sub woes... advice? opinions? (1 Viewer)

[Bill_Weinreich]

First off the basics.. my room is 14x16x7 with two fair size openings to other rooms. I have a Pioneer elite vsx-45tx, klipsch reference (RF-3, RC-3, RS3) and a KSW-12sub. Now the trouble. The sub apparently went too low, too loud, one too many times. Feeling it was a bad driver, I purchased a replacement and alas the same trouble. So now I am left with a choice and would like your opinions...
Do I A: replace the amp (~ $150)
B: Build another enclosure and purchase an ext. amp
(since I now have 2 identical drivers)
C: Hold out and get the SVS 16-46PCi

So just curious....

 

[MikeLi]

I dont know if the 16-46PCI would be your best choice but if you call and talk to Ron at SVS he will take your room info and let you know which is best for your situation. Very much into customer service there and I would say you definantly want an SVS sub. Once you have had one for HT you will wonder how I ever lived without one...
MikeL

 

[John S]

If you liked your sub, you may as well just get an amp...


I tend to just bypass the built in amp, and get an inexpensive external amp just for sub duties, when internal amps/electronics fail on them.

Something like this bridged will rock a sub hard...
http://www.ubid.com/actn/opn/getpage...885&s=uwb70000

 

[John Garcia]

The 25-31 has more output than the 16-46 and if you step up to the Plus line, I think it would work even in a fairly large room. How big is your room or how darn loud are you listening? Klipsch would not be my first choice in subs...

 

[MikeLi]

Klipsch subs are highly over priced for what you get. I used to love their horn speakers when I was younger but age does something to you and I changed and really can't stand them for any length of time but many can and they do sell a lot of them. Can't say they are bad thats for sure just you have to like them horns. The subs though are a different story. My best friend owns an AV store that is lets say a medium to high but not real high end stuff. He carrys everything klipsch offers. I have got to play with all their subs, even that one monster they have, sorry I don't remember but for a store/name brand sub the thing is huge. It still can't hold a candle to my SVS subs.

 

[Bill_Weinreich]

Room size?... 14x16x7. I wasnt exactly dissapointed with the sub, but always wanted something that could go quite a bit deeper, and this is the second time in 5 years I had troubles with it. As far as an ext amp, I had concernes about the need for crossovers and barring the one John S linked to, most amps I saw were too pricey for a sub I considered updating. Then again the thought of building and Identical cabinert for the spare driver and running two may help me round out my troubled listening area. (heavy peaks and nulls..) But like many, a limited budget is putting an update on hold for a bit... and the RF-3's are doing surprising well on their own...

Wasnt my first choise either, but i had gotten a considerable savings when I purchased it with the rest..

 

[MikeNg]

I think that's a good choice for that room. It's not a large room, so you may not need the additional output the other SVS subs give you. Plus, you're getting one that digs deeper than the others.

You may also find that the PB10 will work for you, and save a few bills to boot.

Call SVS and tell them what you're thinking about. Good luck.

Mike

 

[Tom Vodhanel]

Hi Bill,

One advantage you have if you choose DIY...you can just measure the current unit and double everything for your dual driver design. Just double the cu-ft, double the porting, ect. So it should be a relatively easy build. The one concern you might have when not using the amp designed for that model subwoofer...you won't have any EQIng or subsonic filtering. Also, most built in amps have various "limiters" to help protect the driver from damage. So if you power the DiY unit with a generic amp...you'll also probably need to consider a combo EQ/subsonic filter unit. That isn't always expensive though...as something like the art351 can be found around $100 I believe. Based on Nousaine's data on the Ksw-12...it is powerful down to about 30-32hz. I'm not sure if you'll get much

 

[MikeNg]

Tom, you amaze me at your willingness to help.

Bill, try getting this kind of response from ANYONE at Klipsch...

 

[MikeLi]

I might ad another thing about the guys at SVS. Before I bought my first SVS several years ago, I had dual (dare I mention the name) 12" NHT subs with my HT system. Just was not getting what I thought I should out of them, especailly since they each had their own 800 watt amp and also for what I paid for them. (had never heard of SVS then) They spent several hours (they may not like me posting this now that they are so busy and well known) with me on the phone trying to help me get more oomph out of the subs that I already had before even mentioning buying one of their subs. Anyway I wound up replacing them with one SVS sub and there was not even a close compairison. SVS kicked their butts. I will second the above statement... Try getting that kind of response or customer service from anyone at a big company such as Klipsch or others....
Keep it up SVS
Mike L

 

[Bill_Weinreich]

Wow... Now thats a type of service you rarely see now a days, and will weigh heavily on my decision. Tom, I still havent made my mind up yet, but I can guarantee that I will be talking with you one way or another in the not so distant future... (Holidays kinda put a cramp in the ol check book)..but thanks for everyones input and I'll keep you posted...