Huge vs. Tiny Subwoofer | Why You Need A Subwoofer for Home Theater, Music

[@nickspeck]

I'd also encourage people to factor in the size of their room before purchasing a subwoofer. To *feel* the bass, you need it to pressurize the room. If you have an open concept floor plan, or a large open basement room, you really need to calculate the cubic feet of your area and then determine how big of a sub(s) that you need to properly pressurize it. Sure, it will still sound good, but to *feel* it is another experience altogether. Sub 20Hz bass is inaudible. That Monolith sub will hit into the teens easily, provided it isn't trying to pressurize a giant room. Just another aspect to factor in if you're thinking about taking the plunge into a dedicated theater room.

[@tivomonkey]

You make an interesting point, but I’m not sure I understand. "[Y]ou really need to calculate the cubic feet of your area.…" By "area" do you mean the room plus the area outside the room into which the room opens? If an open concept floor plan, that might include almost the entire house! If so, I don’t see how you could ever "properly pressurize it." And by "how big a sub you need," are you referring to power, speaker size, or what? Just wondering.…

[@nickspeck]

@@tivomonkey sorry for the slow reply. When I said 'area' I just mean the room you're listening in. Open concepts are basically impossible to pressurize. People will spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to get proper pressurization for a home theater. It's amazing if you see/feel it, but it's not worth chasing that rabbit. 90% or more of people wouldn't know the difference between boom/rattle/shake bass, and actual feel it in your chest hits so hard you can see/feel your clothes move bass. If you want the best way to get that feel without breaking your bank, and without pissing off your significant other, invest in a decent small amplifier, a couple of tactile transducers (bass shakers), a wireless module to transmit your signal (or a cable if at all possible), strap those suckers to your listening position (couch, chair, love seat) and you'll feel the rumble that you'd get with sub audible bass. It's much more cost effective. When properly tuned and powered, it will take you from watching a crash scene in a movie to making you feel like you're in the crash. Definitely worth a look if you're considering this type of theater set up. Bass shakers are definitely a one trick pony, though, so make sure you read up on where and how to make the most of them.

[@nickspeck]

@@tivomonkey I didn't answer all of your questions. Like Caleb talks about in his video, there's only so much you can do to circumvent the laws of physics. I hate the saying, and it will be dropped in any audio centric forum, but there really is no replacement for displacement. The larger your driver, the tuning of your enclosure, the size of your ports, the power of the amplifier, it all plays a part in what you need. There are formulas that will help you determine how big you need to go for your room. If you do a search on doing DIY subwoofers, you will get all the information to figure out what would work best for you, and those people will chase that rabbit to try and eek out an extra couple hertz from their systems. They absolutely know more about this than I do.

[@akyhne]

If you are having problems with your room, it's just a matter of using multiple subs. Downside is, they need to be calibrated. But it's something you can do yourself, with a microphone, a DSP and REW or REW + MSO. Both REW and MSO are free software. I would say that getting your chair to rumble, is a very niche market. I wouldn't want it, and I have 3 subs in my setup.

[@nickspeck]

@@akyhne yeah, that's true, too. Multiple subs, like Caleb also touches on in the video, can absolutely help smooth out your bass response in your room. Excellent point. On the bass shaker aspect of things I also agree that you have to know what you're getting into. If you listen to a lot of music with your system, you don't want bass shakers for sure. It would be an odd and strange sensation I think. For home theater, though, when tuned properly and set at the right crossover so they don't engage with mid-bass, I think they're quite game changing. Personal opinion for sure, though, and sound is definitely one of the most subjective things we experience.

[@pmizz7959]

I am a REL fanboy. I got a pair of S/510s for a 80/20 music/theatre setup and I absolutely love them. The speed and tightness of the bass integrates better for music IMO that your run of the mill home theatre sub. The finish on them is next level as well.

[@GeneA.69]

I have the HT 1205 and I love that sub!! REL ROCKS 🤘😁

[@sokolum]

REL is awesome, actually still own Q200 and Q400, I love their bass signature!

[@Birmingham_racing]

I have the ht1205 and brother has t9x

[@gurratell7326]

Probably the biggest reason why subs have a bad reputation is because they are hard to integrate properly. Most people just put them in a corner, set some arbitrary crossover and change the volume a bit, and maybe flip the phase switch a couple of times and then let it be. So it's not really uncommon that people create new nulls and peaks (other than the ones the room already created for the speakers) when they get a subwoofer which more often than not gives that "subwoofer sound". So no it's not just get a subwoofer and be happy, get it, make sure to integrate it properly and THEN be happy. And yeah, if you can get two (or more) smaller instead of one bigger that'd be even better :)

[@akyhne]

Spot on!

