AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Subwoofers, Bass, and Transducers › Help me pick a good sub $250-500 (to complement NHT classic line)
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Help me pick a good sub $250-500 (to complement NHT classic line)

post #1 of 14
1/12/07 at 10:26am
Thread Starter 
19x13 are the dimensions 11' ceilings I believe, TV is going right in front of the big windows, about 6' out from there is my leather couch (parallel and facing windows), subwoofer would go behind couch. Here are pics of the main living room, my aparment is similar to a studio with a 1BR thru those french doors:
http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/3311/frontjr1.png
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/6329/backgr3.png

Not much else furniture, I have a card table behind the couch and a large wooden coffee table in front of my couch (4' x 6' and maybe 16" high I think)

Front speakers are NHT Classic Three's
Center channel will be NHT Three C
Surrounds are NHT Super Zeroes (I might upgrade to Absolute Zeroes) - wall mounted about 2 feet below ceiling and about 3 feet behind couch facing in.

My thinking is to go with the NHT Twelve but it is a bit pricey (especially just after laying out cash for a Sony XBR2 LCD), do you think I would be happy with the NHT Ten? Any other recommendations? If I am better off sticking with the NHT family I guess I could shell out for the NHT Twelve - it would probably rock my apartment, fwiw I never go on the positive side of the decibel on my receiver (If I worded that correctly). If someone could tell me what average/peak wattage that would equate to I would be happy to know!

My interests are mostly movies (from Cable and HD Sources) and games (XBox & PS3), my receiver is currently:
Denon AVR-3300
Number of Channels 5.1 Channels
Surround Mode Power 105 Watt @ 8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, THD: 0.05%
Surround Sound Dolby Digital® DTS®
THX Certification No
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 14
1/12/07 at 12:39pm
Thread Starter 
after a little more research looks like the Twelve would suit my apartment the best, and of course the more I look the more expensive my options are, so I better quit looking while I am ahead! LOL
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 14
1/12/07 at 12:47pm
NHT makes great subwoofers from what I hear, but have you considered the options from HSU, SVS, Axiom, or **********.

You can get a good sub from any of those manufacturers in your price range that will meet your needs.

www.svsound.com

www.hsuresearch.com

www.**********

www.axiomaudio.com
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 14
1/12/07 at 1:02pm
Gagnon, stop me if I'm hijacking your thread, but I'm looking for similar advice. I've got NHT Absolute Zeros for my front and rear l/r and a Classic Two C center and am looking for a sub to finish it off. My top choice is the SVS SB12-Plus but I'm not sure if that's overkill or not. My room is 16' long x 11' wide x 9' tall, it's open on both sides, and I'd like to be able to keep the new sub if/when I move my theater to a larger room. I do need a sub that's on the smaller side and it'll be going next to the sofa in the rear left corner of the listening room. About 50/50 music and movies. The SVS seems like a good choice to me, but I'm also looking at the smaller Rocket ULW-10 and the Hsu VTF-1 as well as the NHT 10 (though it really seems like I could get a lot more sub for my $$$ by going internet direct).
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 14
1/12/07 at 1:11pm
Are you sure your're looking at the SB12-Plus? It's only 14" cubed. It doesn't get much smaller than that.

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-sb12plus.cfm

Are you referrring to the PB12-Plus?

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-plus1.cfm

If you're eventually moving into a larger room, the you should get the most sub that you can afford.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 14
1/12/07 at 1:29pm
Yep, I'm talking about the small, sealed SB12-Plus. I've read a lot of conflicting opinions on sealed vs. ported and whether or not SVS subs are good for music, but this one, though costing more than I would prefer to spend, seems like it should fit the bill in every way: small footprint, room correction option to tame it in my small room, sealed for good music performance, but also hopefully with enough power to do justice to film soundtracks. And since it is a 12" woofer with a pretty big amp I'm thinking it should be able to make the transition to the inevitable (but still several years off) larger room. The ULW-10 also seems like it should be able to achieve most of those goals for a few hundred $ less, but I'm concerned that it won't perform well in a larger space, although adding a second sub could potentially help that.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 14
1/12/07 at 2:25pm
Thread Starter 
rockemsockem - thanks for the links...

The SB12-Plus looks like the only product that has a 12" woofer in my price range (actually a little out if it) and I could still get the NHT Twelve for $200 less which is probably what I am leaning towards (to complete the NHT set).
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 14
1/12/07 at 2:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gagnon View Post

The SB12-Plus looks like the only product that has a 12" woofer in my price range (actually a little out if it) and I could still get the NHT Twelve for $200 less which is probably what I am leaning towards (to complete the NHT set).

Did you look at the other links?

http://hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-3.html
http://hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-2-mk3.html
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 14
1/12/07 at 2:34pm
the only 12incher in your range??????

the S12 MIRAGE used to cost around for 399$, now 499$ with 12incher.

the mk3 vtf2 from HSU is 469$, 18hZ extensions. <- insane.

the h100 BIC and xsub CADENCE have 12inchers, but not as good sound qualities and extensions as HSU and MIRAGE.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 14
1/12/07 at 5:18pm
I also have NHT classic speakers. I have the classic three's up front, the classic three center, classic two's for rears and the absolute zero's as my surround backs. For a sub I use the Mirage S12, even at 500 bucks it is a an unbelievable sub for the price. The mirage may work better than HSU sub's if you live an apartment because the HSU's are down firing, while the mirage is front firing. The only other sub I can recommend for the money is the SVS-PB10NSD, but it's big and ugly, the Mirage looks much better (and i'm my opinion sounds better). Trust me, buy the Mirage from Vanns and never look back

No, I don't work for Vanns, I live in NY. I just know great sounding subs when I hear them.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 14
1/12/07 at 6:21pm
I just bit the bullet and ordered an SVS SB12-Plus, and I'm glad I waited a couple of days because the price on a maple b-stock just dropped from $699 to $550. At that price I didn't really have to think about it any more.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 14
1/12/07 at 7:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cap'n Jazz View Post

I just bit the bullet and ordered an SVS SB12-Plus, and I'm glad I waited a couple of days because the price on a maple b-stock just dropped from $699 to $550. At that price I didn't really have to think about it any more.


Yes that definitely was a great price.

The only cavet is that when you move into a larger room, you will probably if not definitely need a second one.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 14
1/17/07 at 10:21am
Thread Starter 
My room is ~2700 cubic feet and the entrance to my bedroom is a set of french doors in the middle of this room, I think the SB12-plus might be a little under powered for this room right? What about the VTF-3 MK3? Should I consider the model with Turbo Charger? Looks kind of funky but I could live with it, would it be too loud for my apartment?
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 14
1/17/07 at 10:54am
Thread Starter 
damn this is such a tough decision, I REALLY REALLY REALLY like the small form factor of the SB12-Plus, it is ONE THIRD of the size of the HSU product and I am a tiny bit concerned about being too loud in my apartment with my neighbors. Someone please tell me I will be happy with the SB12-Plus =D
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Subwoofers, Bass, and Transducers › Help me pick a good sub $250-500 (to complement NHT classic line)