Small subwooofer around $100 (1 Viewer)

[Stephen Hopkins]

I'm looking for a small subwoofer, around $100, for use in a bedroom/computer system. Other equipment is a Pioneer D711 receiver, Pioneer H152B mains, H052C Center, and H152B surrounds.

The sub will be under a desk, so something fairly compact is what i'm looking for. I would rather stay away from something as large as the Sony SA-WM40, but i do want a decent performing sub. Possibly something with a 10" driver.

Any recommendations?

Thanks

 

[Jose G]

Go to partsexpress.com and check out the DSL 10". I would do a search on this forum for info on that sub first as there has been a lot of talk about it lately. I'm waiting for it to arrive in the mail- should be here by Wednesday the latest...maybe it's home now- got to go!

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

I have read some good things about that DLS sub and it looks like it might be a winner. That said, are there any other suggestions?

Possibly the 10" Audiosource sub? Or the Audiosource System 380 speaker/sub package? I've been told it's the same as the Home Theater Direct Level 1 system, and can be had on ebay for less than $100 shipped. I'm pretty sure i don't want to consider the audiosource 8" sub, since it only goes down to 40hz. I'd like a sub that can hit 30hz, but i know i can't really expect anything below that.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[GregLee]

An alternative is Sony SA-WM20, which I have. 8" cone, $100 at Circuit City, and see user reviews there. Possibly can be had for less from my.sony.com. The spec says it goes down to 28Hz, but how much truth there is to that, I couldn't say. I'm happy with mine, which I use crossed over at 55Hz and with other speakers set "large".

There's a cheap KLH 10" sub around that I've heard good and bad about.

 

[Shawn.G]

I agree with Jose. I was looking into the DSL 10 inch before going over to DIY. DIY is great for limited budgets like me. You could probably build a nicer sub than buy one for 100. But that DSL did look good to me and was recommended by people who really know what they're talking about when it comes to subs. If you want to go DIY, first select a driver and then ask the DIY part of the HTF for extra help. Your choice.

 

[Lyden]

if you are going to chose between the KLH and sony get the KLH .. when it comes to speakers especialy when $$$ matters KLH tops sony any day .... heh come to think of it i'd take anything over sony.... ("we have a name lets drop our quality and jack the prices"~ sony officials)

 

[steve nn]

Stephen I have the DLS on the way. I will be comparing it to the WM-40 and the 8" kenwood sub. It's just for fun and I will be putting the meter and ear to all three if your interested. You can go back a few days and find the thread--"DLS on the way-will it outgun the WM-40"?

 

[Russell _T]

Costco has been carrying that 10" KLH lately for $99.00 with a $20.00 rebate making it $79.00 plus tax. My daughter has one in her bedroom and it gets the job done.

 

[Wayne Ernst]

I think you would be hard-pressed to be able to build a subwoofer for under $100 as suggested by Shawn. A basic amp alone would run you about that much.

The Dayton DLS-10 sounds like a winner. I can't wait until Steve receives the sub and puts it through its paces.

 

[Shawn.G]

Yeah, Wayne's right. I wasn't thinking about the amp. Again, I haven't heard anything bad about the DLS. Everyone here recommends it.

 

[steve nn]

The DLS should be here Friday and I have it confirmed that I can borrow back the WM-40 I sold. I should have the numbers next week. We would be hard pressed to build a decent sub for under a $100 with our limited buying power. I will be comparing it to a 8" 100 watt Kenwood to, that comes with the 504-505 Ken HTiB. If you were to buy the Kenwood sub by itself it would be close to $200, last time I checked. Maybe this mighty little DLS sub will take out my two 15" Velo's?

 

[Walter Smailus]

I have that Costco KLH in my family room and it gets the job done there too. Was shaking the windows last night with LoTR. Good deal for the money.

 

[steve nn]

Yes I have to say that I am very impressed at the performance of the Kenwood 8" sub placed in the corner under a corner tabl firing right into the couch with-in 3FT of seating. A guy needs to run theses subs 6-8 db hot for my liking regarding HT at -15 to -30. But heck thats OK. I here the KLH can be had for like $79 counting rebate now? Set up right and knowing it's limitations, I bet it does just fine for a $100 or less. Not all can afford or want to spend $750+ on a sub.

