Subwoofer Recommendations

[Asere]

Hey guys this is an old thread I know but recently I've taken interest in adding a sub to my 2ch vinyl listening with my Magnepan LRS speakers. I've been looking at Rythmik L12, SVS SP 2000 or HSU ULS 15. I don't play loud.
Any suggestions?

 

[Sonnie]

Hi Ariel... if you don't play it loud, I would highly recommend SVS simply because the 2000 is a superb sub for music (I tested one for SVS when I worked with them), and their customer service is the absolute best in the business. That is not to say that other manufacturers are not good; just that SVS goes the extra mile for every customer.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Hard to go wrong with SVS. I reviewed the ULS 15... it's a nice sub as well, but I like the cabinets SVS uses.

In that 800-1000 price range, you could also consider the Monolith M-12 V2. It's ported, but you run it sealed. Monolith's output is no joke, and I believe it will give you even more depth and power for the $$.

 

[Asere]

I own the SVS Prime towers and center and surrounds and can't deny they are an amazing company with their customer service that makes excellent stuff. The sb2000 was my first option because of the nice piano finish and phone app usage but it became hard to chose because the ULS is musical and Rythmik has Direct Server. The Monolith looks like a bargain too. I can use sealed for music and ported if I decide on using it for home theater. I will eventually figure it out lol. After all it is only for my vinyl listening at low-moderate levels.

 

[Sonnie]

They will all be musical at lower volumes and likely hard to differentiate between. Only if you got up into the reference level area (considerably loud) would you start noticing a difference, and then I'd probably lean towards the Rythmik simply because it has more control with the servo technology.

 

[Asere]

The svs 3000 micro looks small and nice but I am not sure how much punch it has even at lower levels.

 

[Sonnie]

I heard it at the Florida Expo back in February and was quite impressed, although it was in a very small hotel room.

 

[Todd Anderson]

The svs 3000 micro looks small and nice but I am not sure how much punch it has even at lower levels.

I reviewed it.

It’s good for small rooms and filling out the low-end on something like wireless bookshelf speakers. But if you’re really to drive some hard charging music, I’d go with a traditional large cabinet.

If you’re mainly going music, I’d be inclined to say just go sealed, unless your room is crazy big

 

[Asere]

I also wonder if I use my duo dxd 12012 subs in the music room for 2ch and only use the PSA S3000i for home theater if the PSA will be enough for home theater without having to buy one for music. (currently the dxd duo and psa are used for home theater combined)

 

[JStewart]

I have an F12 and I had the original SB2000. I’m not sure how much benefit the Servo actually is because the room has a much greater effect. (For the record, I have 3 rythmik E15s in the “theater” room now for more output. The F12 is in a good size open floor plan room used for music and TV viewing. It does surprisingly well at loud enough volumes for what I use for.

Now with all that said, I’d go with the 2000 pro because you will have just one subwoofer and the ability to enter EQ filters in the app may prove quite useful.

You said you were using this for a 2 channel system so I’m assuming you don’t have another way to do this.

If it turns out not to have enough output for you, SVS will take it back within their return period.

 

[Sonnie]

Good point on the SVS return period. It certainly won't hurt to try it out.

 

[Asere]

I have an F12 and I had the original SB2000. I’m not sure how much benefit the Servo actually is because the room has a much greater effect. (For the record, I have 3 rythmik E15s in the “theater” room now for more output. The F12 is in a good size open floor plan room used for music and TV viewing. It does surprisingly well at loud enough volumes for what I use for.

Now with all that said, I’d go with the 2000 pro because you will have just one subwoofer and the ability to enter EQ filters in the app may prove quite useful.

You said you were using this for a 2 channel system so I’m assuming you don’t have another way to do this.

If it turns out not to have enough output for you, SVS will take it back within their return period.

Do you need software to measure/use the EQ filters on the 2000 or you can adjust to taste by ear? I rather do by ear since I do not have much time in my hands these days. Some subs like Rythmik and Hsu offer EQ but without the app.

 

[JStewart]

Do you need software to measure/use the EQ filters on the 2000 or you can adjust to taste by ear? I rather do by ear since I do not have much time in my hands these days. Some subs like Rythmik and Hsu offer EQ but without the app.

I would think EQ difficult to do by ear. Well, my ear anyway. REW and a USB mic are typically what’s used. It will also help with finding the best location if you have options. Typically there’s going to be a couple of strong peaks in the response and the music will sound better without them present.

It can be a bit time consuming, There’s plenty of folks here who will help if you have questions.

