seems irrational. I would say 400 dollars would be at the top of my budget for a sub. I'm not sure if I could fit a pair of subs and if I could, would it really be necessary with the space provided?

No. Not irrational if there is no data on those subs other than what the company and your installer says. For instance, with this 12", could be it goes as low as they say, or not. Then could be it's really cheap driver, or a decent one.

The Klipsch RW-12d has been verified by many AVS members and via reviews to be one of the best values for an HT subwoofer when it's on sale at $299 at Newegg.
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1442829/klipsch-rw-12d-on-sale-for-299-at-newegg-com-again-today

So you can trust that your installer if you want, but I wouldn't. He's out to make a sale. If you can find people that have compared the Episode subs with other good subs, then that would be different.
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post #8 of 21
3/9/13 at 5:24pm
Thread Starter 
I understand what you are saying about making a sale, but there is no sale if I'm getting them at cost. I can assure you that I am getting them at cost because I saw the login prices for dealers, which is about half the price of retail. Here are some reviews on episode subwoofers. http://hometheaterreview.com/episode-es-sub-cub8-110-eight-inch-powered-subwoofer-reviewed/, http://hometheaterreview.com/episode-es-sub-12-300-mb-powered-subwoofer-reviewed/?page=2
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post #9 of 21
3/9/13 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsims89 View Post

I understand what you are saying about making a sale, but there is no sale if I'm getting them at cost.

Sure there is. If you aren't buy a sub, he could give you a little discount on the other speakers.
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post #10 of 21
3/9/13 at 5:57pm
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Originally Posted by cel4145 View Post

Sure there is. If you aren't buy a sub, he could give you a little discount on the other speakers.
I am paying the same price that he would be paying, he is not making a profit. I don't understand how this has become some sort of debate. He is a family friend that decided to help me out on buying a home theater. This is the reason why I decided to go with episode. I just really wanted opinions as to the particular sub choices and the space of the room.
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post #11 of 21
3/9/13 at 6:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsims89 View Post

I understand what you are saying about making a sale, but there is no sale if I'm getting them at cost. I can assure you that I am getting them at cost because I saw the login prices for dealers, which is about half the price of retail. Here are some reviews on episode subwoofers. http://hometheaterreview.com/episode-es-sub-cub8-110-eight-inch-powered-subwoofer-reviewed/, http://hometheaterreview.com/episode-es-sub-12-300-mb-powered-subwoofer-reviewed/?page=2

It's one thing to get something at cost, another to get the best value for the $. Like Cel said, the Klipsch RW12d retailed in the same neighborhood as the 12" you're looking at (judging by the advertisement, er review, you linked to), and on sale for $300 delivered is a very nice sub. If Episode hasn't focused on the real sub competition (from the comments in the article), i.e. the internet direct sub manufacturers, it either indicates they don't want to bring attention to them or they're foolishly ignoring them as competitors. Have you found any actual user reviews of the Episode subs?

Yes, dual subs (or more) in a large space such as you have has advantages for smoother frequency response and headroom as well as better able to pressurize the space. I'm sure the installer told you all about that, though, since he's a close family friend and very knowledgeable.
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post #12 of 21
3/9/13 at 6:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsims89 View Post

I am paying the same price that he would be paying, he is not making a profit. I don't understand how this has become some sort of debate. He is a family friend that decided to help me out on buying a home theater. This is the reason why I decided to go with episode. I just really wanted opinions as to the particular sub choices and the space of the room.

If you are paying dealer cost for all the speakers, that's nice.

I'd still go with the proven sub.
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post #13 of 21
3/9/13 at 7:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovinthehd View Post


Yes, dual subs (or more) in a large space such as you have has advantages for smoother frequency response and headroom as well as better able to pressurize the space. I'm sure the installer told you all about that, though, since he's a close family friend and very knowledgeable.
He actually said that the 8" subwoofer would be more than enough for the space I just wanted other opinions. Don't forget that I have neighbors wink.gif
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post #14 of 21
3/9/13 at 7:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsims89 View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by lovinthehd View Post


Yes, dual subs (or more) in a large space such as you have has advantages for smoother frequency response and headroom as well as better able to pressurize the space. I'm sure the installer told you all about that, though, since he's a close family friend and very knowledgeable.
He actually said that the 8" subwoofer would be more than enough for the space I just wanted other opinions. Don't forget that I have neighbors wink.gif

You're in the subwoofer forum. Most of us want a lot more than an 8" sub (I had one in my small bedroom and it was almost adequate there smile.gif ). With neighbors, yes, that's a limitation and a good neighborly consideration. You might be satisfied with a smaller sub, personally for me there's no going back (my living room, larger than yours, has a dual opposed 15" supplemented with two subs with 10" drivers and each with two 10" passive radiators). I'd still prefer a larger sub for those times when I could increase the volume, so would at least want the 12", it has lower extension for movies (even if you don't turn the volume up a lot), too.
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post #15 of 21
3/9/13 at 7:38pm
Thread Starter 
So you are suggesting the 12"? Would the 12" be better than the non ported triple 8" setup?
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post #16 of 21
3/9/13 at 7:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsims89 View Post

So you are suggesting the 12"? Would the 12" be better than the non ported triple 8" setup?

Better is subjective. The 12" digs deeper to 30Hz instead of 25Hz on the triple 8" (and that's the manufacturer's spec without all the specific information needed to judge what it means). There are subs out there that easily dig to 20 and below, too.
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post #17 of 21
3/9/13 at 8:05pm
Thread Starter 
How ab
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovinthehd View Post

Better is subjective. The 12" digs deeper to 30Hz instead of 25Hz on the triple 8" (and that's the manufacturer's spec without all the specific information needed to judge what it means). There are subs out there that easily dig to 20 and below, too.
how about this, which sub would you choose between the two?
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post #18 of 21
3/9/13 at 8:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsims89 View Post

How ab
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovinthehd View Post

Better is subjective. The 12" digs deeper to 30Hz instead of 25Hz on the triple 8" (and that's the manufacturer's spec without all the specific information needed to judge what it means). There are subs out there that easily dig to 20 and below, too.
how about this, which sub would you choose between the two?

I'd definitely go with the lowest extension I could get. 12" for the win. OTOH you might look at subs from SVS, Power Sound Audio, Rythmik, Hsu, etc....
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post #19 of 21
3/10/13 at 9:03am
8" subs blow
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post #20 of 21
3/10/13 at 9:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovinthehd View Post


I'd definitely go with the lowest extension I could get. 12" for the win. OTOH you might look at subs from SVS, Power Sound Audio, Rythmik, Hsu, etc....

+1
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post #21 of 21
3/11/13 at 4:26am
+2 smile.gif
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