Best Subwoofers

what are some of the best home subwoofers, one's made by famous companies not like ones you build yourself?

For music, Rel or ACI. For movies, plenty of great ones out there, start with the ones from HSU or SVS.

Why does "famous companies" = best?

SVS PB2+ without a doubt unless you can afford a PB4

Hi, Allen.
There are plenty to choose from. Lucky us!!!
From the well known "famous companies", you have the likes of: M&K, Velodyne, B&W, JBL, Klipsch, Polk, Boston Acoustics & Tannoy to the less well known like PSB, Paradigm, Energy to the more obscure like: SVS, HSU, Revel, ServoDrive & Acoustic Visions.

Keep in mind lesser known and obscure does not equate to an inferior sub and in some cases the opposite is true. I am sure I have left out some other very good choices so I'll let the rest of the members chime in.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah to you all.

aperionaudio.com?

Don't forget the Def. Tech. Super Cube Reference and Super Cube I. The Reference was given a 99 rating by DVD etc. This sub will kill any SVS out there.

I'll vote for 15" Velodyne's on being most cost effective.

Best is rough, a sub usually does its job at reference type levels or it doesn't.

Specs don't always tell the story either, some subs sound good at reference type levels,and others just don't.

I like the bargain 12" AR s112ps subs. They don't have the greatest specs, but they play dang loud and hard before they start to break up. To me they seem to push just as well, as the $400 or so 12" JBL subs for less than half the cost. (heck I even scored one recently for like $120 to include in an entire HT system as an xmas present)

Good luck on your subwoofer experience!

No it won't. I LOVE Def Tech speakers. The best complete setup I've heard to date used them...seriously. But their subs? I'm not too impressed compared to certain others I've heard. Oh yeah, the sub that was used in the 7.1 Def Tech system? An SVS...of course I brought over my DVC12".

Yeah, I'd like to see a head to head test with it compared to an Ultra, PB2, B4, etc. Thats quite a bold statement.

BOLD? I would go a lot further than that, but in the spirit of Christmas, I won't.

Thank you, Kyle for showing us your restraint. You are a classy guy, as always.

Kudos on the debut of the new Everest with build in amp and the upcomming CES demo.

what a loaded question...

sheesh

In a competition to fit inside very small spaces? It will absolutely annihilate any SVS!

Well I have to chime in here being a previous Def Tech owner even though its been awhile. I think your statement needs to have some background before you say such a thing. By looking at when you joined this forum (very recently.) It appears to me that you made a purchase (the cube) and do what alot of folks here do wanting to make sure or justify that you made the best buy out there. I won't get into the whats better in this post but I will just say that your dead wrong without some support to back your statement up. I have not been in the same room with a Def. Tech. cube and a comparible SVS but have heard them both. Actually the new Def. Techs I listened to very recently at a higher end shop nearby. I can't make a statement like you without having them side by side but I can tell you this from just observations in different listening environments. I'd place my money without hesitation on the SVS on any shootout!

I don't like to point out just one magazine's reviews, but it's my point of reference. Check out the April 2003 issue of DVD ETC. they review 18 subs.Back then the Velodyne HGS-18 THX Ultra II was the #2 sub. The #1 honors went to the Infinity Intermezzo 1.2s. The #3 went to the Def. Tech. Super Cube 1.Then the Super Cube Reference made it's debut and they reviewed it in the Nov.2003 issue and they said it blew away everything else. It attained a 99 rating only because the power cord couldn't be switched.
I've also heard SVS compared to the Reference and it was no contest. Def. Tech!
I think there's been so many postings on SVS that people are unwilling to look at anything else. Just a follow the crowd mentality.People should audition more than one sub and judge by their own ears. Even if they don't like Def. Tech. they owe it to themselves to listen to more than one or two manufactures before making a decision.

hehe, i own the deftech supercube reference right now, and i can say with an open invitation to listen that it will own you. at times its too much. its like having a 2000 HP engine in a honda civic... (the civic being my and the rest of my theatre).

it is a very nice sub. but the true test is, it disappears with my magnepans. (any magnepan owner, or someone who has listened to maggies knows this is VERY hard to do.) ive seen people go through several subs before finding one that doesnt stick out. rel's are one of the few that can. but they dont have a ton of slam for HT (but are perfect for music).

