• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

subwoofer suggestions for two channel audio

GearHead454 said:
I see you have two 1200s. Very nice. I would not be comfortable stacking my speakers on subs except maybe the ADS L730s. Are you using your subs for music primarily or as combined HT and music? What is your music assessment of the 1200s?
Click to expand...

All my subs pull double duty, but my music always comes first so set up with that in mind.

I've been using subs for four decades, home and automotive. I've tried all kinds of setups, but for music integration with my current components I've found this to give the best sounstage. I'm very pleased with the outcome, the Heresy sound is preserved just BIGGER.

That said, the single servo unit I've had for 25yrs is the best sub I've ever heard. If you're interested in getting a sub that will keep you from A. either wanting to upgrade, or B. thinking what's all the hype about subs for then the Rythmik might be for you.
 
Last edited:
Well, I had been thinking to go cheap(er) first in case I don't like the subwoofer but that may be a self fulfilling prophecy, right? Go cheap and of course it won't be as good as it can be.

Are we talking about one sub being something in the $600 to $800 range to call it "great" or are we already over $1,000 to call it "great". I can spend some coin but tend to be cheap by nature and of my four pair of primary speakers only the Focals broke the $1k line. The rest were between $500 and $200 a pair. Just trying to keep sub expenditures in line with primaries.

Certainly, if adding a pair of Dayton subs really doesn't complement my primary speakers then I would rather forgo subs all together or spring for 1 good one.
 
GearHead454 said:
By this exactly what are you referring to?
Click to expand...

The setup in the picture of my earlier post.

I'm not you so it's hard to say what will satisfy your ears, but the dual 1200s are hard to beat, don't think you could go wrong here.

That said, if you've experienced what my other sub is capable of and expect the same results from the Daytons you would be disappointed.

The Rythmik sub I mentioned is around $800 if memory serves, but keep in mind I've never actually heard one. But the F12 seems to share many features and performance specs in line with my high end sub.

Martin
 
Ah, I see. Thanks for the explanation. I hadn't realized you were talking about both the pair of Daytons in the picture and the servo sub you bought in 1991. I appreciate your advice and I guess at the end of the day I have to make a decision. "Pay your money and take your chances" as they say. I am gathering from your last post that a single Rythmik F12 easily outperforms two Daytons.

It seems that if one were so fortunate as to be able to A:B these options that the sound quality difference would be obvious between two Daytons (at $296/pair) vs one Rythmik F12 (at $874).

Now I recall why I stalled on this same subject a year ago. I need to find a coin to flip so I can make a choice!

Thanks again.
 
GearHead454 said:
Ah, I see. Thanks for the explanation. I hadn't realized you were talking about both the pair of Daytons in the picture and the servo sub you bought in 1991. I appreciate your advice and I guess at the end of the day I have to make a decision. "Pay your money and take your chances" as they say. I am gathering from your last post that a single Rythmik F12 easily outperforms two Daytons.

It seems that if one were so fortunate as to be able to A:B these options that the sound quality difference would be obvious between two Daytons (at $296/pair) vs one Rythmik F12 (at $874).

Now I recall why I stalled on this same subject a year ago. I need to find a coin to flip so I can make a choice!

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Well, it's not as easy as that, I don't know what you're expecting out of a sub.

The home theater guy might like my dual Daytons better, two 12" bass drivers can put out more decibels than just one. But the servo sub will go lower, with less distortion, and is just more musical.

Martin
 
Musical is what I am after. No HT in fact this won't even be in a room with a monitor. Just old fashioned 2 channel music.
 
Nothing I've heard beats infinite baffle (IB) subs, which work equally well for music or HT. If you want really nice bass, a "main " IB sub and two or three high quality conventional subs (DIY Dayton 15"s maybe?) scattered about the room is the absolute best way to go. Turn the "helper" subs down a little relative to the main sub and you don't hear their box noise, but you do get the node smoothing effect and lower distortion of multiple subs.
 
If you have the room, the open baffles might be a good idea. AKer Poultrygeist has done a lot of threads on homebuilt H frame OBs.
 
I also agree that the older Polk PSW 404b and 505 are both a good performer, and mine cost me $50 at a pawn. Sure a
servo controlled would be better, but how much will you spend to go from 60hz to 30hz?
 
