[Ericus Rex]

So, when I married my lovely wife, she came with an HT setup her parents gave her for christmas.  You know, one of those one-box jobs with powered DVD player, sub and 5 satellite speakers; everything but the TV and DVDs.

Now we're slowly upgrading from that.  I've purchased a used Denon HT receiver from a friend.  We'll continue to use the satellite speakers for a while.  But now the problem is the original sub was not powered and the Denon requires a powered sub.

Can I get a decent (anything would be an improvement over our current one) sub for under $100?  Used is aok.  Older is aok.  My only necessity is the sub must have automatic on/off.

I've also thought of just getting a sub plate amp and powering our old sub but the cheapest one with auto on/off I can find is this one for $66 + 20 s/h:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Subwoofer-Plate-Amp-Amplifier-Sub-Home-Theater-70-W-RMS-/290521482534?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a46e0526

I figured I could find something better on ebay or CL for around the same dough.

What do you guys recommend?  Got one for sale?   

[putz]

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-631

Might work for you. If you could spend a little more, the BIC subs are supposed to be OK. I probably would not look to add an amp to a cheap HTIB sub. That would probably be a waste of $.

You might want to look on the AVS forum sub page. They get about 5 threads a day on there with someone asking the same exact question you are.

Used is always the way to go. Look for local to avoid shipping on the sub. Anything decent will be large and heavy.

[mcgsxr]

I would troll Craigslist and Kijiji locally.

I have found older, lower powered subs around $100 in the past.

I would also consider buying a used car sub as the driver, and mating with a power amp such as what you have linked to.

In fact, the sub in my HT is a Nakamichi car 12 inch, driven by a BASH 300 amp.  Driver was $100 new (drastically reduced, was around $400 typically), and the amp was around $200 new.

I have sold off 12 inch subs for $30-40, and I bought the 500w amp I use in my main system for $100 off CS.

[kgturner]

This little guy might work great for you if the bidding doesn't get out of hand.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mirage-PS-8-Powered-Subwoofer-/150551813221?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item230d965c65

I have a Mirage Frx-S8 (which looks VERY similar) and it's great for the size. Fills my 17x15 room with decent bass. It's not world class, but I paid under $100 used for it.

Kevin T

PS....that's not my auction.

[Ericus Rex]

Thanks for the info and links guys!

Kevin, what would be a good price for that Mirage?

Checked out CL as well.  Lots of car stuff but a few decent things.

Is there any reason not to use a PC sub so long as I can find the proper cable adapters?  They seem to be quite CHEAP!

[kgturner]

Kevin, what would be a good price for that Mirage?

I don't know the original MSRP of the PS-8, but figure if you could get for $75 to $100 shipped, that's a good price and it will out perform your HTIB sub. Granted, if you can find a 10" or 12" sub in the same price range with similar features, go for it.

Kevin T

[stereocilia]

You can borrow my Emotiva if you like.  I'm not using it since I got the psbs.  I'm not sure I'd sell it for $100, but we might be able to work something out. 

[Ericus Rex]

I'm not sure I'd sell it for $100, but we might be able to work something out.

Would you sell it for $75?   

Thanks for the offer, Gayle.  May take you up on it.

[Bob in St. Louis]

+1 regarding those BIC/Dayton subs at PartsExpress. A buddy of mine (albiet a non "audiophile" guy) bought one for $100 and loves it.

>HERE'S< all their assembled/powered subs.

Bob

[geezer]

+1 regarding those BIC/Dayton subs at PartsExpress. A buddy of mine (albiet a non "audiophile" guy) bought one for $100 and loves it.

>HERE'S< all their assembled/powered subs.

Bob

I'm interested in these too. Anyone who has dealt with PartsExpress: how are they for dealing with?

[stereocilia]

Would you sell it for $75?   

Thanks for the offer, Gayle.  May take you up on it.

...and a few beers.  maybe.  Just let me know; I'm around this weekend.