"I've also heard SVS compared to the Reference and it was no contest. Def. Tech!"

Could you be more vague?

That they had listened to. I'm 100% sure they have not touched at SVS.




Well, I'm a strict DIY'er myself. Because I've been there and done that with speakers and subs. Boston Acoustics subs? Been there. Def Tech subs? Yeah, those too. Klipsch? Uh huh. SVS? Yup. Martin Logan? You got it. Mirage? Plenty. Yes, I could keep going.

BUT!!!

If you like Def Tech the best, hell Go for it! I've chosen my path which not everyone agrees with. But maybe the "kills any SVS out there" wasn't the best choice of words?

True. This can be the case. However, most people don't have the time or the resources to get into building their own subs. But, going with a very good performer and a very good price with thousands of very good recommendations - quickly pulls SVS out into the spotlight. There might be herd mentality here, but at least they are following a good herd.

[shudders] I'd hate to see such a good following for Bose gear. [/shudders]

I still love my Velodyne ULD-15, perfect for music & earth shaking with movies.

Dan Hine,
True. Maybe I should say for the price of the D.T. Reference (msrp $1800 w/ an 1800 watt amp) vs. The SVS PB4 (I believe is $2500 w/o an amp), you at least owe it to yourself to audition anything else. It is just Bass after all. I think this kind of money could be better spent on speakers.

Yeah, and I have. And I hope others do as well.



Hmmm, I don't know. For me, a quality sub adds the most to the movie experience. Don't get me wrong, good speakers are definitely important but not the prime focus for myself. For music, well depending on the style of music it could be opposite. But if I'm throwing a party with lots of pump/slam/bam then I still want great subs first.

But a lot of money isn't needed for great speakers really. Consider that some $4500 ProAc's use about $500/pair in parts.

- Dan Hine

Allen, it might help to provide more detail to this question

1. At what price range?

2. What is the application? %Music vs %Movies?

3. What is the size of the room?

4. What is available in your area to listen to, and are you willing to order over the internet to audition the likes of SVS and Hsu?

Asking what the best subwoofer is, is like asking what the best speakers are...it depends.

I agree with both these points. Forums like this help us to pinpoint, out of the thousands of choices we have in home theater equipment, a manageable number of candidates for purchasing. But, the acid test for me (especially with speakers)is to listen to them myself, with my music and movies. To me, this is part of the fun of home theater, sampling the equipment and learning first hand, how different products perform. In the final analysis, your own opinion is the only opinion that matters.

In reference to good herds/bad ones, how do you know when you're following a good one, or a bad one...until its too late?

In regards to following the *bad* herd, I'll give you a hint to see if it applies:

The name is 4 letters long, begins with a B and ends with an E. If you have such gear, then there's a good chance you were following the wrong herd.

Here's a good place to look for some of the top subs:
http://www.soundstage.com/surrounded...nded200308.htm

Another one that ranks towards the top of the list:
http://www.acoustic-visions.com/~aco..._everest.shtml

The Velo gets my nod for the most technologically advanced, but if I had my choice I think it would be either the Everest or SVS B4 Plus.

what i meant here was if you say some company like yuisubs and they have like 4 20" subs packed into a box that runs yah like $25,000 and 1 out 300,000 HT lovers have heard of them, then i didnt really want them suggested, by famous companies i mean like something someone who doesnt know what an ohm is has heard of, i was interested in the question cause i didnt know Velodyne made really good subs like DD-18 and was wondering if another famous company which i may or may not of heard of had a really good sub without getting crazy, like an official, look normal, not a wood box that ways 5,000 pounds type of sub. I'd imagine in that particular catagory a B4-Ultra would take the cake?

Allen--you have been given quite a variety of subs to consider by the many responders to your posting. Audition as many different kinds as you can with the kind of source material that you will mainly be using with the sub. There are many great subs out there that will do the job--and when you are auditioning them, please give the Definitive Technology Supercube Reference a try--for $1800 retail, it is not huge in size, but produces tight, fast bass that might make it down below 15 Hz and sound good with music or HT where it WILL rock your world.

Michael S.

Allen, are you looking to purchase or just getting opinions? I live right next to you in Oak Forest and have an SVS PB2+. If your interested in hearing it, LMK.