[@whysoundmatters]

Two subs placed incorrectly can cancel each other out.

[@rushgush]

i did that, and been enjoying my subs for years…. so your logic is wrong…..

[@gurratell7326]

@@rushgush Of course it can sound fine, but of you'd do it properly it would sound even better

[@stevenshelp1107]

Subwoofers were always one of the most exciting things about getting/making a new sound system. I started with a cheapo Logitech 5.1, after a year went to a klipsch pro media 2.1 and finally started to understand bass! Have come along way since then with a decent beginner entry setup home theater, 2 grand in LCR and surround speakers with 2 monolith 15s. The desire for bigger and better never ends! There's always more impact and deeper freq. Response to chase in subwoofers.

[@smelllvar1]

I bought two SVS PB3000 for my livingroom setup. First tested with one and it was great. Second day hooked up the other sub and it was waaaay better. So if you have a budget for subwoofer, buy preferably two smaller than one large.

[@billybobby7607]

Make sure you time align both subs, so they don't cancel the other one out. Plus make sure each one is equal in level

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Get them off the floor, preferably at different heights.

[@smelllvar1]

@@crazyprayingmantis5596 yep, I have the SVS isolation system feet on both subs.

[@hobblyjig]

I put 2 of those Monolith 16 inch subs in my living room last year and I have 0 regrets. They can make an action movie really come to life but also give fast finessed bass in any music. They can go to 11 which makes them amazing when only at a 2.

[@davehilling3944]

I have two of their 12s and am adding a 15 this week to replace a Polk 12. So yeah 3 subs two 12s and a 15 will work well for my large high ceiling room and for movies I love have that nice low freq response.

[@BloopsnBleeps]

I bought dual F18 inch Rythmik subs a year ago. My god, the greatest subs ever. These things are sealed and can get down to 10hz, but the control is insane. The footprint is also smaller than my old Klipsch ported 15s. They blend into any system seamlessly. Totally underrated company.

[@yojoono]

Rythmik makes amazing subs, I've got a sealed 15 inch and I haven't regretted buying it even though shipping outside the US was a bit pricey

[@Artcore103]

Wow I just checked out their website, nice product range! Really sick designs. I'd rather buy the components and DIY it cheaper, but for those looking for the normal retail experience, the value is most definitely there.

[@BloopsnBleeps]

@@Artcore103 What you'll be missing is their servo technology. Not sure if that's available as diy but look into it. Made me a believer

[@Artcore103]

@@BloopsnBleeps Oh no I'm fully aware that's the crux of their technology, the servo control is everything. But the website makes it appear as though they sell their servo control amplifier modules and drivers specifically designed to operate with said amplifiers separately. So while it wouldn't be as cheap a DIY project as one could find, it is cheaper than their pre-made units. I don't think they sell kits so you'd basically have to build a box, but you'd get the servo amp and from their literature it seems the servo control design is dependent on specific driver parameters so you'd need their driver too. Based on their own literature the box volume is less important precisely because of the servo-tech, and can be chosen based either on size considerations, or to optimize a certain roll-off frequency - in conjunction with the amp settings. Pricing was not given, so I guess I'm not 100% sure that you can buy these units for building, as opposed to these being replacement devices for customers. But if they won't sell them, other DIY servo options exist. I suspect a proper quality DIY version could save you 50% in cost.

[@BloopsnBleeps]

@@Artcore103 I wish you good luck my friend! Report back how it ends up

[@erhman2004]

I just recently purchased the SVS SB-3000. Just one because that is what will fit in my room and was the best match for my speakers. It was a massive improvement to the previous sub I had that was a DYI prject that left much to be desired. In any event, I highly reccoment the SVS subs. Having said that, the other brans mentioned here are nothing to sneeze at, so it is hard to pick a bad sub these days. This was a great introduction to the idea of what a sub is and why you need one. Hopefully you can get in to more detail about setting up a sub, connection options and things like that in the future. Again, great video. I never knew about "808" bass. So, I learned something new.

[@D.L.W.]

I recently purchased my second SB-3000. Trust me, you want two of these!!!

[@datdudeinred]

Wondering what was the box size, type, driver, amp used in your diy sub. Also if possible wall thickness & materials of enclosure? Because for me diy subs always outperformed all of my friends svs', rel's. The only thing that came close for music was rythmik & their insane servo amps & drivers tech.

[@MuhammadKharismawan]

got a Polk HTS10 to supplement the low end of my Kef LSX, its the biggest upgrade for it ever.

