Subwoofer under $650
JR30 -- Sat, 02/24/2007 - 23:10
I am currently looking at the Outlaw Audio LFM 1 or 2, the PSB Subsonic 5i, the Aperion Audio 10", or the Definitive Technology Supercube III. I am open to all suggestions though and am willing to save some more(read up to $800) if it would mean a significantly better subwoofer. I would be using the sub for both music (DVD-Audio) and movies. As a side note: What would be a good subwoofer interconnect to use?
http://www.velodyne.com/velodyne/products/product.aspx?ID=9&sid=666p350u
If you have not heard this sub, Id go give it a listen. I think all the brands you stated are very good. For only $450 though, I would definately suggest a listen, its under your budget, and I personaly could justify spending a few hundred more on it, Id say its a real value.
Also the DSP settings make it a good sub for pulling double duty in a main integrated system, where you listen to both films, and music.
If I could say it has one minor flaw, is when Ive heard it pushed to insane loud levels in a medium to large sized room, you might get a little unwanted port noise, from the slotted vent, no worse than any other ported sub I can think of in the under $1000 catagory though, and like I said, not untill you reach a level of ear bleedingly loud.
Hope that gives you another reasaonble alternative for your shopping list. Heck, it might save you a couple hundred bucks, which is allways nice.
I use a pair of Velodyne DLS4000R's, and am quite pleased with them so far. I use them in a two-channel music system. My speakers in this rig actually go nearly as low as the subs, but not nearly as cleanly at higher spl's. If you don't need your sub to have built-in bass management, you might do better for the money, though.
If the sub's musical performance is paramount (as opposed to reproducing the LFE track in movies) check out the REL T2 ($798) or the smaller T1. The RELs seem to integrate easily with the main speakers. Their forte, however, isn't maximum output at the lowest frequencies.
RELs are very good. Check out Outlaw Audio's LFM series, in particular the LFM-1EX...these are all Hsu based designs. Nice value for deep bass that remains musical and keeps you within budget. Epik and ED are other great subs, tend to be larger & have less WAF appeal but get the job amazingly well for the cost.
I bought the Mirage 8MM, and have been happy with it so far. I'm not sure I'd say it's fully broken in yet, but it keeps me happy.
Probably not the loudest unit, but the one I had before was not as "tight"; it was a 12" ported unit with a downward firing cone. The L and R mains have 8" woofers, so they actually perform pretty well to about 40Hz by themselves. MSRP on the 8MM is about $800. I used an old Monster Cable connection from the amp's Sub out. (Yeah, I know about their rep, but it was an old cable from an old mistake, so I'm over feeling ripped off by now). I'm not sure how much difference I 'd really hear (after almost 30 years of jet engine exposure) anyway. It sounds better than before and the wife even likes it.
Pax, and good luck.
Post new comment