[Bob in St. Louis]

I'm interested in these too. Anyone who has dealt with PartsExpress: how are they for dealing with?

I've purchased items from PE many times over the years. Every aspect of the transactions has been nothing short of exemplary. Although I've never had to "deal" with them on a personal level so I can't speak of that. ALso, I've never bought one of their subs. I wouldn't have any worries with them.

Bob

[eclein]

Parts Express is a great place to buy from......I always look there first...

[doug s.]

double your budget, or wait to find one used...

Editorial Review
 Yamaha's YST-SW315 offers 250 high-efficiency watts--enough power to deliver shattering, movie-theater-like bass effects. Full enjoyment of Dolby Digital and DTS surround sources requires deep, clear bass. This is especially true with 5.1- and 6.1-channel sound, because the ".1" channel is dedicated to the bass frequencies. That means you not only need a subwoofer, but a high-power subwoofer capable of handling extremely low frequencies. The YST-SW315's down-firing 10-inch driver translates power into clean bass sound, and the YST-SW315 boasts a frequency response of 20 to 160 Hz (-10 dB at the extremes of the range).  The YST-SW315 delivers high power at deep bass frequencies, with excellent stability and low power consumption. This is made possible by the sub's highly efficient PWM (pulse-wave modulation) digital-drive power amplifier. The amplifier achieves superior conversion efficiency by minimizing power loss from the power transistors. It delivers stable audio power while minimizing AC power consumption and heat production. As it requires no output filter coil, it's extremely quiet with low distortion.  Yamaha's patented Advanced Active Servo Technology (Advanced YST) generates incredible bass from small speaker enclosures. This system uses negative-impedance feedback in the amp and a Helmholtz resonator in the speaker to provide strong and accurate bass.  QD-Bass (Quatre Dispersion Bass) technology uses a down-firing driver with square, pyramid-shaped reflective plates to radiate sound efficiently in four horizontal directions. The reflective plates (not used in other brands' down-firing subwoofers) negate any effects caused by the floor surface and reduce resonance between sound waves reflected from the floor and the unit. Most other systems use circular cones, but the YST-SW315 avoids firing sound into the legs of the cabinet by radiating in four directions. Changing the height of the pyramid varies the acoustic load, permitting relatively simple high-cut adjustment and improving bandpass properties. QD-Bass also grants greater freedom of placement, since the sound radiates with equal effectiveness in all directions.  The user-adjustable, continuously variable high-cut filter sets the highest frequency the subwoofer will deliver. It can be set anywhere from 40 to 140 Hz. For instance, if the filter is set at 75 Hz, only frequencies 75 Hz or below will be delivered by the subwoofer. This allows the sub's output to be matched to the lowest reproducible frequency of other speakers in the system and the room's acoustics for a seamless presentation.  The rotary volume control permits the perfect matching of the sub's output to the overall volume of the system. The YST-SW315 has a signal-sensing circuit. When the subwoofer detects an audio signal, it turns its power on. When it senses no signal for several minutes, it shuts itself off.  Yamaha's BASS (Bass Action Selector Switch) tailors the sub's output for video or music at the touch of a switch. Two sets of inputs let the sub accept either line- or speaker-level inputs, while a handy phase normal/reverse switch makes it easy to phase the subwoofer with the other speakers in your system.  Three-way speaker terminals accept banana plug and a variety of other connectors, as well as speaker wire, and the YST-SW315's thick, rigid MDF cabinet reduces vibrations and resonance. The speaker's handsome black-ash finish blends in with room decor and complements many furnishing styles, and it's magnetically shielded so you can place it near a TV or computer monitor without degrading the picture.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400190468495



i have a pair of their precursors, the yst-305's that use a pair of forward-firing 8" drivers - while not up to the capabilities of my vmps largers, they are really quite good.
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YST-SW305-Powered-Subwoofer-Single/dp/B000066AYZ


doug s.