 

[Jose G]

I just came home and found the DLS waiting for me.
Unfortunately, I only had about 20 minutes to play with it before I had to go out again, and then it was time for my little girl to go to bed. *%$#^! Well, I don't have any test equipment and this is my first sub, so I don’t have much to compare it too, except a few friends’ subs and the store subs at CC. Hell, I didn’t even set my receiver speakers to small when I took my first listen to this sub. I just set the levels (crossover and volume) right up the middle (starting about 100Hz) and went up and down from there. These are my very first impressions: Sub came double boxed; it appears very sturdy and well built; the auto on feature is immediate and there are no apparent delay issues with it- as has been reported happening to the Sony; I was quiet impressed with the bass during the first AOTC explosion and the rumbling of the space craft prior to it’s landing in that same scene; with music I hear a pretty big difference (my speakers only go down to about 50Hz)...although as I said I haven’t even reset the speaker configurations yet. My first thoughts after this 20 minute session were: Those guys on HTF are nuts if they need more bass than this in a room smaller than this (12’x18’)- an open design space, too. But that thought only lasted 10 minutes, because soon after I found myself thinking: “Now, if I put one here and one here...”
I could not really tell where the bass was coming from after some tweaking but then my wife walked in and said “I liked the way the music sounded before”
I think she was busting my “bolas”, though. She has a pretty good ear but no appreciation for my toys (drives me nuts, but that’s another story). Anyway, as soon as I can, I will reset the speakers to small and set the sub’s crossover at 100Hz as this is the receivers set crossover, or should I set it all the way up since the receiver is handling the crossover if I do this?
So far so good with this nice looking DLS cube (much better looking than I thought it would be, actually). I’m off to fit it under the table where it’s supposed to go, but my wife pointed out that ther’s a radiator there- oops! Not the best location, ay?
I can’t wait to get Steve’s input to compare these budget subs. Thus far, to my novice HT ears, for $100, this sub is

 

[Wayne Ernst]

I will reset the speakers to small and set the sub’s crossover at 100Hz as this is the receivers set crossover, or should I set it all the way up since the receiver is handling the crossover if I do this?

Max out your setting for the crossover on the subwoofer itself. Let the crossover on your receiver take care of that activity. Setting the crossover in any other position on your subwoofer will create conflict.

 

[Geoff L]

As Wayne stated, set it up that way to start.
Sometimes you might have to call on the crossover on the sub. But start with it as far up as it goes, or if it has a pass threw switch, use it. Also if you can corner load it to start, I highly recommened it. This is (free room gain) down deep where you obviously want it. This can be as much as 6-db+ and thats nothing to snezz about.
Loud deep bass is reason you bought the sub in the first place right!
Jose, I know you mentioned you really have only one place to put it and you will notice a differance from being corner loaded. Usually the best place, but not always as every room has it's own node problems.
To bad you don't have a spl-meter and test disc, as this would allow you to see the differance in responce and free room gain & at what freqs rather than trusting your ears.
Jose, get that meter and Avia disc so you can get all you can out of your system when you do finally have the extra cash.
Their worth every single dollar!!!
Hope the DLS-10" works well for you and keeps you happy till the upgrade bug comes knocking again....
Cheers
Geoff

 

[Jose G]

Thanks for checking up guys. I’ll make those adjustments. As for the spl meter, I was planning on getting the radio shack but recently read on HTF that it’s not really accurate for the sub calibration. Is that so?

I’m going to try to use the built in meter in my remote first with a test disk. Where can I pick the test disks up? And, how does the VE compare to the Avia disk? I’m assuming these are the two best ones out there.

 

[Frank Carter]

Sound and Vision Home Theater Tune Up is a much cheaper calibration disk. I've never used Avia or VE, but if all you need is the basic calibration, then it should do fine. It also includes tones for 6.1 which I believe the other discs don't have. I found mine locally at Best Buy.

 

[Geoff L]

Frank is correct for set up, this disc is fine and dose have a DTS section that the others don't. Avia is recommend most of the time simply because it's so easy for newer people to understand what their doing and why. Also contains allot more tests etc on it.
For your sub, a disc with test tones, warbels, and sweeps can and is very usefull. If you can't find them (tones and warbels) to burn or don't have the equipment like me to be able to, Stryke Audio has a nice disc (Stryke's BASSZONE test CD~VOL-1) for seeing what your sub and mains are doing in room. It's cheap and can be ordered direct from their site.
Delivered from www.Stryke.com
it's like $11.95....!
Jose,
Yes the spl meter dose loose some accuracy as frequency drops but there are charts that give you the corretion factors to add to your spl meter mesurments to get a fairly accurate idea of what is happing in room freq wise with your sub. Very nice disc to have and you will find yourself using it far more than just once. Allows you to see where your dips and peeks are (in room at your listen position) and if you move the sub and re-measure, you can see the change this has made in the subs freq responce.
Geoff

 

[Jose G]

Thanks again! Right after work, I'll be shopping on line... again.