Subwoofer choice @ Best Buy under $200 (1 Viewer)

[RonnieT]

I need to get a subwoofer!!! I have a $200 gift card to Best Buy so my choices are limited. What do you guys recommend getting for under 200? Here is the site to check out to see what they sell. If anyone can help me that would be great.

I was looking at the Sony SAWM500 for $199. My room I will be using it in is about 13x15. I have never owned a subwoofer so I'm not sure what I should be looking for. Also, if anyone knows of any good review sites besides audioreview.com let me know. thanks.

 

[Dan Halchak]

To be truthfully honest with you, I'd save the $200, put it towards something else and get one of the PCi models at SVS...or go with an HSU model sub. There are plenty of other things at Best Buy to go and buy. The only one that I think is really decent is the Klipsch which is $599 or JBL which is $449. For that price, it's definitely worth the money towards and SVS PCi 20-39 which will blow it away...

But it's up to you, if you have your heart set on a "cheaper" sub, then just go and get whatever you think sounds best...they are all about the same performance wise.

 

[Jerome Grate]

If possible, go to Best Buy and give them a listen. I heard the KLH 12", not bad and not the best for music but with some tweaking, may do the job.

 

[RonnieT]

That seems to be what I'm looking for. According to the wife, I can't spend any more than my $200 gift card (not including tax) so I am limited to the "cheaper" sub.

 

[BrianAe]

Dan is wrong. I don't know why he would say that all cheap subs are the same in performance. Plus, both that Klipsch and JBL subs stink. The sony is probably better for much cheaper.

That Sony is one of the better sub 200 dollar subs. Do the "pollyfill" mod and you have yourself a nice little sub that meets the needs of many people.

 

[Dan Halchak]

When I demoed the Sony Sub in my home I felt it was terrible...it was very muddy and was not tight nor accurate. Before I got my SVS, I felt the JBL and Klipsch gave the best sound. I like the yamaha, but felt like it needed a little more power behind it. It's all based on opinions That's why I said it's up to you what sounds best.

...the only reason I used "cheaper" is because I couldn't think of the word I was looking for. Maybe "less of a quality than HSU or SVS" was more what I was looking for.

 

[BrianAe]

I agree that the Sony is no SVS, no HSU, no Aperion Audio. It's base isn't tight, though the pollyfill mod does tighten it up. With the mod, I think it does sound better then the Klipsh sub which I think is very boomy.

The point is though that the Sony works for many lower end theaters and is way better then no sub at all.

While I agree that 200 dollar subs don't sound great. I do feel that many people over buy on their subs because of all the attention given them on this forum. I don't think it makes much sense to have a 600 dollar speaker system (excluding sub) and a 7 or 800 dollar sub.

 

[John S]

The Sony is quite respectable on Movies. For Music it isn't so good at all.

 

[WayneO]

In that situation, true, but many people don't give as much attention to a sub because they look at it's .1 designation in HT. I had two cheap

 

[RonnieT]

What exactly do I do here? Is the stuff called pollyfill and I just put the stuff into the speaker box? Where do I purchase it?

 

[Jerome Grate]

Pollyfill you can get at any fabric store or home store. Like I said earlier, the KLH wasn't a bad performer, and you got 200 watts behind it.

 

[BrianAe]

Do a search on this forum for pollyfill or sony and polyfill. There are a couple thread with step by step instructions.