[@samcs06]

90s kid here. My first car was a wrecked 94 Ford escort lx wagon with over 150k miles. Car cost 500 USD used. My stereo system in the car was two 12s in a ported box with a 1500 watt amp. That wagon would hit hard pulling into school lol.

[@WhisxBeerus]

Surprised the HSU VTF-2 MK5 was not mentioned.

[@NickJansen87]

It's because it's not a mainstream subwoofer. He also said the SVS was the best subwoofer around which is not even close to real life. JTR and several others are steps above. PS. I'm not hating on Caleb at all.

[@victorvandyke9898]

Yeah I'm a basehead, i have a JL Audio Fathom 13 and enjoy it immensely. Nothing like big base hits watching a movie or playing your favorite songs!

[@samueleide]

I have two Velodyne Deep Blue 10 in my system. For 10" sealed subwoofers they go really deep (even below 20 hz) and are very precice once properly set up in the room! They integrate perfectly with my speakers, I love them.

[@Stuntzii1]

i have a velodyne i got on ebay for $60/ its litera;lly brand new

[@michaelchenault3774]

Went from a ported 12 inch Infinity to a SB16-Ultra a few years ago and love this thing! I agree that it's the best subwoofer overall, especially for a mixed use living room setup. This sub blends perfectly with my Revel Performa3 HT setup. Love the channel! Can't wait for CES 2023 coverage soon. Hope to hear about that 77 inch QD OLED.

[@InnovationStudiosLtd]

*It's the best "for you."

[@michaelchenault3774]

@@InnovationStudiosLtd well it’s in a living room and I didn’t want a massive sub dominating the room. If I had a dedicated media room I’d probably get a bigger ported sub.

[@CptaiNPogo]

Damn Rebel Performa3 and SB16-Ultra sounds like a fantastic set-up!

[@75Voodoochild]

2 Monoprice M12 v2 for me. Not the biggest subs on the planet but they rock my house big time. The house seems to breathe with the right tone.

[@styner3]

Quoting PE will get a 👍🏾 from me every time.

[@elisaac49]

totally agree with your choice, SVS is one of the best subwoofer at an affordable price. I have the 2 SVS subwoofer, the PB-1000 and the PB-16. PB-1000 is very already good but the PB-16 is on another level, it literally shakes/rattles my windows/walls/cabinets, I can even feel the vibration from my granite countertop. Great review, very informative for people who are interested with subwoofer.

[@1FastGXP]

SVS SB16-Ultra is what I'm using in my home theater with awesome results. Works well with any content that I've played through it. 👌

[@martinportelance5843]

I went from an 8" down firing Klipsch to the PB-1000 and now I can say I'm feeling that low, deep bass in movies. I love it. Game changer in terms of enjoying films. It's not the PB-3000 nor the 16 ultra, but it can still rattle my house to the point that I need to tell my in-laws who live on the other side of the firewall (brand new bigeneration) when I'm listening to loud music or watching a movie or else they wonder what's happening! True story. 😂

[@harmoncollege]

Scary Pockets on the TV screen! Great video. I have a pair of SVS PB-2000's in a big living room that is open to the kitchen. When my amp went out on one, SVS immediately sent me a new amp to swap in. Incredible customer services, and amazing subs.

[@jassamatharu6446]

I have got kicker twin 12" along with my yamaha 5.1 and it sounds amazing and shake the whole house. Subwoofer is a must !

[@WeLuv9x5]

Still rocking my ol’ school Velodyne FSR-18s and couldn’t be happier. Will soon upgrade (give the Velodyne’s to my son) with two new SVS PB17 Ultras

[@ben23a31]

Thank you for reviewing sub woofers and providing detailed common sense options 👍🏼

[@AgarPluto]

Picked up a monolith 10’ sub a couple months back definitely way more sub then is needed for most homes. going to pick up another down the road for a more full LFE experience.

[@akyhne]

Calibrate it with a DSP. That's the only right way, to get a decent sound out of it.

[@andrewle02]

Purchased a REL T9X. Life changing for stereo music using the high level output cable they give you. LFE can’t compete with high level

[@Professor5180]

I would love to know the name of the turntable stand Caleb is using? @5:40 and @6:16.

[@m7floyd]

I love my Martin Logan 12 inch, but as you mentioned, it doesn't sound even in my volted ceiling living room (with a Krell integrated amp and two Bowers and Wilkins 803). I have a HT ST-5000 Sony sound bar, which sounds amazing in my 12/14/12 bedroom just like you said. Thanks for the info.

