Subwoofers $500 and under.....

Jose Garcia · « **on:** 5 Jul 2005, 05:06 pm »

Hi guys!

If you were to invest $500 or less for a subwoofer, where would you look at and what would you discard ?

This is going to be used for HT mostly (90%).

Brands and models I can pick locally:

JBL Northridge 250
Energy S10.3
Yamaha YST-SW315
Paradigm PDR-12
Velodyne DPS-10
Velodyne DLS-3750R
Infinity PS-12

From the net:

SVS PBD-IS2
Hsu VTF-2
Hsu STF-2

My room is big and vivid ( cement walls and hard tyles) . 26'L x 16'W x12-14' Cathedral High Ceilings.

Other reccomendations are well received...

Jose.

doug s. · « **Reply #1 on:** 5 Jul 2005, 07:54 pm »

Quote from: Jose Garcia

Hi guys!

If you were to invest $500 or less for a subwoofer, where would you look at and what would you discard ?

This is going to be used for HT mostly (90%).

Brands and models I can pick locally:

JBL Northridge 250
Energy S10.3
Yamaha YST-SW315
Paradigm PDR-12
Velodyne DPS-10
Velodyne DLS-3750R
Infinity PS-12

From the net:

SVS PBD-IS2
Hsu VTF-2
Hsu STF-2

My room is big and vivid ( cement walls and hard tyles) . 26'L x 16'W x12-14' Cathedral High Ceilings.

Other reccomendations are well received...

Jose.

i would recommend whatever can be gotten for $250 each or less, so you can get two.

i know the yst-sw315's fit into that category. (i own a pair of their predecessors, the yst sw305's, that, w/two forward-firing 8" drivers, are more than adequate for music, in a ~15x24x7.75 room.)

but, in a room that size, i think yure gonna need something like a pair of vmps larger subs. or at least originals. to do it right, w/proper amplification & x-over, will run ~$2500 (for the largers), but this is still at least half the cost of any other option that would come remotely close to this level of performance.

doug s.

klh · « **Reply #2 on:** 5 Jul 2005, 08:15 pm »

I'd say get a pair of high excursion drivers from Ascendant Audio and build your own enclosure(s). Cheap plate amps can be found. Either that or get a prosound amp and a Behringer FBD. You'll be set. If that's too much money, then get one 15" and a decent plate sub amp and you'd easily be in unter $500.

rosconey · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 Jul 2005, 08:16 pm »

infinate baffle for a room that big-

klh · « **Reply #4 on:** 5 Jul 2005, 08:19 pm »

IB would definitely be better, but he'd better double the budget for that. He could get two Avalanche 18s, a prosound amp and a FBD for $1000. That's what I've ordered... just waiting for the drivers to arrive.

rosconey · « **Reply #5 on:** 5 Jul 2005, 08:55 pm »

no he wouldnt-
the parts express ib drivers are around 110$ last time i looked-4 of those and a old amp would work

Zero · « **Reply #6 on:** 5 Jul 2005, 08:57 pm »

Jose.

Out of your current list, I see only one sub capable of retainining great extension with accept SPL for your larger sized room; The SVS. Now let me qualify (un-qualify) my opinion here. I have heard every sub on that list, apart from the VTF-2 (though I've owned the STF-2).

The Paradigm is not a bad second choice, although it may still play second fiddle to the svs in both extension and spl.

If the DIY route (really, the best route) is not what your looking for, one of the better affordable solutions would be to look for a Velodyne CHT-15. That will certainly fill up your room without a problem. If your patient and lucky enough, odds are you could score two for just over the $500 mark..

Good luck!

