Get an exclusive sneak peek into our new project. >>> Click Here
Our native mobile app has a new name: Fora Communities. Learn more.

If you HAD to downgrade from a Fathom f113...

3693 Views 32 Replies 25 Participants Last post by kb4all, Sep 26, 2011

vanvalks

Discussion Starter · Aug 19, 2011

5

Here is my predicament. We just had a baby which I am now realizing comes into play for a couple reasons:

1. Movie watching time (especially at loud volumes) has been cut dramatically and probably will be for the next few years as this is the first kid and a couple more will follow.

2. In about a year he will be walking around pushing every button in sight, touching and sucking on everything, and of course all with dirty snack and slobber covered fingers.

I currently have a Fathom f113 in my living room. It isn't a dedicated theater- just a living room with in-walls and a center channel with decent acoustics. I am realizing now for the next couple years my beautiful f113 will be under-used and under-appreciated. I am not the kind to let is just sit around and depreciate. I would rather sell it (I got a killer deal on it) and use the cash to downgrade to something cheaper and then have some extra cash leftover. In a couple years I can always buy a fathom back for less than the 2k I know I can get out of this beast (Satin in MINT condition with box and accessories).

So I finally get to the point of this thread:
If you HAD to downgrade from an f113 to something in the 1k or less range and no bigger than an f110, WHAT WOULD YOU GET??

I get sad just thinking about it

, but the kid is definitely worth it

Here is my living room:

Sub has to go left of the entertainment center.

This was a couple months ago

I had two for a couple weeks while I was reselling one of them. Never had time to fully dial them in to compare against a single setup. Bummer.

Let's hear your thoughts!

See less See more

1 - 20 of 33 Posts

Archaea

· #2 · Aug 19, 2011

The kid will fetch you more money on the used market than the sub. ;p

First off DANG those subs are sexy -- they are the sexiest subs in the industry...I'm surprised your wife isn't jealous of your affections...are you sure your getting rid of them for the kid?

Personally I wouldn't sell it. My daughter is now 2.5 years old. She never broke anything in my house that's worth fussing over. She enjoys listening to my music and asks me nearly daily to dance with her - which is just turning on the music and running around. She grew up laying on my subwoofer ottoman with four 15 inch woofers playing at reasonable volumes. she'd smile big when we laid her down on it! Your kid might like it and there will be times were you can certainly still listen to loud music or movies after you have a kid! After my kid goes to sleep we can watch a movie at -15 without waking her up. My wife and I do that regularly! If I want to listen to something really loud I just wait until my wife and daughter go shopping or visit my wife's mom or something. The only way I'd sell it is if you need the money ---- or make sure and sell it if you get a kitten. (I will vouch for kittens tearing up subwoofers -something about their claws and subwoofer surrounds --- they are like rare earth magnets when in the same space!)

Here's an old video of my daughter laying on my ottoman subwoofer when she was only a couple months old.

See less See more

spyboy

· #3 · Aug 19, 2011

SVS SB-12 NSD:

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-sb12nsd.cfm

Should be back in stock in a month. $679 delivered.

519audiofan

· #4 · Aug 19, 2011

Quote:
Originally Posted by vanvalks /forum/post/20842929

Here is my predicament. We just had a baby which I am now realizing comes into play for a couple reasons:

1. Movie watching time (especially at loud volumes) has been cut dramatically and probably will be for the next few years as this is the first kid and a couple more will follow.

2. In about a year he will be walking around pushing every button in sight, touching and sucking on everything, and of course all with dirty snack and slobber covered fingers.

Let's hear your thoughts!

Don't sell anything....Pixar has some amazing kids movies that will make use of that sub. My kids are 6 and 3 and don't go anywhere near the electronics or the sub. If you train them "not to touch" as they grow you won't have any problems. Mine get excited watching their movies and the like the way the sub shakes the floor. Every 6 weeks or so they go to grandmas so my wife and I can have a date and movie night where we enjoy watching a movie at very loud levels. Keep that sub !!

YoMaMa84

· #5 · Aug 19, 2011

kids adapt to their environment. If you always play loud movies and music....they'll be able to sleep peacefully in the 'noise'.

So I say don't sell it....

Modicen

· #6 · Aug 19, 2011

+1

don't sell it

vraxoin

· #7 · Aug 19, 2011

2

I've been through it too, and I totally agree with what others have said. Children don't just automatically wreck stuff. If they are given simple limits (don't stick finger in outlet, don't wipe diaper on sub, etc.) they'll adapt.

