Stereo Subwoofer Recommendations?

BmWr75

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Any of you running stereo subs in your 2 channel system? If yes and you had $2000 to spend on a new pair of subs, what would you buy? Have been looking at Hsu ULS-15 MK2 and SVS SB-2000 subs.

My 2 channel system currently consists of a Mac Mini playing lossless files, Rogue Audio Perseus preamp, Vincent SP-331 amp and KEF LS50 speakers. The LS50s sound great, but need some reinforcement below 50 Hz.

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Personally, I would go with HSU .... because he makes really good subs but mostly because he is such a nice guy. You might give the Rhythmik Subs a look too.
 
Hsu Research is not as well known as others, but those who have owned/heard them are highly complementary towards them. His are "true" subs in that they dip down to really low frequencies, unlike some of the mass market so-called subwoofers that are IMHO nothing more than thump boxes. And I think Dr. Hsu's low marketing costs make the subs a true value--they are reasonably priced yet can stand up to subs that cost substantially more.

Martin Logan also has a respectable lineup of subs. There are some nice models from their past that represent a good bargain if you can find them. The reason I mention them is that they voice them to blend seamlessly with their other products (and primarily with panels, they don't want to cloud the clear midrange and upper bass with "murk"). I'm not certain if their Dynamo series is up to the task, but others I've seen (Depth, Descent, Grotto, etc.) do go quite low and should handle the bass cleanly. Some of their current subs offer wireless connection, so there are fewer wires dangling around the room.

I also agree on using two subs vs. one, but placed asymmetrically in the room so that standing waves (and null points) are reduced. I am headed that direction eventually, but with perhaps three or more smaller subs (think of it as a poor man's distributed bass array system--strategically placed, they can really even out the bass response throughout the room).
 
I would sell the Forte II and buy Forte III's if I could or look for a preowned pair of Chorus II. As you can tell I don't like subs and I own some. Time is the issue. If you are not willing to wait it will cost you a bunch of money. If you have time and patience, not so much. And seeing you have a lot of room you might find some Cornwall II that will shake your bones.
 
I am all for complete DIY subwoofers, $2000 will get you a long way with drivers, enclosure materials and high wattage class D amps

As far as pre built- I've heard vandersteen, REL, HSU subwoofers are excellent.

Speaker level inputs will help the ls50s blend with the subwoofers as well, which is a reason many like vandersteen and REL
 
Personally, I would go with HSU .... because he makes really good subs but mostly because he is such a nice guy.

No disrespect intended....but you had me until you said 'but mostly because he is such a nice guy'

Being the worlds greatest guy has nothing to do with how it might sound and should have zero consideration.
 
No disrespect intended....but you had me until you said 'but mostly because he is such a nice guy'

Being the worlds greatest guy has nothing to do with how it might sound and should have zero consideration.
Thanks for the feedback... I'll try to remember to only focus on the sound of equipment that I know and like from now on. In that regard, from my experience (and yes I own one in one of my systems) the HSU sub product is as good or better than any - in the "bang for the buck" category. I own 6 subs BTW, and I've used subs from most of the major company's at one time or another (the most expensive being the big Westlake 18" subs). The SVS subs are very good too. You really won't go wrong with either product. You might look at Rhythmik also. I don't own any of theirs, but there seem to be a LOT of satisfied Rhythmik sub owners here on AK and on some other audio related sites as well.
 
Whether or not a company owner is a really nice guy does come into play. Nobody wants to deal with a jerk, a know-it-all or someone who's dishonest. The "nice guy" personality comes into play should one have warranty issues or just want to return something at or outside the return window. If one is looking at subs from 2 companies, and the one company's rep treats you with impatience and the other doesn't, as long as both subs perform well, I know who most people would want to go with for a $2000 purchase.
 
