Subwoofer Comparison

[tknx]

15x25x10 but with an open stairway up to the next floor.

 

[ExPerfectionist]

I have a Rythmik F12-SE arriving tomorrow, super excited.

 

[ooheadsoo]

Thanks to this spreadsheet and after almost 2 decades of dreaming about geddes and welti arrangements, I now have 4 svs pb-1000. I'll get around to setting them up one day.

 

[byzandula]

Anyone know of a good sub with balanced ins and outs with a variable high-pass filter for under $1k with good low (sub 25hz) response at 3db? I checked out the spreadsheet but it doesn't look like there are many options. The RSL speedwoofer 12s looks like it would be perfect, except I would hate to give up balanced cables in my setup (raspberry pi running Volumio to an SMSL DO300 DAC to Kali IN-8v2 monitors). I'm also considering Kali ws-12 but it doesn't play as low as I would like. Is it worth ditching balanced to go with the RSL? Any other options I should consider? This will be solely for music playback in my living room. And no, I'm not interested in adding a pre-amp to my setup. =)

 

[Elitzur–Vaidman]

Anyone know of a good sub with balanced ins and outs with a variable high-pass filter for under $1k with good low (sub 25hz) response at 3db? I checked out the spreadsheet but it doesn't look like there are many options. The RSL speedwoofer 12s looks like it would be perfect, except I would hate to give up balanced cables in my setup (raspberry pi running Volumio to an SMSL DO300 DAC to Kali IN-8v2 monitors). I'm also considering Kali ws-12 but it doesn't play as low as I would like. Is it worth ditching balanced to go with the RSL? Any other options I should consider? This will be solely for music playback in my living room. And no, I'm not interested in adding a pre-amp to my setup. =)

Imo it's worth trying unbalanced and getting the best SVS sub you can afford.

 

[waynel]

Anyone know of a good sub with balanced ins and outs with a variable high-pass filter for under $1k with good low (sub 25hz) response at 3db? I checked out the spreadsheet but it doesn't look like there are many options. The RSL speedwoofer 12s looks like it would be perfect, except I would hate to give up balanced cables in my setup (raspberry pi running Volumio to an SMSL DO300 DAC to Kali IN-8v2 monitors). I'm also considering Kali ws-12 but it doesn't play as low as I would like. Is it worth ditching balanced to go with the RSL? Any other options I should consider? This will be solely for music playback in my living room. And no, I'm not interested in adding a pre-amp to my setup. =)

Are you needing to use the sub to high pass filter your mains? If not then the Rhythmik F12 would be a good option. If you need the HPF for the mains in the sub then there is an upgrade to the A370XLR2 amp but its only one channel so you'll need stereo subs. It's not variable but 80Hz is perfect for most applications assuming your main speakers are not too small. 80Hz would be a good hpf setting for the Kali In-8v2 monitors.

 

[3125b]

Anyone know of a good sub with balanced ins and outs with a variable high-pass filter for under $1k with good low (sub 25hz) response at 3db?

Dynaudio 18S might be an option although it is somewhat over budget.

 

[byzandula]

Dynaudio 18S might be an option although it is somewhat over budget.

I saw this one and it looks like a great option, but definitely more spendy than I would like.

 

[3125b]

but definitely more spendy than I would like.

Understandable. But you might be out of options then.

 

[CS Science]

Do you guys have a recommendation for budget friendly options, say up to 300 € ?
I was thinking of buying a PreSonus Sub8BT for 199 € but it doesn't seem to have any test data in your sheet. :/
Also i have active studio monitors so i guess my sub should be active as well and i liked the idea that it has bluetooth for if friends want to connect to it.
Any contenders at this price point?
Thank you

 

[dominikz]

Do you guys have a recommendation for budget friendly options, say up to 300 € ?
I was thinking of buying a PreSonus Sub8BT for 199 € but it doesn't seem to have any test data in your sheet. :/
Also i have active studio monitors so i guess my sub should be active as well and i liked the idea that it has bluetooth for if friends want to connect to it.
Any contenders at this price point?
Thank you

Looking at the subs with available CEA-2010 measurement data in the sheet, the following three have the highest calculated "bassaholic" rating within the 300€ budget:

• Dayton Audio SUB-1500
• Klipsch R-12SW
• Polk Audio HTS 10

However I can understand that sometimes features/price trump raw performance metrics, in which case it may still make sense to look at other options. E.g. none of the above 3 subwoofers have BT or a high pass filter for the mains, and they are all significantly bulkier than the PreSonus.

While a tiny subwoofer like the PreSonus will probably not go as deep nor will it play as loud it may still provide benefits if integrated correctly. E.g. see my experience adding a 7" sub to my desktop system.

Two subwoofers in the sheet fit the budget, have XLR/balanced inputs and have CEA-2010 measurement data:

• Monoprice 10in Powered Studio Multimedia Subwoofer (Product # 605999)
• Harbinger V2218S (looks like a PA sub)

They both seem to have high-pass for the mains as well (though the sheet says the Monoprice doesn't).