Freddymac2 said:
I also agree that the older Polk PSW 404b and 505 are both a good performer, and mine cost me $50 at a pawn. Sure a
servo controlled would be better, but how much will you spend to go from 60hz to 30hz?
Click to expand...

The sub I mentioned is rated down to 14hz and plays cleanly below that, and it's not all about how low or loud a sub will go, it's about how it sounds doing it.

This hobby is not always about how cheap we can be, sometimes yous just gots ta spends yous money's to gets to the next level.

Martin
 
Martin, I don't know just what source you are using, but a 14 hz note will not fit in most rooms and will just cause sonic problems in the room and rattle windows. I have a very simple system that will reproduce a sound stage you would not believe. I did have a fellow AKer over and he told me that he had never heard anything like it. I do not know what kind of professor you are, but maybe you should get out more.
 
It's easy enough, look at Rythmik Audio's website for yourself. The point is, if a speaker is flat to such depths it will be truer to the signal at the frequencies you can hear, and are on the source, the same reason many tweeters go far beyond the human ears ability, like the Infinity Emit's 45khz.

Say what you will, but once hearing a sub capable of these extremes with such low distortion it's quite impressive. Again, this is not about extreme decibels, it's about clean controlled musical bass.

I have both, actually to be correct, three differing setups currently in use. The bedroom system runs sans subs, the mancave a servo sub with mains running Emits so both extremes, and the main system with two 12" Dayton subs connected in stereo. So I'm kind of speaking from current listening experience.

Martin
 
Freddymac2 said:
Martin, I don't know just what source you are using, but a 14 hz note will not fit in most rooms and will just cause sonic problems in the room and rattle windows. I have a very simple system that will reproduce a sound stage you would not believe. I did have a fellow AKer over and he told me that he had never heard anything like it. I do not know what kind of professor you are, but maybe you should get out more.
Click to expand...

So, what do you have and how is it setup? Inquiring minds want to know.:D
I wonder exactly what the AKer meant.:eek:
 
Just to ad a bit more, the bedroom system is running mains with 12" bass drivers, so two 12". The main system is running mains with 12" bass drivers plus two 12" subs, so four 12" bass drivers.

The mancave, not so much. It has just the one 12" driver in the servo sub, and it easily outperforms the other two system whether for music or home theater in sound quality of the bass. But again, if looking for sheer output then of course more is always, well, more.

Martin
 
JoeESP9 said:
So, what do you have and how is it setup? Inquiring minds want to know.:D
I wonder exactly what the AKer meant.:eek:
Click to expand...

If asking about the sub rated to 14hz that would be the Rythmik Audio F12 I mentioned.

If asking about my current setup it's sub is a bit more conservatively rated as its specs were for the system as a whole to within 2db from 22hz - 45khz. To make this kind of rating, as most subs don't even mention a +/- anything I'm sure it's hitting well down into the teens also.

Again not really a fair fight, the sub cost me $2000 in 1991 dollars.

Martin
 
My system is an old pair of old DQ 10's that have been re-caped. They are in a 14' x 24' x 8' room on 2' stands with no tilt. They are 7' apart and about 27" from the back wall, turned in slightly. My main source is a Koetsu Rosewood Long Body
cartridge from the 1980's. The silly little 60 wpc Nakamichi SR 4a with it's MC section drives these speakers better than anything I have ever heard. I have removed the original Dahlquist sub and electronic crossover, and replaced it with the Polk 404b that is ten times better than the Dahlquist. It has a 200 wpc amp and a 24 db per octave crossover set at about 70 hz. It is only a 10" long throw woofer, but it gives me a tight detailed bass, on all kinds of music. I know you can all say,
man this guy is nuts, but until you actually hear exactly what the Nak can do with these speakers, you really can't judge. From a solo voice to the most complex piece it is astounding. Over the years I have had many good amps and preamps.
None of them even came close to what I have now. The only reason I bought the Nakamichi was that I wanted to remove the Dynavector DV6a SUT and go to an active MC section. The MC and phono section is absolutly dead quiet with 34 db of gain, and it really lets the best to come out of the Koetsu. Anyone in my area is welcome to come to my home.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom