Help me decide a subwoofer for music only and high WAF

[StefanSweden]

Recently I turned 40 and was gifted with a pair of Dali Oberon 1 and a Powernode Egde.

We live in a townhouse with our two small kids. My hifi interest is not shared with my wife hence the modest setup, but I do love it. Aside from one thing .. bass. Our livingroom is about 30m2. I realize that the Oberons are probably to small for the room, but this is a somewhat happy middleground.

We have discussed adding a subwoofer and she has agreed to fit one in if:

• its small
• is white, preferably matte

I thought she would like REL T/5x but she hates how it looks, so thats a no. Probalby to this forums amusment!

When we visited HiFi-klubben (a hifi store i Sweden) and audiotioned the Oberons 1s they plugged in a Dali Sub e-9 f which sounded good to me and she thought it looked good.
I have never owned a subwoofer, so before I clicked buy I did some research and soon it was evident that the dali sub, on paper, wasnt to good. Instead people suggested SVS and RELs (We live in Sweden, Europe).

So, with the above demands, of small, white and our max budget of ~1000 EUR.

Ive narrowed it down to:

• SVS SB-1000 Pro (710€ in Sweden converted from swedish currency)
• SVS 3000 Micro (1050€ in Sweden converted from swedish currency)

Of these two, which one would you suggest for music only? Im no base head and are not looking to rattle our wall paintings or annoy our nightbour but to have a more rich sound and sound quality. Are SVS primarily a home theater sub or can they fill our needs? I´ve read that SVS needs to be played lound to come alive?

I know close to nothing about HIFI-nomenclature but I downloaded a db-app and stod 2 meters from the speakers and it got up to 70db which I would say is a normal listening volume for us at times. Mostly its much lower as background music.

Perhaps Ive missed some brands to consider?

 

[Doctors11]

Maybe also consider this model from Arendal.

1961 Subwoofer 1S

FREE Shipping10 Years Warranty60 Days Audition Period100%

arendalsound.com

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Check out also KEF KC62 (might be stretching your budget, but huge WAF ;-)).

But the SVS are not bad for the money.

Just don’t expect wonders from small subs as size matters for low frequencies.

 

[StefanSweden]

Maybe also consider this model from Arendal.

1961 Subwoofer 1S

FREE Shipping10 Years Warranty60 Days Audition Period100%

arendalsound.com

I´ve suggested it, but .. its to big and would be hard to make disappear.

 

[StefanSweden]

Check out also KEF KC62 (might be stretching your budget, but huge WAF ;-)).

But the SVS are not bad for the money.

Just don’t expect wonders from small subs as size matters for low frequencies.

Unfortunately the KEF is way over budget. Very high WAF!

The SVS seems to be apprechiated by many. Im not afraid of it being to weak, but rather the opposite. My concern is that a sub would drown or bloat the sound? Im problably wrong, and please correct me if so, but a 12" seems very big compared to my Oberons 5.25" woofers. Thats why I considered T/5x since its a smaller driver which in my head would not rattle the house but augment the Oberons better?

My wife want a sub we dont see and I want a sub we dont hear (meaning, position or overtaking the soundstage).

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Unfortunately the KEF is way over budget. Very high WAF!

The SVS seems to be apprechiated by many. Im not afraid of it being to powerful, but rather the opposite. My concern is that i sub would drown or bloat the sound? Im problably wrong, and please correct me if so, but a 12" seems very big compared to my Oberons 5.25" woofers. Thats why I considered T/5x since its a smaller driver which in my head would not rattle the houe but augment the Oberons?

My wife want a sub we dont see and I want a sub we dont hear (meaning, position or overtaking the soundstage).

The drowning out of sound or boominess of subs is due to badly integrated subs not due their size.

To integrate the sub well you need the respective gear (eg MiniDSP, AVR) using eg Dirac, Audyssey, REW etc. and you need to become familiar how it works and what to look out for. Come here for questions. Also many threads here or even good YouTubes.

 

[StefanSweden]

The drowning out of sound or boominess of subs is due to badly integrated subs not due their size.

To integrate the sub well you need the respective gear (eg MiniDSP, AVR) using eg Dirac, Audyssey, REW etc. and you need to become familiar how it works and what to look out for. Come here for questions. Also many threads here or even good YouTubes.

Thank you!

Which of these suggestions would be the easiest for a beginner? Perhaps some of the calibration could be done with the SVS app?

