Best Sub under $500 for an apartment? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Cooper]

Arrgh! My sub just up and died yesterday, and now i'm looking for a replacement. There was a split second power outage/surge at my apartment, and niether the reciever or Subwoofer was on, but after that, nada from the sub.

My reciever is a Sony STR-DB840, and the speakers and ex-subwoofer are AIWA's from one of those Home Theater in a box things from Best Buy.

Anyway I am looking for reccomendations for a new Subwoofer in the less than $500 budget range. I live in an apartment, but I have either cool neighbors, or good soundproofing, as I have never recieved one complaint in the 2.5 years I have lived there, and have blasted the sound regularily.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Keith Pepling]

You can get the SVS 25-31PCi for only $549 + shipping. You won't find a better sub in that price range. If you have an amp you could get either a 20-39CS or 16-46CS sub.

Keith

 

[Juan_R]

I would agree with Keith. If you have an old receiver laying around you can use that to power and SVS CS and that would save you some money.

 

[Steve Stogel]

Hsu VTF-2 or a 25-31PCi if you can stretch your budget by about $100.

Steve

 

[BrianB]

As an apartment dweller, can I offer a suggestion of /none/ of them?

 

[Dustin B]

For appartment use don't forget the Adire Rava ($399).

 

[Steve Stogel]

True. Throw the Rava into the mix.

Steve

 

[Jeff Cooper]

I will definately be looking into SVS when I eventually get my own home. For right now, I think that would be overkill, plus I don't have an amp or an old reciever lying around. I will certainly check out the Rava.

 

[Joel Aparicio]

You could also consider Klipsch, AR,and Polk. All of them have several subs under $500.

 

[Anthony_Gomez]

For right now, I think that would be overkill

My dual 1503's is overkill for my apartment, but I plan on moving out someday and taking my sub with me=). I didn't want to have to buy/build a new sub system just because I moved.
An SVS has a small foot print. AND you don't have to play it at reference levels=)...so it can be apartment friendly

 

[John Garcia]

Yamaha YST-SW305 has a small footprint, does 20hz, and comes in around $299. I've been happy with my YST-SW500 for a few years now (good for a verified 25Hz). Would I enjoy an SVS more, I'm sure I would, but right now, in my apartment, I already have more low than I need or can use all the time. I will be moving in the next few months, and I will pick up a 20-39 then, with the 500 retired to the bedroom sytem.
I agree with Anthony, whatever sub it is, you don't really need to have it cranked to enjoy it. Save yourself the need to upgrade later and get a good sub like the SVS now.

 

[Jeff Cooper]

AND you don't have to play it at reference levels=)

Now that would be an incredible test of willpower, to not crank the things!
Anyway, upgrading again when I move is not really an issue, since I don't plan on moving for about 9 more years.
Thanks for all the suggestions, I will be looking into them!

 

[Steve & Karen]

It may be too late if you have the other speakers, but my solution is the Def Tech PowerMonitor 700 with built in powered subwoofer. Similar issues of NYC Apt, built-in bookshelf libary unit with no place to put subwoof, and WAF.

-Steve

 

[Shane Martin]

Honestly if you are planning on buying an SVS later because of dwellings I would suggest to do 1 of 2 things

1. Don't buy a thing and save the $$.

2. Buy the SVS and Turn it down.

Reason I say this is because let's say you buy a subwoofer for $400 bucks now and later you want to upgrade it then to me you are taking a loss or throwing your money away. Buy what you want to buy now or wait til you are ready.

With Awia being your main speakers and subwoofer perhaps buying better main speakers NOW instead of a subwoofer would be your best option.

Powered Bookshelves are not a solution either IMHO as they won't produce the type of low end bass that a true external subwoofer is capable of.

 

[Holland]

SVSSVS

 

[Dave Schofield]

I keep hearing decent things about the Sony SAWM40. Its only $200 at Best Buy and people seem to think it is a good "stepping stone". It might be worth using as a hold over until the SVS.
Personally, I am taking that route. My new apartment is close to my landlord's house, so I don't want to "overbuy" and get something I can't use to the fullest. If I go with the M40, I can get an idea what she can and can't hear and then upgrade accordingly.
http://www.audioreview.com/Subwoofer...7_2741crx.aspx

 

[Pamela]

I am using a Velodyne CHT 120 in my apartment. It does a pretty good job. The CHT 100 is also worth looking at. When I move into larger digs, I'll upgrade my sub, but for now it does the trick!

 

[Martice]

$550.00 Hmmm.... It might get you a 15" Tempest based sub from Link Removed which in all honesty is in a whole different ballgame than anything mentioned in this thread. This is the closests you are going to get to DIY performance without building it yourself. In your apartment you would have to excercise extreme restraint because these subs when built properly are MONSTERS!! I live in a New York City apartment and own a Tempest based Octosub so I'm speaking from experience. My sub needs are no longer a thought in my present home and I'm sure it wont be a thought in any other dwelling in the future.

My dual 1503's is overkill for my apartment, but I plan on moving out someday and taking my sub with me=). I didn't want to have to buy/build a new sub system just because I moved.

However, I do envy you Anthony! I get sick even thinking of what kind of bass you're experiencing.

 

[Jeff Cooper]

Well, emergency avoided for the time being! After my sub 'died', I wanted to test if it was the sub itself or the sub output on the receiver that had been fried. So I called up Ron-P who lives about 5 blocks from me and set up a time that I could test out my sub on his receiever. Before I went over there the sub was deader than a doorknob. Nothing at all coming out of it. Just for the hell of it, Unscrewed the back panel, took it apart, looked at the insides, pulled out a fuse that looked fine, so I stuck it back in, and put the whole thing together again. I didn't test it out anymore because I hadn't done anything to it, just took it apart and put it back together.

So I get over to Ron's and plug it into his receiver, and Viola, it's working just fine! At this point I'm thinking 'Oh crap, that means it's my reciever that's f***ed up, and that will be more of a pain in the ass to replace!'. So I go home, and just for the hell of it, I plug it back in. What do you know? Everything works perfectly! WTF?

I am at a loss to explain it, but apparently I have a magical self-healing sub!

So thanks anyway for all the suggestions, I will remember them for when I do upgrade.

New topic: Can anyone explain what happened?

 

[Rich Malloy]

Oooh-oooo... Magic Sub!