However, if you want to go with something different, more child-proof, and still nice looking, I wouldn't go smaller. I'd go with a Rythmik D15 SE and use it as a table next to that chair on the right.

If I were just going to go with temporary and sort of F110 size, I'd probably just drop down to the Emotiva Ultra Sub 12 and "suffer".

See less See more

drewTT

· #8 · Aug 19, 2011

The latest SVS SB12 is great. I got one a while back. Really clean sounding.

What kind of mains did you use with the JLs? That's a heck of a lot of sub for those inwalls...

Manamb

· #9 · Aug 19, 2011

+2, If you sell, you will regret it later. I try to never downgrade. But it was easy for me, I started with a Bose system.

Avgass

· #10 · Aug 19, 2011

Quote:
Originally Posted by vanvalks /forum/post/20842929

So I finally get to the point of this thread:
If you HAD to downgrade from an f113 to something in the 1k or less range and no bigger than an f110, WHAT WOULD YOU GET??

You would get disappointment

Archaea

· #11 · Aug 19, 2011

Quote:
Originally Posted by Avgass /forum/post/20843889

You would get disappointment

well said...

saprano

· #12 · Aug 19, 2011

^^^^Not to mention he has two F113's!

Don't sell.

schroedk

· #13 · Aug 19, 2011

I agree completely with the "don't sell" crowd.

You'll still utilize the sub, maybe not quite to the extent you did before if you really ran the sub hot, but it'll still be used. And as your kid(s) get older, they'll appreciate the subwoofer(s) as much as you do. My kids sometimes get a little freaked out with my six 15" sub drivers in the theater in a loud Pixar or Disney movie, but the grins on their faces while they're freaking out are worth it. My wife, on the other hand, could do without so much low end, but she puts up with it. And, when my girls are away for a couple of hours, I can run my entire system at more reference levels and sit there with a grin on MY face.

If your system is properly integrated, even at lower volume levels you'll be using the sub, so, again, keep the sub you've got unless you need the cash.

See less See more

shadyJ

· #14 · Aug 19, 2011

I would move to a down-firing sub, maybe an Outlaw Audio LFM-1 EX. That way the kid can't puncture the cone.The cone will be tempting touch to a child- believe me on this! They are easily destroyed.

capecodorthopod

· #15 · Aug 20, 2011

I agree with the consensus of keeping it but if it's gotta go shadyj has a point about downfiring subs with kids and pets. They can destroy a driver. It's much less likely in a downfiring sub. Keep the amp controls facing the back and take a photo of your settings after you spend time dialing it in. This way you can "reset" back to your settings if knobs and switches are moved.

TalkingRat

· #16 · Aug 20, 2011

I'd keep it. It's right in the midst of electrical cords, so whatever you devise to keep the baby safe from shock keeps the sub safe, too. You can't let babies crawl in fireplaces or bite electrical cords, or climb stairs unsupervised, same thing applies here, high level of supervision, and the first line of safety is, it becomes a gated area.

See less See more

carp

· #17 · Aug 20, 2011

My kids are 5 and 2 now, and both of them were trained at a very young age to not go near the electronics and speakers. I found a toy in a sub port once but other than that I never had any problems.

I agree with the don't sell crowd.

Sharp1080

· #18 · Aug 20, 2011

I love this thread. The replies have been spot on regarding kids. It is so much fun to sit down and watch a movie with your kid/s and still have your subs/system. My two never touched my system and they are teenagers now.I have to also warn you again you will regret selling anything. I did what you did and later had to buy again.

counsil

· #19 · Aug 20, 2011

Get a Bose system. That way you have nothing to lose...

Seriously though, I have 4 year old twin boys and I haven't had any trouble with them touching any of my speakers except by accident... and my boys are as ornery as they get.

See less See more

sammypedram

· #20 · Aug 20, 2011

I agree with everyone else as well. Keep it! I have a single f113 and keep the grill on which has hard plastic underneath, preventing actually being able to easily touch the cone. My 2 1/2 year old daughter has been great about leaving it alone and it does add much ooomph to a lot of kids movies! She often asks to watch "boom-boom." That's the scene in finding nemo where Darla is banging on the fish tank glass (chapter 24 or 25 i think).

I will admit the volume has gone down the majority of the time since the kiddo, but that goes for the whole system and the sub still adds an overall better sound and experience.

Good luck and congrats on the kid! They are absolutely the best thing ever!

1 - 20 of 33 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.