Subwoofer Options - <$800 - Small/Medium Room

[BookshelfBob]

Location: USA
Budget: 800$
Speakers: AsciLab C6B (Ascend were OoO when I ordered, went with these instead if you saw my other thread)
Amp: Aiyima A80
EQ: None but may add DIRAC via windows
Room Size: Medium (terrible layout, too many things wrong to go into detail)
Use: Mixed (primary music)

Below is a chart of some obvious contenders. There are also some Rythmik options I'm aware of. The SVS stick out because of their EQ. Even with DIRAC I think I would still need that because I think the Aiyama is putting out a uniform signal there are no filters.

Would be very interested to hear if there is a consensus pick in this price range

 

[ry_]

RSL 10s Mkii and the HSU VTF 2 Mk5 should be on your short list! I would also add the RSL 12s at the very top end of your range.

I have the 12s and it’s an amazing! It’s a big box though.

 

[BookshelfBob]

RSL 10s Mkii and the HSU VTF 2 Mk5 should be on your short list! I would also add the RSL 12s at the very top end of your range.

I have the 12s and it’s an amazing! It’s a big box though.

The room is small but the size of the box is no problem.

Adding them both

Thank you!!

 

[CDMC]

How about two RSL Speedwoofer 10e at $339 a piece? It will help smooth out the response over one subwoofer.

 

[BookshelfBob]

How about two RSL Speedwoofer 10e at $339 a piece? It will help smooth out the response over one subwoofer.

I only have the one out on the amp. There would be no issues splitting the signal? If it makes more sense to have 2 subs i will do that

edit - they're not available in either color it looks like

 

[CDMC]

You can use a Y splitter. You can contact RSL and see when a new shipment is expected.

 

[Ruediger]

Below is a chart of some obvious contenders. There are also some Rythmik options I'm aware of. The SVS stick out because of their EQ. Even with DIRAC I think I would still need that because I think the Aiyama is putting out a uniform signal there are no filters.

I like the EQ features of my SVS subs. I don't do much with it, but room gain control is very much welcomed. I did it with Audyssey and RoomFit too. Wasn't as good or simple as what the SVS app does. Mustn't apply to Dirac or other solutions.

My point is if I were to buy again (active), I would always go for the EQ and the app.

Another selling point of the SVS is it's size. Despite a 12" woofer it's easy to fit in tiny spaces. That was important to me, but obvisouly not so much to you. A 12" woofer is a 12" woofer though. Better than 10". I had an old 9" in a small room before. It was never enough and hard to fit in with the rest. I'm sure these 10" options are better models. But I'd chose 12" nonetheless. RSL also has something in that regard.

 

[Chrispy]

I would lean towards multiple subs to start.

 

[BookshelfBob]

OK seems like there are two obvious options here

SVS - Single sub, get the EQ

Speedwoofer - Get two of their smaller subs, for better coverage, no EQ

I'll talk to speedwoofer and go from there. SVS winning right now because they have stock

 

[Ruediger]

If I had a symmetrical layout in that room with large desk, bookshelves and svs sub - I would use two subwoofers and just y-split them off the pre-amp.

But my room is nothing like that and I would need actual support for two separate subwoofers (measurement) to make it any better.

For a small room, being on a budget, y-splitting I would probably get two of the RSL 10" models.

 

[BookshelfBob]

If I had a symmetrical layout in that room with large desk, bookshelves and svs sub - I would use two subwoofers and just y-split them off the pre-amp.

But my room is nothing like that and I would need actual support for two separate subwoofers (measurement) to make it any better.

For a small room, being on a budget, y-splitting I would probably get two of the RSL 10" models.

Ok that was my concern. My room is terrible. And adding two sources may cause more problems than help.....

Think a few desks/benches lining a large % of the room with a lot of random things all over them. Screens everywhere. Nothing symmetrical

 

[Spkrdctr]

I would go with the SVS. Easy to use and set up. Great factory support. If not SVS then the biggest RSL sub you can afford. The SVS app is worth its weight in gold.

 

[Ruediger]

Ok that was my concern. My room is terrible. And adding two sources may cause more problems than help.....

Think a few desks/benches lining a large % of the room with a lot of random things all over them. Screens everywhere. Nothing symmetrical

I guess measurement and alignment is in order then. Lots of options to do that. AVR, MiniDSP, .. even WiiM devices linked together.

