I'm adding a new sub to my system. The room size is approx 18'x20' and about 18' tall. I still want to use my good old DCM Time Frame 500's for my mains. I have a Polk Audio center and rears. Here's what I'm looking at:

BIC Venturi V1220 - 12", 200 watt amp at $189
BIC Acoustech H100 - 12", 150 watt amp at $229
HSU STF-1 - 8", 150 watt amp at $279

I know HSUmakes a great sub, but I'm worried about the 8" it being able to fill a room that size. The BIC may not be as quality a sub, but could possibly give me the overall rumble for movies. I'm about 50/50 music to movies. These fit in my under $300 price range.

Thanks for any help or suggestions!

maybe SVS too, either HSU or SVS...

OR!!!

if you don't mind doing a little DIY work, there are some really good Dayton subwoofer kits on Partsexpress...
http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?webpage_id=3&CAT_ID=48&ObjectGroup_ID=536

that is what I'd do when I were in your shoes...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

Take a look at Yamaha YST-SW1500 or the latest front firing Soavo if you like natural bass, also check out subs from REL.

Take a look at Yamaha YST-SW1500 or the latest front firing Soavo if you like natural bass, also check out subs from REL.

I use a REL Q201E and for its size it is very impressive. No boxy boom to it either.

I use a REL Q201E and for its size it is very impressive. No boxy boom to it either.


Unlike other bass champion subs, Rel or Yamaha won't impress you at first, but soon the boomines novelty factor would wear out and you will detest the other subs and run to Yamaha or REL.

Is the REL under $300 like the OP stated? You can't go wrong with either a HSU or SVS for the money. I'd try and increase your budget to $500 and you will be able to find a sub that will meet your needs for years to come from HSU or SVS.

I have a Yamaha YST-SW215 that I use for my PC and I understand your concern about a 8" sub filling a room. While I've read good things about the Yamaha SW-1500 my smaller version is quite boomy in the upper frequencies. I have a SVS PB12-ISD and it's nice and tight in the upper frequencies and plays flat out to 100 Hz.

The 215 is Yamaha's low end offering and does the job well for the price paid, certainly not in league with YST-SW1500 or Soavo or REL.

The 215 is Yamaha's low end offering and does the job well for the price paid, certainly not in league with YST-SW1500 or Soavo or REL.Agreed but none of the ones you mentioned are in the OP's budget. Shoot I could also recommend a JL Audio Fathom F1300 but he probably can't afford that either. :D Is the SW1500 even available new here in the states?

For the money, I'd be looking at some of the available Dayton subs or kits from www.partsexpress.com . I also have found that many of the subs that don't have the "boom" of the subs people hate, don't really produce deep bass. When I see a "subwoofer" with 30-35hz bass extension sounding more natural than a true subwoofer with sub 20hz extension, I wonder.

I'm only vaguely familiar with the Yamaha SW1500 and haven't heard it, so I'm not directing anything at that model. REL has never done much for me, the smaller model lack subbass, the bigger models haven't kept up with the better subs I've heard in either output, extension, or musicality.

I should add to my previous post,
I'd get the dayton sub when my budget was small, if my budget was bigger I would take a REL sub for sure :)

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

I've been intrigued with the Dayton sub kits for quite some time. If I was looking for a budget sub I'd be willing to give one a go. I frequent a more HT oriented forum and the people there have had great experiences with the Dayton's.

If I was looking for a high end sub the JL Audio Fathoms would be at the top of my list at the moment. I'm going to an open house this weekend where the member on another forum has two of the JL Audio F113's in his HT. From listening to his previous setup and how good it sounded I have VERY HIGH expectations for Saturday. :D

The JL would be near the top of my list now, as well. At least for available consumer gear. Even with an unlimited budget, REL wouldn't be on my radar, they can/do sound good but they tend to not have as much extension or output as many subs they compete against. I wish they had a couple of models that they would go all out on and use large diameter drivers. They do have fine cosmetics and some way above average adjustibility/controls.

The opinions of a group of guys, headed up by a fellow who calls himself Craigsub, that play with lots of different subs...

The first number in parenthesis after the overall points is the HT rating, second is the music rating.


Elemental Designs A7-900 ($2000 ID/SI): 116 points (63-53)
Epik Conquest ($1599 ID): 110 points (60-50)
SVS PB13-Ultra ($1499 ID): 109 points (57-52)
Creative Sounds Dual SDX-15 driver + Behringer EP-2500 Amp + Behringer DEQ2496 ($1630 ID): 105 points (57-48) * see below
JL Audio Fathom 113 ($3500 BM): 103 points (53-50)
Velodyne DD-18 ($5000 BM): 100 points (50-50)
Def Tech Trinity ($3000 BM): 97 points (54-43)
ACI Maestro ($2400 ID): 97 points (47-50)
eD A5-350 ($600 ID/SI): 96 points (50-46)
JL Audio Fathom 112 ($2600 BM): 95 points (45-50)
Hsu VTF-3 HO + Turbo ($999 ID): 94 points (47-47)
Hsu VTF-3 HO w/o Turbo ($899 ID): 92 points (45-47)
Hsu VTF-3 Mark III + Turbo ($799 ID): 92 points (45-47)
Hsu VTF-3 Mark III w/o Turbo ($699 ID): 91 points (45-46)
SVS PB12-Ultra: 90 points (47-43)
Axiom EP-500 ($1230 ID/SI): 90 points (43-47)
Hsu VTF-2 Mark III + Turbo ($599 ID): 88 points (42-46)
SVS PB12-Plus/2 ($1299 ID): 87 points (47-40)
SVS PB12-NSD ($599 ID): 86 points (43-43)
Hsu VTF-2 Mark III w/o Turbo ($499 ID): 86 points (40-46)
Rocket UFW-12 ($999 ID): 85 points (provisional) (35-50)
Acculine A-sub ($289 ID/SI): 85 points (provisional, currently out of production) (40-45)
Elemental Designs A2-300 ($350 ID/SI): 83 points (44-39)
SVS PB10-NSD ($429 ID): 83 points (43-40)
Dana Audio 600 ($869 ID): 83 points (36-47)
Rocket X-Sub ($199 ID): 78 points (34-44)
BIC H-100 ($229 eBay): 78 points (40-38)
Rocket Tyke: 60 points (If you care, PM me ... )

Pending subwoofers ...

AV123 BMF ... Not sure of date
AV123 MFW-15 ... Not sure of date
Epik Valor and Castle - here now

The JL would be near the top of my list now, as well. At least for available consumer gear. Even with an unlimited budget, REL wouldn't be on my radar, they can/do sound good but they tend to not have as much extension or output as many subs they compete against. I wish they had a couple of models that they would go all out on and use large diameter drivers. They do have fine cosmetics and some way above average adjustibility/controls.



My dealer uses a REL reference Studio 3 in his all Mcintosh and Martin logan cinema room, and that REL probably has the best bass I've ever heard, but then again, that's just my opinion :)

that JL would also be nice, but it's a completely different beast as the REL...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

You can't beat eD(Elemental Designs) for the $!

You guys are great! Thanks for all the help. There's a lot out there and I thanks for giving me so many options. Looks like I have a little more research to do.