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Looking for a HT type subwoofer...

J

jyi786

Supreme [H]ardness
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Jun 13, 2002
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I'm looking for a subwoofer to add to my HT system. For the past 3 years I've been using the Megaworks 510D subwoofer, due to budget constraints, but now I'd like to get a "real" sub.

Please tell me where to get started. $400.00 is the price range.

I'd like to know:

1. If an air firing port would make the sound better or worse. Should I be looking for a sub without it?
2. What brand name is the best?
3. The more wattage the better?
4. Front firing or down firing? It's been my experience that front firing sounds better.

Thanks for all your suggestions.
 
what kind of speakers do you have currently?

I recommend a Definitive Technologies 8" or 10" sub. I have the 10" and WOW! One of the best subs I've heard thus far
 
For subs I would go anything from HSU or SVS...
SVS is preferred, but HSU is always there if you have a slightly tigher budget.
 
I have the following HT setup:

Front Mains: Athena AS-B1s
Rears: Sonance Mariners
Center: Cambridge Soundwords MC-50
Sub: Megaworks 510D sub

Still no one has answered my question about whether or not it's better to have the sub ported (think whooshing/huffin/puffing air sound, which I want to avoid totally).
 
Porting the sub does not necessarily give you the chuffing sound that you are trying to avoid. A ported sub like the SVS 25-31 has 3 ports, but the port area is so great that the chuffing is not an issue.

As many have said before, the PB10 is a good choice and is easily a 3-6db advantage over your cambridge sub not to mention it will go lower.

This is also coming from another owner of SVS Subs (2 CS Ultras) in a 22x26x8 ft area. Those subs can move the air in a room that large, the PB10 will do close to the same in your area. I also have a SVS 20-39 CS with a Parasound amp on it that I used on my computer previously. It was definately better than any computer based sub. Very decent but its size may not be appealing for all.
 
That's good to hear. I had a ported sub before, but when I used to play really low/loud sounds I used to hear huffing and puffing, and I really couldn't stand that at all.

Is it true that front firing sounds better than down firing?
 
No that is also not true.

Sub frequencies are more unidirectional so the method (box or cylinder) does not matter as much. What does matter is the correct volume for the particular sub, and the power handling/power given to the particular sub.

Prior to having the SVS' I had 1 Paradigm Servo 15. That sub was great, and very powerful, but it was equivelant to 1 CS Ultra sub. They sound very similar, though the CS Ultra is slightly smoother. The SVS downfiring sub makes the bass even more omnidirectional. I do believe that a downfiring sub sounds better on particular surfaces. They love wood floors, and even concrete. Carpet can kill some of the sound, but if you put it on an additional piece of 1/2" or 3/4" wood or marble, it does sound better. The Front firing subs do not have this downfall, but if you corner load them they can have huge humps in the bass which sounds very boomy (that means 3-6db humps at 45 hz, 90hz...) and inaccurate. If you keep them out of the corner, you can aim the bass, but again it is still omnidirectional.

Most that go with a Square sub do it for size and asthetic constraints. However tube subs sound just as good or better depending on the room.
 
the only ports that really make any chuffnig sounds are pooly designed / finished / or too small ones.. the subs that have been reccomended in here all appear to have large, smooth, and flared ports..

a ported box, in general will be smaller, but not as loud, and the subs won't be able to play as low.. but really it all depends on the sub thats in the box too..
 
My room is carpeted.

It's funny how there are a lot of people who say that bass is unidirectional. Although it may be true, every one hears differently, and I can honestly say that bass is NOT unidirectional. To me it's not. That's why I was asking about front firing bass, because it sounds fuller, and more direct to me.
 
Well, through Audigy 2 ZS, I have bass redirection set to 28hz (can't turn it off, or I'll get no sub channel; my X-Fi will fix that). I can still tell where the sub is playing anywhere in the room. So either a) my A2 ZS has got real shitty bass redirection, which I am thinking, or b) this Megaworks 510D sub is really some trash. Most likely some of both.
 
ajm786 said:
Well, through Audigy 2 ZS, I have bass redirection set to 28hz (can't turn it off, or I'll get no sub channel; my X-Fi will fix that). I can still tell where the sub is playing anywhere in the room. So either a) my A2 ZS has got real shitty bass redirection, which I am thinking, or b) this Megaworks 510D sub is really some trash. Most likely some of both.
Click to expand...
The MegaWorks 510D (or any multimedia system) has built-in bass management that is hardwired, which in your case is set to 150Hz. Unidirectional bass is generally 80Hz and under. (Personally, I like 70 and under for a crossover) Therefore, a sub will not be unidirectional if it outputs above that.

Using the soundcard for bass management will cause it to be filtered twice, and suffer the -10dB of LFE loss the Audigys are prone to when using software BM. Turn it off when using the 510D.
 
Chastity said:
The MegaWorks 510D (or any multimedia system) has built-in bass management that is hardwired, which in your case is set to 150Hz. Unidirectional bass is generally 80Hz and under. (Personally, I like 70 and under for a crossover) Therefore, a sub will not be unidirectional if it outputs above that.

Using the soundcard for bass management will cause it to be filtered twice, and suffer the -10dB of LFE loss the Audigys are prone to when using software BM. Turn it off when using the 510D.
Click to expand...

Yes, I understand that, but perhaps you missed that I am not "using" the 510D as the speaker system; it's a standalone sub. I am using a receiver to drive my speakers; in this case, the Onkyo TX-SR500. The 510D is connected to the LFE output from my receiver. And, as you know, with all Audigys, they suffer from the -10db sub output NO MATTER WHAT, unless you enable and raise the level of the bass redirection. If I disable bass redirection, I'll get absolutely no bass at all. The only way for me to fix this, that I know of, is to get the X-Fi.
 
