[kabeer_g]

All,


I recently located to a bigger apartment and my SVS SB12 plus is too small for our combined living & dining room, which measures at 3700 cu ft. I have attached a picture of our layout.


My current set-up:
1. Receiver : Onkyo TX-SR876


2. Left and right speaker by Selah Audio (http://www.selahaudio.com/cima/)
3. Centre channel: Not using at the moment but same speaker as I use for left and right
4. Surround speakers: None
5. Subwoofer: SVS SB12 plus


Based on the research I have done so far, top candidate at the moment is Seaton Submersive HP+. Another option would be to add 2 smaller subs. There the options are:
1. Get 1 more SVS SB2000 (SB 12 plus has been discontinued)
2. Get 2 JL Audio E112
3. Get 2 12inch subs from Rhythmic


There are a couple of constraints we have:
1. A subwoofer upgrade is the first thing I am looking at. Considering this goes in our main living room, looks are hugely important.
2. In terms of placement so that the sub fits in with our décor, the best place would be top left corner (see the layout picture). This corner has a space of 40in x 40in
3. Stay under < $5000


I would really appreciate any suggestions.

 

[shadyJ]

While a Submersive would have the most output, I think two JL Audio E112 subs would do very well output wise and also potentially have the ability to smooth out room modes, which a single sub can not do. I would use your existing sub to measure the response from the available placements you have. If you can get two of those placements to add up to a good response, get the two E112s. If your available placements do not give you a significant advantage in smoothing out the frequency response, just go with a Submersive.

 

[Red99]

Since you are living in an apartment, I would just get SVS 2000 to smooth out the room since you probably wont be able to play your sound no where near a ref level without getting evicted.

 

[kabeer_g]

Since you are living in an apartment, I would just get SVS 2000 to smooth out the room since you probably wont be able to play your sound no where near a ref level without getting evicted.

Shady/Red, thanks for quick replies. Here are a few more details:


1. I tried measuring room response using Room EQ Wizard from Hometheatre Shack. I used the audyssey mic that came with my receiver. I need to figure out what am I doing wrong as I am getting a really weird response curve. There were peaks and valleys of over 20 db. Also should I apply any kind of smoothening.?


2. I don't have any neighbours on the same floor. However I do have neighbours underneath me.


3. My music and movies mix is 50:50


4. If I do 2nd subwoofer, I would probably have to use a wireless kit.


5. If I keep seaton in the top left corner, I would have 7.5 in clear space on 2 sides and 11 inch clear space on each of the other 2 sides.

 

[Red99]

Kabeer, as far as I know, you cant use the Audessy mic with REW. You need to get a calibration mic. I would suggest one from http://www.cross-spectrum.com/. You will also need a SPL meter.

Im not a expert on sound waves, but I think LF travels through walls in any direction.

I have heard people with good results with wireless kits. The sub crawl is a very worthy procedure to do if you can open up your options for placement. And with REW, you can use the calibration mic.

 

[kaiforce]

If you are even considering a Seaton Submersive, I would move to a home first. Unless you have some real self control, you're going to get the cops called on you from people 2 units over

 

[shadyJ]

You can just use an SPL meter for REW, a good mic is nice but not necessary. Like Red said, the Audyssey mic won't work with REW I believe. I would retake those measurements using a good mic and sound interface and then decide where to go from there. But to think about it, I would still lean to dual JL Audio subs because you will not be able to use anything close to the full dynamic range of the Submersive, and it isn't likely to be qualitatively better than two E112s except at really loud levels.

 

[jbrown15]

If you're open for other suggestion you could get dual Reaction Audio Gamma 18's for $2400 shipped.

 

[Red99]

You can just use an SPL meter for REW, a good mic is nice but not necessary. Like Red said, the Audyssey mic won't work with REW I believe. I would retake those measurements using a good mic and sound interface and then decide where to go from there. But to think about it, I would still lean to dual JL Audio subs because you will not be able to use anything close to the full dynamic range of the Submersive, and it isn't likely to be qualitatively better than two E112s except at really loud levels.

I only mentioned the mic at cross spectrum for 2 reasons! For one, they are calibrated and come with a calibration file. And second, a USB mic makes setting up REW a lot easier. But yes, you can use a SPL meter.

The only reason I would consider the Submissive is if you think you will be moving into a home within a few years. Otherwise it will be overkill. Because even in a regular home with no sharing walls, or floors, or ceilings, and a yard all the way around it, you can hear subs from outside of a house. Unless you have a bunker (Basement), The LF sound waves will travel thru walls like they are cloth. I can hear people at my work when I am in the building and they are outside in there car with there car stereo and there windows up. And our building has no windows, its metal and insulated. So its traveling thru a car, and thru the building, and also traveling over a 100 feet away. Its not loud, but you can hear it. And only hearing LF sounds without any other sound can be very annoying to people. Just wanted to warn you on that.

 

[kabeer_g]

Thank you. Good advice about the Mic. I mostly use a HTPC as my source. I have a whole lot of music in flac files in it and obviously have my bluray drive.

I have my HTPC connected via a HDMI cable to my onkyo receiver. So to run measurement, I used REW and used audyssey Mic with PC's Mic-in slot. Since I could see that PC was detecting frequencies, I thought this set-up was working fine. But clearly not.

I will order the mic from cross-reference.

 

[kabeer_g]

Bumping it up for any other thoughts?

Also any inputs on getting another SVS vs selling current SB12 and getting JL e112. Or for that matter any 2 sealed compact 12inch subs.

 

[Kini62]

Bumping it up for any other thoughts?

Also any inputs on getting another SVS vs selling current SB12 and getting JL e112. Or for that matter any 2 sealed compact 12inch subs.

Unless you're getting a really good deal on the e112 you could get the SB13 Ultra for the same or less and have the 45 day trial period that goes with it.

 

[farsider3000]

I have a 3,100 cu ft dedicated movie room that has extensive soundproofing including double walls, double 5/8 Sheetrock with Green glue damping compound along with double subfloor with green glue and double layers of mass loaded vinyl. I can still hear the bass from my two new Submersive HP+ in the floor below (but at a muted level).

I can offer a unique perspective since I have been using my dual JL Audio F112s for about three years until my recent addition of the Submersives. Now the JLs have taken up position in the rear of my room.

The JL Audios are truly great subs but they just do not compare to the Submersives. The JL E series and the Submersives are not in the same league.

If you plan to move to a single family home:
Knowing the benefit of dual subwoofers I would still highly recommend that you buy a single Submersive now and then another later. The Submersives are just as tight and fast as my JL F112s but the shear amount of power and slam is amazing.

If you plan to continue living in an apartment:
I would purchase the E series JL audios. JL makes a fine piece of hardware.

 

[Scrappydue]

submersive all the way. JL wouldnt even be an option for me if a submersive will fit. plus you can get some gorgeous finishes.

 

[farsider3000]

submersive all the way. JL wouldnt even be an option for me if a submersive will fit. plus you can get some gorgeous finishes.

I just can't imagine anyone using even a single Submersive in an apartment. I had a small B&W 10" sub when I was in a duplex and living overseas.

 

[Scrappydue]

I just can't imagine anyone using even a single Submersive in an apartment. I had a small B&W 10" sub when I was in a duplex and living overseas.

Why not? Long as it's got a volume control?

 

[nexxest]

Audyssey mic works with REW. It's just a bit trickier to get it to work.

I measured my sub with Aud mic and with UMIK-1, and the results were basically the same. +- 0.5dB difference from 20-100 Hz.