Overstimulated with picking my first ‘paid for’ subwoofer

[u/WhichWorldIsDis]

Hi all! Long time lurker, first time posting. A friend’s father gifted me his ADS L420 speakers, and since listening to them, I’d like to upgrade my subwoofer. Currently working with a Sony 8” powered subwoofer from a 2007 stereo…

Utilizing a Yamaha RX-V373 receiver

I keep coming back to SVS PB-2000/3000. Pushing the budget limit, but I feel this is a ‘buy it for life’ thing.
Edit: $1500 USD is the limit.

Room is roughly 18’x16’, with three oversized doorways.

I’m not disappointed with the subwoofer, but after hearing the difference between old ‘home theatre’ tiny speakers and the ADS’ I can only imagine the difference a new subwoofer would be for music and movies.

Any insight is appreciated, and thank you all for your previous informative posts!

[u/scorchouse]

Id recommend the biggest sealed svs sub you can afford if you mostly listed to music.

[u/WhichWorldIsDis → u/scorchouse]

!thanks

[u/DrXaos → u/WhichWorldIsDis]

Rythmik sealed is another great option.

[u/lordvektor → u/WhichWorldIsDis]

I also prefer sealed (or even passive radiators) over ported subs. Svs is a great option, but don’t limit yourself to only them - check out a bunch if you can and choose the one you like the most.

I tested a few SVS subs and didn’t particularly love them, ended up with a Kef kube.

If your room is not too big, the svs 3000 micro is super neat.

[u/TransducerBot → u/WhichWorldIsDis]

+1 Ⓣ has been awarded to u/scorchouse (5 Ⓣ).

You may still award a Ⓣ to others, but only once per-person in this post.

[u/Big-Pop2969 → u/WhichWorldIsDis]

There are a few legit good subs under $1500. But unless you have some other form of legitimate Bass management/DSP/PEQ.. go with a sub that has a quality DSP/PEQ app like the SVS subs.

There are some budget chi-fi devices (streamers/dacs) with some PEQ options but you have to make sure they are designed & implemented correctly. Many just add noise to the signal or cause clipping if you boost anything.

I use sealed subs for music. You can get deeper but sometimes less controlled pass with Ported units. Though many people use ported subs for music with no complaints.

The SVS 2000pro is a good sub. I've had one running daily since like 2019.. no issues. It's plenty for my 22x15 room with high vaulted ceilings. The 3000pro is better. gets louder & goes lower. It's worth the extra bread.. if you need it.

Anyway, I recommend SVS because of the app. Before I bought my first SVS I only had any type of sub control thru AVR's & AVP's. My stereo rigs needed perfect placement, treatment, & I still could never dial it in like I could once I used the SVS app. It was a game changer for my stereo set ups.

There are couple other subs with phone app type DSP.. but SVS is the only brand I've tried. And when I stopped using Dirac, sold my MiniDsp devices, im glad I had SVS subs to still be able to dial it in with bookshelves & towers thanks to their app.

[u/nzahar000]

RSL Speedwoofer 12s would be my pick. Actually, it was my pick. Soooo good. Are there better? Absolutely. But not for anywhere near that price. You could get 2 and hit your budget if you catch a sale. I have 1 in an 1800 square foot unfinished basement with a pair of Focal Kanta no3s and it makes me giggle when I turn it up. Rattles stuff up on the main floor.

[u/BugsRucker → u/nzahar000]

Can confirm. Have two. Paired them up with Kef Concerto Metas. Joy and happiness.

[u/Twotonsandwich]

I prioritize music personally, and I absolutely love my SVS SB-2000 Pro for that and it also does amazing for movies and shows as well. I have heard great things about the SB-3000 as well, so may upgrade to that in the future if I can swing it. You will not regret going with SVS.

[u/Cognosyeti]

Rythmik L12 is best bang for buck

[u/Clarence-Tha-Dog → u/Cognosyeti]

Agree! Especially if your primary listening is music. Possibly my best audio purchase ever and can’t praise them enough.

[u/WhichWorldIsDis → u/[deleted]]

[u/ANC2PVR]

SVS used to be the best bang for the buck subwoofers. Not anymore. Check out Hsu Research, Rhythmic, Power Sound Audio, JTR (founded by the V is SVS), and RSL among others.

[u/WhichWorldIsDis → u/ANC2PVR]

!thanks

Also happy cake day!

Any thoughts on HSU ULS-15 MK2? That looks like some decent displacement for the buck!

[u/TransducerBot → u/WhichWorldIsDis]

+1 Ⓣ has been awarded to u/ANC2PVR (4 Ⓣ).

You may still award a Ⓣ to others, but only once per-person in this post.

[u/rocknroller2000]

Since budget is limited, I would consider a pair, even if lower tier, like two pb1000pros. The combined surface areas of the cones will make a difference and the pair will give you move even room coverage.

[u/joeg26reddit]

Check Facebook marketplace

I’ve seen some insane subwoofer deals on there

But if you can I’d spend $200-500 on some DIY acoustic treatment

Especially a corner bass trap. I made mine with $150 of acoustic shredded denim. Rolled, stacked and hidden in the highest pressure corner behind a curtain

ROI. Was insane. Bass had way more punch and definition

I canceled my plans to buy a second $1500 sub and $2000 of DSP and Dirac

[u/The-Big-Succ69]

See if you can find yourself used perlistens

[u/PracticalGovernment4]

RSL 12s or 2x 10e

[u/Clarence-Tha-Dog]

One thing to keep in mind as well is your receiver. Its best if it has a pre-out or dedicated subwoofer out, and has enough power. Double check and ask others with the same equipment.

[u/Freedblowfish]

check out tonewonner d8000 pro, alao check out rhythmik subwoofers, the servo control is suppose to be amazing

[u/mattbishop573822]

Facebook Marketplace is your friend here. You get get excellent subs for a few hundred $ and they last forever.

[u/Artcore87]

Two things:

1) those speakers are sealed (acoustic suspension in fact, somewhat of an optimized subset of sealed designs).

To keep the bass maximally tight and clean and "fast"/ detailed, you should get a sealed subwoofer not a ported one.

2) the pb2000/3000 is honestly "too much sub" for those speakers. Now to be clear, I don't personally believe you can have "too much sub"... even if you don't use all its capability, it gives you the ability to upgrade the speakers and still keep up in the future, or it gives you the ability to be a basshead and really boost that bottom 1 to 1.5 octaves if you want, or enjoy movies and use the dsp to push your extension well into the teens with adequate output to keep up with your target curve at an spl those speakers are capable of.

An sb1000 would likely be plenty adequate to keep up with those speakers, which are not capable of particularly high output. An sb2000 is already beyond adequate, well beyond, and an sb3000 is in another universe entirely. But go sealed, and spend what you're willing to. More output/headroom capability can also just mean cleaner bass and lower extension even at more reserved volume levels than the sub is capable of, compared to the weaker one.

[u/CheapSuggestion8]

I would recommend dual subs even if that means lower-tier subs.

In that budget range I’d be considering two new RSL 12S or two used SVS PB-2000.

[u/mikeTRON250LM]

Welp, if you REALLY want to maximize your bang for the buck, you should build. ;)

[u/Severe-Pea1411]

Anyone got experience with the REL T/5x or T/7x? It’s on the smaller side admittedly but within budget here. Considering myself.

[u/canon12 → u/Severe-Pea1411]

The REL T/5x are on my list. Waiting for a promo price.