What speakers are you using and at what frequency are you setting the crossover? Also, how large is the room (including all spaces open to the room)?

In addition, just because your old sub sounded good in a particular spot in the room, does not necessarily mean that the new sub will benefit from the same placement. It's possible that the muddiness you are hearing is due to a more extended bass response, deeper than the prior sub could produce. For this reason, it is important that you experiment with other placement options, better suited to clean reproduction of these lower frequencies.

 

I use two studio monitors...something basic from m audio. I don't use an amp. Livingroom is maybe 14 by 20. I tried moving it around the room and facing it in every direction and the issue was it sounded like low noises disconnected from the music (think booming car stereo next to you at a traffic light; not music)....I picked it up and it was maybe 10 pounds lighter.

 

Check out RSL's Speedwoofer and Emotiva BasX 10 woofer. Both get a lot of love on this forum.

 

Thank you. Is there anyone familiar with cambridge soundworks or perhaps understands based on the design how to duplicate what I heard in my old sub with something still manufactured?

 

Thanks to all who responded. I ordered the Emotiva BasX 10.

 

Good choice. i was going to recommend the BasX S8, as it's limited frequency response would better match your prior sub. The 10 is a better sub, with better extension, so you should be just fine. That said, sounds like the sub you tested was turned up (gain) too high, so be careful with matching output levels between the monitors and the sub.

Give us a rundown when you get your new sub!

 

Thanks very much. I probably read this a bit too late and that would have been the ideal choice and saved me a 100. I chose the 10 for probably the most idiotic of reasons...it was about the same weight as my old 38 pound sub (10s was 34 pounds vs. the 8s which was 18 pounds).

I built speakers once for a high school class and they were amazing and weighed as much as a sedan. Our teacher told us that a good enclosure isn't going to be light so I've gone with that.

 

Finally arrived

Thanks again for the suggestions. No comparison with the Sony...emotiva BasX S10 sounds a lot more musical. Very clean, somewhat powerful and not that ugly according to my girlfriend.

Compared to the cambridge soundworks basecube 10, the bass is a bit cleaner. The other one was good but this is very good. No complaints at all. Definitely does better at lower frequencies. It's not nearly as powerful as the old sub. That thing could rattle the dishes in the next room; this just shakes the existing room. It's definitely a cleaner and better sound overall for me. The room size is 14 x 14 x 8 with one side open. It is definitely enough.

Out of curiosity, are there value oriented studio monitors this forum tends to give similar love to as the RSL's Speedwoofer and Emotiva BasX 10?

I'd like to pass along that suggestion to friends paired with this sub. I think people would really love it.

 

For bookshelf speakers, there are a lot of options. Popular around here are (in no particular order) Chane 1.4, Q Acoustics 3020, RSL CG3, HSU HB1. This is a very short list, and you will get as many answers as there are folks here .... the difference in sound signature makes it difficult to recommend any one speaker, as taste and situation varies, making the decision a personal one.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I suppose with bookshelf speakers I'd need an amp. Are there studio monitors that are crowd favorites and not too expensive? Something active that wouldn't require an amp? I was hoping to suggest the subs you guys have suggested and two studio monitors as an alternative to using an amp.

 

I'd open a new thread with that question, being specific about the speakers being active (amplified).