 

[Eric Natural]

And adding two sources may cause more problems than help.....

I'm also with the two cheap subs are better fellas above. Repeat after me,"I need 2"
Recently had to replace my 30yr old Dahlquist after it failed and in the interim, I could hear the second one quite specifically & nearly zero "feeling" it(and I really don't blast music beyond 80ish db). After its replacement; both subs disappear into the bass instruments and kick. Significant audible differential vs solo sub. This is true in acoustically "perfect" rooms and imperfect ones.
A pair of these are inside your budget : https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=41497
Best of Luck

 

[BookshelfBob]

I'm also with the two cheap subs are better fellas above. Repeat after me,"I need 2"
Recently had to replace my 30yr old Dahlquist after it failed and in the interim, I could hear the second one quite specifically & nearly zero "feeling" it(and I really don't blast music beyond 80ish db). After its replacement; both subs disappear into the bass instruments and kick. Significant audible differential vs solo sub. This is true in acoustically "perfect" rooms and imperfect ones.
A pair of these are inside your budget : https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=41497
Best of Luck

I would not go that high either most of the time

I can get 50 dollars off the 12" monoprice which brings them to basically the same as the 10 inchers with the summer sale....

I'll see what RLS says and go from there. I don't really want to fiddle with room correction but will if i have to.

 

[kyuu]

Open-box Revel B10

 

[CDMC]

OK seems like there are two obvious options here

SVS - Single sub, get the EQ

Speedwoofer - Get two of their smaller subs, for better coverage, no EQ

I'll talk to speedwoofer and go from there. SVS winning right now because they have stock

It is not a matter of these being two options. It is applying the proper methodology. For setup you proceed in the following order:

1) Optimize your speaker and subwoofer locations to the extent possible for your circumstances;
2) Evaluate whether the room needs any treatment (do you have an extremely live room with long decay times that needs some help?); and
3) Apply digital correction.

You always want to optimize your physical setup first to minimize the amount of digital correction required. You then apply the amount of digital correction needed to do the rest. In terms of subwoofers, with using two subwoofers properly placed, you can then often only need 2-3 bands of proper parametric eq cuts to get a pretty darn good response.

If you have not, you should purchased a UMIK and learn to use REW. Seeing what your room is doing and being able to quickly measure will help you greatly and at a low cost. Once you have the ability to apply digital equalization, you can create the filters you need and apply them and remeasure.

If you have not yet read about multiple subwoofer benefits:

https://www.harman.com/documents/multsubs_0.pdf

 

[BookshelfBob]

Open-box Revel B10

Oh my, MSRP for 1500

Why does it lose so much value for being open box? 2/3rds value lost?

 

[BookshelfBob]

It is not a matter of these being two options. It is applying the proper methodology. For setup you proceed in the following order:

1) Optimize your speaker and subwoofer locations to the extent possible for your circumstances;
2) Evaluate whether the room needs any treatment (do you have an extremely live room with long decay times that needs some help?); and
3) Apply digital correction.

You always want to optimize your physical setup first to minimize the amount of digital correction required. You then apply the amount of digital correction needed to do the rest. In terms of subwoofers, with using two subwoofers properly placed, you can then often only need 2-3 bands of proper parametric eq cuts to get a pretty darn good response.

If you have not, you should purchased a UMIK and learn to use REW. Seeing what your room is doing and being able to quickly measure will help you greatly and at a low cost. Once you have the ability to apply digital equalization, you can create the filters you need and apply them and remeasure.

If you have not yet read about multiple subwoofer benefits:

https://www.harman.com/documents/multsubs_0.pdf

Ok i will start with the UMIK and use REW. That may be plenty for what I need

Perfect

 

[kyuu]

Oh my, MSRP for 1500

Why does it lose so much value for being open box? 2/3rds value lost?

Because the MSRP is heavily inflated. You'd get it for cheaper through a Revel dealer, for starters. Also I'm guessing they have been sitting on some shelves for extended periods due to the aforementioned inflated MSRP and occasionally deals pop up as people try to move them. I got mine from Crutchfield when they were selling some open-box units for around the same price as that listing.

For the price (not MSRP, of course, the price on the ebay listing) and size, I personally think it's easily one of the best subs on the market.