Will I need dual SVS's? (1 Viewer)

[Ron_C]

My basement theater room is 23' long, 12' wide and 7' high so ~1932 cubic feet. Only one opening to the room that is open and this open could possible be covered by some material during viewing times. I am planning on getting the 16-xx Plus series. Whether i get the PC+ or CS+ with the sampson amp relies on me needing a second sub. So on my room size, do you think i will need a second sub? BTW, I am pretty bass hungry.

 

[BobAlbano]

Go with the CS+ as i found out you never know when upgraditis hits and you want a second SVS. I can tell you first hand that 2 SVS are a entirely different beast than a single. Go for the CS+/samson combo unless you need the phase and subsonic contol that the PC+ will give you.

 

[Nick P]

*Need* is a funny word. No one *needs* a Corvette but they sure are fun to drive. You probably don't *need* 2 subs in your room but it will be impressive.

 

[Tom Vodhanel]

Hi Ron,

Another important consideration is the floor of your basement. Is it cement? If so, I would definitely go with the dual woofs. One of the most common complaints about that type of flooring is how it seems to subjectively absorb the bass because it doesn't relate tactile feedback to the chairs.

TV

 

[Ron_C]

Thanks everybody..

Tom,
My floor is concrete, but the second row is on a insulated riser made of 2x4's with 3/4" plywood on top. Would this help the second row feel the bass any more than the first row? I really wanted to build a subfloor, but since the basement was already finished and the ceiling height is just 7' in the house we just bought, i don't think that is an option. Will i still get "WOW" bass with a concrete floor?

 

[Tom Vodhanel]

Hi Ron,
You might notice a more tactile sensation sitting in the back row but if the subs are sitting on the concrete floor disassociated from the rear riser...it will probably be subtle.
As for *wow* bass, that is tough to predict
In about 2000 cu-ft something like the dual 20-39CS+/S1000 package would be able to produce reference levels of bass...but you still might think something was missing with the cement flooring. Have you been using this room for HT for a while now? If you have had time to get used to the cement floor issue...it might not even be aa big a deal as I'm making it out to be.
TV

 

[Dustin B]

My Tempest Sonosub didn't disappoint in my parents rather large concrete floor basement (had candle sticks rattling across entables on the floor above). A single CS+ is about 20% behind a Tempest, but a pair of CS+ subs will be a chunk more capable than a single Tempest.

 

[James Bergeron]

I'm also on cement and get enough tactile for my liking! I was gettings TONS in my previous place (all hardwood) but even the cement works out well. I'm using a single CHT-15 which is apparently not the subwoofer of choice around here

Although from the charts I have seen holds it's own.

 

[Nick P]

I'm using twin 20-39CS+s in my similar sized room with a concrete floor and I get plenty of "wow" and couch shakin'. I've always had concrete so I can't compare it to a wood floor but I and all my guests have been quite impressed.

 

[John A. Casler]

What Tom is talking about here is "perception" of Bass energy.

In reality a concrete floor does not "absorb" bass, in fact it is just the opposite. It channels it. When the sound wave hits an immovable surface it then is redirected by that surface.

Those with concrete slab floors who have plenty of "shaking" when on their respective couches are beneficiaries of this channeling. The sound waves are directed along the floor to the next object (your sofa) and exert force to it.

Those who have wooden floors might find this "perception" even greater since the sonic force actually moves the floor as well as the sofa.

You will find that most "built for sound" rooms (if the designer knows what he (she) is doing, will build the room with substantial reinforcement to "all" boundary surfaces so that the lower and more powerful frequencies will not be affected by "flexing" of the surfaces.

This flexing can actually reduce "airbourne" SPL at the listening area, while the transmitted vibration will make you percieve them as greater.

Regards,

John Casler

 

[Ned]

I'll give an example to illustrate John's notion above.

I have a single SVS CSi in a 10x12 room with wood joist floors. On the THX intro on The Phantom Menace, the first "pop" registers around 110db peak, then there's a crack of thunder which is a little lower in amplitude, then the THX intro hums in and my floor vibrates about 1/4". The odd thing is that although the 3rd effect is subjectively as loud as the first "pop", the needle on my SPL meter falls to nothing on the 100db setting.

I'll be moving my system to the basement with concrete floors, so it'll be interesting to see how the perceived level of bass changes when the floor can't vibrate.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Hm, a second SVS....

I love the 16PC46, especially with the Improved Standard Driver, and it really gives me all the bass I need or want, but the upgrade bug is never satisfied until we're in bankruptcy court. The only problem is that I really don't have any place to put a second one, unless it's feasible to stack them.

What experience do people have on this? I seem to recollect Obi doing something like this but I can't find the thread, if it still exists. Anyone else? Is the effect good, bad or indifferent? The other problem of course is ceiling height; I would not be able to get much clearance between the two if I did stack them somehow and then the top of the higher one would be close to the ceiling. Hmm, maybe this isn't such a good idea. Thoughts?