John Casler · « **Reply #7 on:** 5 Jul 2005, 09:07 pm »

Quote from: doug s.

but, in a room that size, i think yure gonna need something like a pair of vmps larger subs. or at least originals. to do it right, w/proper amplification & x-over, will run ~$2500 (for the largers), but this is still at least half the cost of any other option that would come remotely close to this level of performance.

i would recommend whatever can be gotten for $250 each or less, so you can get two. i know the yst-sw315's fit into that category. (i own a pair of their predecessors, the yst sw305's, that, w/two forward-firing 8" drivers, are more than adequate for music, in a ~15x24x7.75 room.)

but, in a room that size, i think yure gonna need something like a pair of vmps larger subs. or at least originals. to do it right, w/proper amplification & x-over, will run ~$2500 (for the largers), but this is still ...

There was a VMPS Larger for sale (in market square) for $400-$500 which I think had all the upgrades.

If it is still available, it would be a killer deal.

I think the guys name was Wilmore.

Just add a mono or stereo amp (assuming you aare going to run it off a bass managed AVR) and you're good to go.

Edit: My bad.... The add was in Trading Posts since it was from a private owner

klh · « **Reply #8 on:** 5 Jul 2005, 09:59 pm »

AE/stryke also has an IB driver (better than the Parts Express IB driver). They sell them individually for $200, but they had (and likely still have), a deal where if you buy four or more, they are only $100 each. A four pack would be $400 and almost as good as the Ascendant Audio subs. The only problem with the AE/Stryke subs is they have too much sag to be mounted horizontally. The guy who manufacturers them has repeatedly warned against horizontally mounting them.

Jose Garcia · « **Reply #9 on:** 7 Jul 2005, 11:54 pm »

Thanks for your opinions guys!

Althought I like DIY projects ( my two main sets of speakers are DIY ) , I'm not handy enough to make them.

Right now, my HT system is using my Dynaudio clones Geminies from Madisound as main speakers. They get to around 40Hz so I'm missing the lower notes. Here I got the idea of investing in a new subwoofer with the budget limitations...$500.

After hearing you guys, and consulting a friend and designer of my other set of speakers ( stereo system in another room), I believe I have another alternative.

Details:

My other speakers has two boxes. The top one has the tweeter and mid drivers ( Vifa and Kevlar). This box has double binding post . The bottom boxes has a 8" Vifa driver. The box is 36"x12"x9" and it has double set of binding post too. Why? Becasue my friend designed the X-over to cut at 120/180/240 Hz. The X-over point is assigned depending on where and how I put my speaker cables ( top/cross/down) into the binding post.The top box can go down 50-60Hz.

The speakers were originally designed to use a 10" drivers so he adapted a wood ring which incorporate the 8" drivers. If I substitude the 8" for a 10" driver, the cut-off go to 80/130/180 Hz.

Used as a single unit, the speakers get very low ( that's why I'm using them on my stereo room).

Searching for alternatives, I think I could use my big speakers with the HT system. Set the reciever to "small" and use the LFE-out to my McCormack DNA-125 ( for now....) and feed the lower boxes ( woofers) with the amplifier. In this case they should work as passive woofers..RIGHT?

I will set the x-over point on my woofers to the lowest point ( 120Hz) and let the receiver ( Denon AVR-2805) do it work filtering the lower notes to my McCormack.

What do you think?

I will try it this week , when times allow me.

In case it works fine for me, I will use the DNA-125 with my main system, so I will need an additinal amplifier to drive the woofers. What could I use?

I can get a used setereo amplifier from Audiogon or EBay for a lower cost compared to a new undersized subwoofer.

Parasound
B&K
Carver
????

I can also buy a pair of 10" drivers from Parts Express ( my friend told me about a pair from Dayton which has the specifications from the original design, although they were from Vifa).

Is this much trouble ?

OPINIONS PLEASE

Jose.

Jose Garcia · « **Reply #10 on:** 8 Jul 2005, 12:00 am »

http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=2387

My two-box speakers.

The other one you see are one of the Madisound Geminies.

Jose.

drunkonjack · « **Reply #11 on:** 8 Jul 2005, 02:07 am »

In that price range I would also like to recommend the UFW-10 from AV123 .

Very impresive little sub with great looks.