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Thank you!

Which of these suggestions would be the easiest for a beginner? Perhaps some of the calibration could be done with the SVS app?

The easiest (as it is the most automated) is an AVR. Do you have one already? Do you have a budget in mind? If not eg the Denon X3800 or 4800 have been reviewed well here in the forum.

MiniDSP is more technical, has more options to tweak things, but requires a long learning curve. I believe, judging from your use case, MiniDsP is probably too much unless you want to make it your hobby. But it is cheaper than an AVR. There is no sound difference. However keep in mind that an AVR also contains a streamer, a DAC, an amp, source switching etc.

The SVS app allows no proper integration (I once tested the SVS3000 micro at home). For proper sub integration a microphone is needed, some measurements software and filter algorithm (all of this is integrated in an AVR) so the frequency response in your room and the interactions with your main speakers can be measured and respective compensation can be applied (automatically with an AVR).

Choices ;-)

 

[Mnyb]

The Powernode Egde OP is using has subwoofer out , no built in DSP . So maybe SVS is a good alternative as it has some parametric EQ built in ( combat eventual boominess ) ?

Bass is incredible demanding a single 12" would probably bottom out before your mains on some content , so don't be afraid of size

Stupid Q about the powernode edges bass management ? is it only sending bass to a sub or does it also do high pass of the mains ?

 

[Doctors11]

Does it absolutely have to be white? If you can get MartinLogan where you are some of their models have built in room calibration and bass management.

MartinLogan | Dynamo 800X

www.martinlogan.com

 

[HeadDoc12]

I've never heard it, but have you looked at the Bluesound Pulse Sub+? It comes in white, is easy to place under furniture, and I believe it can be connected wirelessly to the Powernode Edge. I am pretty sure it would fit under the furniture in your pic. Just plug it in anywhere it sounds best. Again, no idea if it will have enough output for your needs. You might even be able to use two of them.

 

[StefanSweden]

The easiest (as it is the most automated) is an AVR. Do you have one already? Do you have a budget in mind? If not eg the Denon X3800 or 4800 have been reviewed well here in the forum.

MiniDSP is more technical, has more options to tweak things, but requires a long learning curve. I believe, judging from your use case, MiniDsP is probably too much unless you want to make it your hobby. But it is cheaper than an AVR. There is no sound difference. However keep in mind that an AVR also contains a streamer, a DAC, an amp, source switching etc.

The SVS app allows no proper integration (I once tested the SVS3000 micro at home). For proper sub integration a microphone is needed, some measurements software and filter algorithm (all of this is integrated in an AVR) so the frequency response in your room and the interactions with your main speakers can be measured and respective compensation can be applied (automatically with an AVR).

Choices ;-)

Im not sure if I follow. I have Bluesound Powernode Edge, a digital stereo amp with inbult streamer. I will not buy more gear. I will try and calibrate i by ear. I´ve seen some tutorials online. For me, perfect is the enemy of good.

The Powernode Egde OP is using has subwoofer out , no built in DSP . So maybe SVS is a good alternative as it has some parametric EQ built in ( combat eventual boominess ) ?

Bass is incredible demanding a single 12" would probably bottom out before your mains on some content , so don't be afraid of size

Stupid Q about the powernode edges bass management ? is it only sending bass to a sub or does it also do high pass of the mains ?

If I understand correctly it has a low and high pass filter according to Darko Audio (https://youtu.be/NhRMWjDcEoU?t=445). He is demoing the bigger brother but it applies to the Edge as well. So, This will low pass to the sub and high pass to the mains. For me personally

 

[StefanSweden]

Does it absolutely have to be white? If you can get MartinLogan where you are some of their models have built in room calibration and bass management.

MartinLogan | Dynamo 800X

www.martinlogan.com

Unfortunately it has to be white we need to move to a bigger house ... with more rooms ... with bigger budget ...

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Im not sure if I follow. I have Bluesound Powernode Edge, a digital stereo amp with inbult streamer. I will not buy more gear. I will try and calibrate i by ear. I´ve seen some tutorials online. For me, perfect is the enemy of good.




If I understand correctly it has a low and high pass filter according to Darko Audio (https://youtu.be/NhRMWjDcEoU?t=445). He is demoing the bigger brother but it applies to the Edge as well. So, This will low pass to the sub and high pass to the mains. For me personally

Got it. No new gear. Didn’t know (or overlooked) what you had.