The Rythmik L12 and HSU ULS 15 have adjustments for low frequency extension which is useful if there‘s too much low bass build-up in a room (called room or cabin gain). And while the L12 has extension to 14Hz the output is limited. I keep mine at its middle setting (low-HT) for that reason. The SVS has adjustments for extension as well as 3 PEQ bands for equalization. PEQ allows you to target a specific frequency, the exact width of the adjustment (called Q) , and the exact volume adjustment (called Gain). This allows one to exactly offset a peak without affecting any adjacent frequencies you don’t want to. A pretty powerful and useful tool. The app also has presets so you can, for example, set the low frequency extension or crossover frequencies differently on two of them and switch between them while you’re in the listening position. Auditory memory is short and this will be much better than getting up, flipping a switch or turning a dial on the rear of the subwoofer and then sitting back down to listen and compare.

If the 2000 Pro is in your budget, and you like the piano finish which the others don’t have, it’s a good choice. You can use the EQ feature later when time permits or never.

Also, Rythmik return policy is 45 days and customer pays return shipping.
HSU is 30 days and customer pays return shipping.
SVS is 45 days and SVS pays the return shipping.
Of the 3 only SVS is a totally risk free trial.

 

[Sonnie]

If you can tune it by ear, you'll be the first person I've ever known to be able to do it. Yeah... probably some claim they can, but I'd love to have them try and then measure with REW behind them. Maybe they get dog licking lucky, but I doubt it.

 

[JStewart]

If you can tune it by ear, you'll be the first person I've ever known to be able to do it. Yeah... probably some claim they can, but I'd love to have them try and then measure with REW behind them. Maybe they get dog licking lucky, but I doubt it.

That’s true.

Not being sure of @Asere ’s depth of knowledge on the subject and fearing some of my comments may have unnecessarily complicated things, I’ll add EQ isn’t a necessity for enjoyment of a sub. If adding to a two channel system in the traditional way of using the sub’s XO to have the sub pick up where the mains leave off, it will be used below many troublesome modal peaks anyway. Placement along a wall 25% into the room will also reduce or cancel one of the two lowest frequency modal peaks.

 

[Asere]

When I said adjust ro taste by ear I didn't mean tune it by ear but more like whatever sounds best messing with the PEQ for fun if there is even a noticeable difference.
Lots of choices for sure and great advise here, leaning towards the sb 2000.

 

[Asere]

I almost went for the svs 2000 but after much thinking I decided to get a hold of Tom V from PSA and after all these years he found a Bstock s3000i in his warehouse that I can use with my current s3000i. I'm moving my duo kk dxd12012 subs for 2ch.

 

[Sonnie]

Wow... that great that you were able to find a matching sub... congrats on that find.

 

[Asere]

Thank you and yes that was a meant to be thing lol. It even has a two year warranty on it.

 

[Asere]

Question. I ran Audyssey and got a trim of -11 and -11.5 which is great. The spl meter read below 70 each sub. I went up on the trims and didn't reach 75 at a -4 and -6 trim. I then placed the trims back to 11 and 11.5 and raised the gains. One gain reads 80 at 12 o'clock and the other sub gain has to be maxed out to get same 80 spl.
Is it normal to have different gain settings with same sub brand/model? They are side by side.

 

[Sonnie]

That doesn't seem normal unless something has changed from when your original unit was built to the one you found was built. In all my years of owning multiple and like subs, they've output the same volume at the same settings. For example... all six of my SB16 subs set at -20dB all measured the same volume once they were frequency matched. Before Dirac, there might very well be some variance in output because of location in the room... one might have a peak at a certain frequency causing it to be higher, but get rid of the peaks and they were matched.

 

[Asere]

Yeah the drivers move, cables have been swapped. Interestingly when I used xt32 I didn't level match with the xt32 spl software but I set the volume with the xt32 volume sub 1 and sub 2 using gain and I got a really close gain for both just slightly off. I finished calibration and because it was too low I raised the gains with the meter but this time they are really off. 12 o'clock and maxed.
Maybe the amp is bad despite cone movements?

 

[Asere]

This is the latest on what I tried. I set both gains to 9 o'clock and from mlp changed the trims from -11.5 to -5 on the sub that required more gain to read 80db but left the other the same -11 as it already read 80db.
Is -5 OK to have and am I losing output even if the subs gain levels are set the same since technically I upped the trim on one?

 

[Sonnie]

If they are measuring the same at the MLP and you are not hearing any adverse noises at louder volumes you are fine.

 

[Asere]

The problem I just noticed the total spl combined is like 92db. I'd like like 80 or 85 combined.
Problem is while both gains are now the same at 9 o'clock, the once -11 trim
that is now set to -5 can be lowered to measure say 75db but I can't lower any further the other sub trim that's 11.