There are a lot of other options in the sheet within or close to he budget, and some without price information - I'd suggest to play with the filtering a bit. Good luck!

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Rythmik F12 has CEA 2010 measurements?
I founded the f12 in the excel! ty SweetChaos!
20hz

97.6

100.7

107.5

112.3

113.1

114.4

113.6

These numbers to me looks very good

 

[ooheadsoo]

Do you guys have a recommendation for budget friendly options, say up to 300 € ?
I was thinking of buying a PreSonus Sub8BT for 199 € but it doesn't seem to have any test data in your sheet. :/
Also i have active studio monitors so i guess my sub should be active as well and i liked the idea that it has bluetooth for if friends want to connect to it.
Any contenders at this price point?
Thank you

For 300€, I recommend looking at the used market. Just about all subwoofers on the market are active, and you should be connecting through whatever feeds your speakers, not the subwoofer.

 

[Sammy135]

Got a question about subwoofers on the list, 1) Arendal 1723 2V, 2) JTR Cap 2400

I am looking for the most infrasonic capable sub. JTR cap has the highest capability below 20 hz, but they are hard to get in Canada. I listen to movies usually at -15 db at 10 ft away or so. So just about 3m if comparing to CEA 2010 numbers.

From my understanding, -20 db is reference at 85 db. So, my -15db is about 90 db. And if the LFE signal is 10 db hotter, the sub levels I play at would be 100 db. But I also have a house curve of about 5hz on dirac live using the storm audio target curves. So that boosts to 105db subwoofer demand.

Arendal (10hz, 12.5 hz, 15 hz), cea 2010 - 2m

90.8

104.9

108

JTR cap (10hz, 12.5 hz, 15 hz), cea 2010 - 2m

104.8

109.1

113.6

Since those are cea, I can add another 6db to those, when they are in room due to room gain, and I sit at 3m, not 2m.

If my math is right, JTR meets my volume demand at 10hz just just about correctly, if I did the math right. The problem is: I dont have easy access to get JTR, I dont have 20 amp circuits. So, I have to compromise.

Do you guys think the Arendal will meet my demands in infrasonic bass capability as a comprimise compared to the JTR? Room just about 1100 cubic ft, and in the future at MOST it will be 2000 cubic ft.

 

[dualazmak]

Just for our reference, I recently posted this on my project thread;
- Reproduction and listening/hearing/feeling sensations to 16 Hz (organ) sound with my DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active stereo audio system having big-heavy active L&R sub-woofers #782

I still use L & R YAMAHA YST-SW1000 which was launched in 1990 and still highly rewarded now (mainly in Japan) as one of the best subwoofer which can go down to 15 Hz in excellent sound quality. Attached herewith, you can find PDF of this AudioHeritage web page on YST-SW1000 (English translation by Google Chrome).
https://audio-heritage.jp/YAMAHA/speaker/yst-sw1000.html

 

[egothrasher]

Looking at the scores and prices, it seems the best bet for under $600(amazon has it for $537) is the Monolith M10 V2. Anyone have any other recommendations under that price?

 

[ooheadsoo]

Looking at the scores and prices, it seems the best bet for under $600(amazon has it for $537) is the Monolith M10 V2. Anyone have any other recommendations under that price?

SVS PB-1000 is my choice for value if they bring it back during one of their periodic sales. Last time they brought it back, they had it for $450.

 

[egothrasher]

SVS PB-1000 is my choice for value if they bring it back during one of their periodic sales. Last time they brought it back, they had it for $450.

I have a fb marketplace Pb 1000 on sale for $250. I would assume that is a great deal? Only issue with buying discontinued products is finding another one so I can eventually have two.

Another option is a SVS PB 2000 Pro on sale on ebay, $500. Minor cosmetic damage in corner due to shipping. I can easily fix that though, and nothing that would affect sound.

 

[ooheadsoo]

My main concern with a used sub is the age of the electronics. For the rest, I can only point to what measurements there are out there.

 

[sweetchaos]

Changelog:
2023-10-09: 296 manufacturers (unique), 2117 models (all, non-unique), 1902 models (unique), 444 models with CEA-2010-A data (all, non-unique).
- Added 10 subs from ErinsAudiocorner (JL Audio Dominion D108, SVS 3000 Micro, KEF KC62, KEF KF92, Monoprice THX 8 (THX Mode), Monoprice THX 8 (EQ1 Mode), Monoprice THX 8 (EQ2 Mode), Yamaha HS8 Studio Subwoofer, Kali Audio WS-6.2, REL Tzero MKIII)
- Added 4 subs from Audioholics (RBH Sound 21-SF/R, Klipsch RP-1600SW, Dayton Audio SUB-1500, Arendal Sound 1723 Subwoofer 2S)