I would agree--companies that look out for their customers gain a lot of favor with me. Larger corporations that never answer their email or telephone, or push you off to other departments, barely get a second glance from me. Hsu has flown under the radar for decades, yet he perseveres as other companies have come and gone. Vandersteen, too--what other company can you call, and actually end up talking to the owner himself? Oppo has always answered my emails, even for the smallest questions; my email to Pioneer (over the craptastic DV45A I owned) was never responded to, other than, "We'll pass this along to our engineers."
 
Wildcat:
+1 for HSU and Oppo. Also high regards for Schiit. REL subs are my preference in terms of performance. These companies make some great gear too.
Mike
 
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I just purchased the SVS PC-2000 to run with my Tekton Pendragons and am VERY satisfied. It's the PB-2000 in a cylinder, ported form. I am going to be purchasing a second one in the near future to balance everything out and give it some more headroom. But you can't go wrong with SVS. I have had a lot of experience with SVS subs for 10+ years and have never been disapointed. And although I have never heard a HSU sub personally, I have heard nothing but praise for them too. I probably would have gone with a HSU sub just to see what I though but placement and footprint was an issue, thats why I had to do a cylinder from SVS.
 
Hi all,

A first time poster here...Take it for what it's worth...

I have a pair of original Hsu ULF 15s that I got about 4 years ago to provide foundation for Magnaplaner 1.7s. The crossover is set for 40 Hz and I run the Maggies full frequency. They sit next to each other and I can never know for sure which "box" the sound is coming from. They provide the string bass and pipe organ with a nice amount of authority.

Put me in the camp of wanting to deal with nice folk, too. When setting this system up, I tried calling/emailing to get info on various components and found some either completely unresponsive or arrogant. The folks at Hsu were very helpful and got my business and my endorsement! (And I love the sound of my system!)

Just my $.02...
Jon Paschka
 
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I've owned or still own HSU, SVS, Vandersteen, ACI and now use Rythmik F-12's in the main system. They replaced the Vandersteen 2WQ's. The cabinet finish determines the final price with the Piano Gloss SE finish being the more expensive but still under $2 k. Brian and Enrique are good guys to deal with and will answer your questions by e-mail within hours. If you order them in pairs you get a 10% discount and can order direct or through Ascend Acoustics. You can also chose the driver.They ship from the plant in Texas regardless of who you order from. They can be run either line or speaker level. I tried both ways and prefered speaker level like I ran with the Vandersteens for over a decade. If you prefer a smaller driver look at the F-8's. Two 8 inchers per cabinet stacked. Whichever brand you decide on with the LS-50's buy sealed only.

Jack
 
Rythmic is just down the highway from me practically! Never heard of them. I am in my small listening room running 2 sealed SVS subs. Thinking about trying the acousticsciences (think that is the brand something like that) "stand" underneath them.
 
DIY MDF sealed box, non ported. Its better to use 2 or 4 non ported boxes, gives you lower SPL than ported, but better, flatter frequency response and less booming and box/port noise.
Lots of power, many use class-D amps. high damping factor is good, and MINIMUM 12 dB/octave LP filter, 24 is better. LP 60 Hz or lower, depends on your main speakers.
Personaly I like the old JBL 1500GTI (and1200) rather short throw and stiff cones.
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/284661/Jbl-1500gti.html
All IMHO
 
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My 2 channel system currently consists of a Mac Mini playing lossless files, Rogue Audio Perseus preamp, Vincent SP-331 amp and KEF LS50 speakers. The LS50s sound great, but need some reinforcement below 50 Hz.

I have LS50 and SP-331 and am looking for a preamp that will be a good match and will do bass management using a subwoofer. Do you use a subwoofer with this 2 channel setup?
 
For years I've used DR subs from SVS, Velodyne, Klipsch etc. They were nice subs and I respect them for they were.

What they were, actually......were inferior to horn loaded subs. I only do two-channel listening so I can't make the comparison as far as HT goes but as far as music goes....these subs are tight, accurate and punchy. No rumble. No lagging behind bass. They integrate perfect and DO NOT sound like their is a subwoofer in the system.

My only regret is that I didn't go this route sooner.
 
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