Here's another vote for the PB10-ISD from SVS.

You can find one in B stock sometimes for a bit cheaper than the A stock, if you don't mind a minor blemish somewhere.

Anyway, I have heard this sub...and it's just tremendous. So tremendous, in fact, that I'm buying one. His room was around 14x16 and the PB10 filled it admirably...I'm putting the sub in an 11.5x13.5 room...so probably more sub than I need, but who cares? Overkill is good, right?

So buy the PB10 and be happy that you got THE best bang for the buck, bar none. There is no port chuffing noise whatsoever, just for the record.
 
I did a project over at 3DSS to build a sub that would beat the PB10 and cost less. Inthe end it cost about the same, but wins in the performance department.

AdireShiva.gif
 
One brand name that was recommended to me when I asked a similar question at head-fi, and that I don't see mentioned yet, is Velodyne. I'm probably going to get one of their subs when I get around to buying one, since I can get 'em heavily discounted at Future Shop staff prices. Just thought I'd throw the name into the debate.
 
The Shivas are great if you have DIY skills, you are very correct.

Unfortunately, if you don't, they would be hard to pull off.

Thanks for mentioning it though, perhaps that's a route he should look into.
 
Chastity said:
I did a project over at 3DSS to build a sub that would beat the PB10 and cost less. Inthe end it cost about the same, but wins in the performance department.
Click to expand...
what volume, tuning, port area / length, was that?
i built a box with the intention of putting shivas in it.. 2.5cubes per side, about 20 sq inches of port per side.. can't remember how long they are somewhere in the 28-30 inch long range.. it was theoretically going to be tuned to about 22 hz and flat down to 25.. anyways.., i would up sticking some round solobarics in there.. old school, casue the price was right.. and they are great in there, so i never even went for the shivas...
 
Oooohh. To heavy for me guys. No DIY stuff here please. :p Gonna make me go insane.

Ok, looks like the major consensus is that I go with the SVS PB10. Next pay check!! :rolleyes:

Now, one thing is that in movies, when the bass goes real deep and loud, you can hear my 510D sub extremely overwhelmed, it sounds like it's punching metal or something. Loud rattling. What is that?
 
ajm786 said:
Oooohh. To heavy for me guys. No DIY stuff here please. :p Gonna make me go insane.

Ok, looks like the major consensus is that I go with the SVS PB10. Next pay check!! :rolleyes:

Now, one thing is that in movies, when the bass goes real deep and loud, you can hear my 510D sub extremely overwhelmed, it sounds like it's punching metal or something. Loud rattling. What is that?
Click to expand...
voice coil bottoming out on the backplate? something like that.. a loose dustcap can make funny sounds too.. if they sub is trying to play a note below the tuning of the box it can bottom out, so that might be it..
 
ajm786 said:
Now, one thing is that in movies, when the bass goes real deep and loud, you can hear my 510D sub extremely overwhelmed, it sounds like it's punching metal or something. Loud rattling. What is that?
Click to expand...
It's called driver excursion. The driver is hitting it's own physical limitations, and is clipping. Some drivers have a physical plate to protect the driver from overexcursion. The 510D driver does that with sub-35Hz material.
 
Chastity said:
It's called driver excursion. The driver is hitting it's own physical limitations, and is clipping. Some drivers have a physical plate to protect the driver from overexcursion. The 510D driver does that with sub-35Hz material.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation.

So with the SVS PB10, at what point do you think it will start to have overexcursion?
 
ajm786 said:
Thanks for the explanation.

So with the SVS PB10, at what point do you think it will start to have overexcursion?
Click to expand...
for the price it costs, they probably have a high pass filter set to 25hz or so to prevent the sub from bottoming out. or they just designed it to not bottom out until really low frequencies that are never used..
 
scottatwittenberg said:
for the price it costs, they probably have a high pass filter set to 25hz or so to prevent the sub from bottoming out. or they just designed it to not bottom out until really low frequencies that are never used..
Click to expand...

So when you say that, do you mean that the sub will just stop playing at 25hz and skip everything below instead of bottoming out like mine does now?
 
With the SVS PB10...you will get amazing volume down into the teens. I know it goes well below the threshold of hearing. In-room response is probably down to around 17hz or even less.

It doesn't bottom out. At least, I've never heard it bottom out, and I've heard it playing at very loud volumes on subsonic material.
 
ajm786 said:
Thanks for the explanation.

So with the SVS PB10, at what point do you think it will start to have overexcursion?
Click to expand...
Properly set up, you shouldn't have excursion issues. Maxing the amp and pushing it may be another situation :D
 
I have owned several subs:

Polk Dual 10" (forget the model #) (this one serves living room duty)
Velodyne HGS-X 15"
cheapo DCM 10"
and now my current is an Infinity Prelude MTS (this serves bedroom/computer duty)

I have heard subs from SVS, Hsu, Paradigm, Sony, a host of other companies, and DIY projects including IB systems, cheapo plywood and Dayton drivers setups, and everything in between.

For earth shattering body rumbling blow your balls off bass, the IB system was the best, but, that is very intensive DIY, and you need a spare room for it...

For the best in a box solution, the Infinity Prelude MTS sounds the best, but it is out of your price range.

For what I have heard that you could swing: I'd go SVS if you are more into using it for movies/gaming, and Hsu if you are more going to use it for music.
 
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