Good Sub integration is not possible by ear. But sure try it, if it is good enough for you - all good, that’s all what counts. I just told you as you seemed concerned about the sub being boomy.

 

[StefanSweden]

I've never heard it, but have you looked at the Bluesound Pulse Sub+? It comes in white, is easy to place under furniture, and I believe it can be connected wirelessly to the Powernode Edge. I am pretty sure it would fit under the furniture in your pic. Just plug it in anywhere it sounds best. Again, no idea if it will have enough output for your needs. You might even be able to use two of them.

Im sure she would like it, but it has some mixed reviews and costs as much as SVS SB1000 Pro in Sweden, which seems like a more safe bet. Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[StefanSweden]

Got it. No new gear. Didn’t know (or overlooked) what you had.

Good Sub integration is not possible by ear. But sure try it, if it is good enough for you - all good, that’s all what counts. I just told you as you seemed concerned about the sub being boomy.

Yes, I realize I´ve dipped my toes into a pond of very educated people. Perhaps more than I can take in. Thank you for trying to help me out. I´ll bookmark your post and get back to it in the future if I need to be more seriuous about calibration.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Yes, I realize I´ve dipped my toes into a pond of very educated people. Perhaps more than I can take in. Thank you for trying to help me out. I´ll bookmark your post and get back to it in the future if I need to be more seriuous about calibration.

Don’t worry all good. It’s just music. No need to loose sleep over

 

[MarkS]

I own the SVS-3000 Micro which I use in a music-only 2-channel system like yours. It is absolutely sufficient for your needs. (So is the SVS SB-1000 Pro, which is larger and heavier, but will not perform any better for your needs. It's only advantage for you is that it costs less.)

For integration with the Dali Oberon 1, SVS recommends a low-pass crossover (set via the SVS app) of 60 Hz with a 12dB/octave slope. That will almost certainly sound perfectly fine. See https://www.svsound.com/pages/merlin

If you want to get fancier, you can buy a UMIK1 measurement microphone for 100euro and use the free REW software, and then use the parametric EQ on the SVS to dial down any room modes (below 60 Hz) that you find.

But likely it will all sound fine without bothering. Note that all systems you have ever heard have not been fine-tuned like this. Only we fanatics here at ASR bother to do it.

Also, the Dali Sub e-9 f is probably equally good for you, if that's easier to acquire.

 

[sarumbear]

Recently I turned 40 and was gifted with a pair of Dali Oberon 1 and a Powernode Egde.

View attachment 281538

We live in a townhouse with our two small kids. My hifi interest is not shared with my wife hence the modest setup, but I do love it. Aside from one thing .. bass. Our livingroom is about 30m2. I realize that the Oberons are probably to small for the room, but this is a somewhat happy middleground.

We have discussed adding a subwoofer and she has agreed to fit one in if:

• its small
• is white, preferably matte

I thought she would like REL T/5x but she hates how it looks, so thats a no. Probalby to this forums amusment!

When we visited HiFi-klubben (a hifi store i Sweden) and audiotioned the Oberons 1s they plugged in a Dali Sub e-9 f which sounded good to me and she thought it looked good.
I have never owned a subwoofer, so before I clicked buy I did some research and soon it was evident that the dali sub, on paper, wasnt to good. Instead people suggested SVS and RELs (We live in Sweden, Europe).

So, with the above demands, of small, white and our max budget of ~1000 EUR.

Ive narrowed it down to:

• SVS SB-1000 Pro (710€ in Sweden converted from swedish currency)
• SVS 3000 Micro (1050€ in Sweden converted from swedish currency)

Of these two, which one would you suggest for music only? Im no base head and are not looking to rattle our wall paintings or annoy our nightbour but to have a more rich sound and sound quality. Are SVS primarily a home theater sub or can they fill our needs? I´ve read that SVS needs to be played lound to come alive?

I know close to nothing about HIFI-nomenclature but I downloaded a db-app and stod 2 meters from the speakers and it got up to 70db which I would say is a normal listening volume for us at times. Mostly its much lower as background music.

Perhaps Ive missed some brands to consider?

KC62

Improve your audio system with the KEF KC62 Subwoofer. Experience deep, precise bass and cutting-edge technology for an immersive sound experience, only at KEF.

uk.kef.com

 

[RobL]

Another vote for SVS 3000 micro. I have one and it’s all you’ll need. You wife won’t find one that’s less obtrusive than this