[Kevin70]

I need a small subwoofer (about 14 inch square or smaller). This is for my family room system, not my real home theater room. I realize a small subwoofer really isn't big enough for my room (2 story ceilings, about 15'x15', open to other rooms), but, for this room, I need something small. I'm also going to be limited in my placement of the subwoofer.


I listened to the Martin Logan Dynamo and the SuperCube III at Magnolia. I thought the Martin Logan sounded better, but it wasn't an ideal listening environment. I won't be able to hear the SVS SB12-Plus. I'm leaning towards the SVS based on reviews.


Do the people on this forum believe the SVS SB12-Plus would be the better subwoofer? Are there any small subwoofers that I also might consider?


Please don't recommend big subwoofers. I have an unused M&K MX-125 (dual 12 inch driver subwoofer) in a closet that I would use if I could go with something larger.


This will be used for home theater and music. More home theater, but I want something that sounds accurate. These will be used with Klipsch WB-14 front and rears and a WC-24 center channel (needed something small that could be wallmounted, and though I never really considered Klipsch for my home theater room, they actually sounded alot better than the small Definitive Technologies Mythos line and the Paradigm Cinema line to my ears).


The prices are: $699 for SB12-Plus, $650 slightly on sale for SuperCube III (though I know I could talk them down), and $499 on sale for the ML Dynamo. I'd prefer to stay less than $1000.


Any recommendations are appreciated.

 

[Aaron Gilbert]

While the SuperCubeIII sounds pretty good (better than SuperCubeII, in my opinion), it's not even a contest between that and the Dynamo. The Dynamo wins hands down. While the SCIII may be able to keep up at higher frequencies (above 50-60Hz) due to it's additional power, it will fail miserably at lower frequencies. The Dynamo has an essentially flat frequency response down to 20Hz, and still has output even down to 10Hz. The SCIII response drops like a brick below about 30-35Hz. You pay extra for the tiny size, but bottom octave response really suffers. The Martin Logan is also considerably more accurate, in my experience.

 

[mojomike]

The SB12 is excellent for it's size and SVS is a great company to work with. I have not heard the Dynamo, but the SB12 should out-perform it based on specs, bigger size, bigger driver, bigger amp. Just curious what kind of deal you can get on an Abyss. It should be comparable with the SB12. Other wise, I'd suggest the SB12.

 

[warpdrive]

The SB12 would be very comparable to the Martin Logan Abyss. Before I bought my SB12, I went and auditioned Abyss, and my impressions are that the SB12 was similar in both sound quality and overall output. If you add in the fact that the SB12 costs less, and has more features, it was a no-brainer for me (the Abyss would have cost me about $250 more here in Canada). I didn't even consider comparing the Dynamo to the SB12 as I think the SB12 would probably clobber the Dynamo (given the salesguy didn't even want to show me the Dynamo after I said I was considering buying the 12" SVS)


The Supercube is out of its league in this company. A more fair comparison would be the Supercube II and even that might be unfair, so even the Supercube I would be a fair product to compare to the SB12


So my recommendation is definitely the SB12. I've put the SB12 through some pretty extensive listening sessions, and it has never failed to impress me with its articulate, tight, very neutral demeanor, and it can really shake things up if you ask it. I wouldn't hesitate to pair it with any bookshelf speaker up to $2000 a pair, it's that good

 

[Kevin70]

Thanks for the information. I ended up ording an SVS SB12-Plus.

 

[Ijon_Tichy]

Kevin,


I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. I need a sub NOW and I have space to accomodate a sub up to 20"x20"x20".


After all my research I narrowed it down to the HSU ULS-15. However, its price is too too high for wifey.

Since I need a sub now, I can't consider Epik's Valor or SVS's future sealed 13" sub (bummer).


So, I am also going for the SB-12.

 

[pbc]

I'll throw in one more modestly priced great sounding sub. The Sunfire HRS-12. Have heard the little 8" version and it was quite nice. The reviews on the 12" are quite impressive.