[@Ghost-sz7uo]

i live in an apartment so i have to settle for the midwoofers in my soundbar. 😕

[@jangomango5849]

I love my 2 x Edifier T5 subwoofer paired with Edifier R1700 BTs bookshelf speakers

[@danieldougan269]

I have a Sony system, and the subwoofer is an essential part of it. It's somewhere in between those two sizes. It totally slaps even at a low setting. I can't even imagine what it would do dialed all the way up.

[@Youtubeuser1aa]

Distort

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Sony 🤣

[@DonniganREX]

Where can I find the TV stand you used in the video? (at 5:17)

[@jerzykjamroziak2701]

Caleb, getting a subwoofer (or two) is crucial, and I appreciate you emphasizing that in your video. I had an issue with my old subwoofer where the internal amp went bad. Instead of paying $1000 for a repair, I decided to invest in an SVS subwoofer after extensive research. I chose the SVS PC-4000, and the difference was like night and day. The improvement was so significant that I decided to add a second subwoofer, the SVS PB-2000, to balance the sound even more. I recently tested them while watching Monarch: Legacy of Monsters during a Godzilla scene, and the experience was exactly what I had always wanted-powerful movie sound with that deep rumble and immersive vibration. My excitement was briefly interrupted when my wife burst into the basement, clearly agitated. But when I went upstairs, I understood why: everything was vibrating! I'm grinning as I write this because it was a moment I'll never forget. Even at just 65% volume on the Marantz and +10dB on each SVS sub, controlled via a phone app, the impact was incredible. Whether it's for music, movies, or sports, a subwoofer is a must in my opinion. For reference, my setup includes a Marantz SR8015 driving Axiom QS4's and QS8's surround speakers, Axiom M80s for left and right channels, an SVS Prime Center, an SVS PC-4000, an SVS PB-2000 Pro subwoofer, and SVS Elevations for my Atmos setup. I found that 2 subs really did it for me, have fun fellow enthusiasts! Oh, and a big thank you for your review on the LG C1 OLED. It’s been over 2 years, and I'm loving my 77 inch. Thank you for all the hard work you do!

[@Travith1]

Years ago I had 2 18” Cerwin Vega subwoofers ( no mids or highs) in my Cutlass. I wore out my DJ Magic Mike tape annoying all my neighbors. Good times.

[@pfslik]

lol..similar.. I had two 18" EV subs in the trunk of my Z24 bolted directly to the back seat braces, being pushed by a 1k watt JBL amp. I did have Clarions in the back deck and doors for mids and highs tho. I wore out my Shaq Diesel tape. :)

[@jorgem50]

subwoofers in my car and subwoofers in my living room. It's a must! I listen to tons of hip hop and RnB plus I love the rumble produced in movies.

[@ken9295]

Caleb seeing this video made me think that you should tell/show us what you use for daily TV and audio at home.

[@1njustice]

Anyone know if the new Sennheiser Ambeo Sub rates well for owners of an Ambeo soundbar?

[@Birmingham_racing]

I've got Kef q950 and for music is more than enough bass but when it comes to movies a subwoofer takes it to a new level

[@joelsolo302]

Hahaha. I love this guy. "Eating oil for breakfast" haha. I grew up in the 80-90's and the beginning of this vid was great. Thanks. Btw who doesn't have a sub in there HT setup?

[@Aeonesius]

Seems like you should have touched on Power Draw from Power Outlets given the massive wattage pulling from most of these Subwoofers?

[@KirillChufarov]

I have SVS and Monolith for two different systems. Both are excellent. Take a look at Dirac Live Bass Control for music especially. Bass requires good tunning in every room.

[@Bluboy30]

I've been using SVS subs for my home theater the last few years and love them. Currently, I'm using two SVS subs but thinking of adding two more once I move to a bigger home.

[@Karto86]

Good luck with your setup!:)

[@vanquish421]

SVS and HMU are great

[@lawrence09151]

Monolith

[@lawrence09151]

@@vanquish421 HMU HMU HMU HMU HMU HMU

[@Bluboy30]

@@lawrence09151 REL

[@lucmaille7920]

I'm still using my 2 first gen paradigm servo 15s and a paradigm Pdr12 for mid bass. I get good performance but also very accurate bass for music. Especially with concert Blu rays.

[@agrippa1234]

sold/installed car audio back in the '80's while in grad school at the U of Oregon. Had one customer trailer in his Immobile '82 Chevy Citation, rusty and cobwebbed, to have a system, including a sub, installed. Had to test it with power at the store. When done, he smiled, paid for it and trailered it away.........over a grand back then for a car that wasn't worth that but he was happy

[@peterdesmidt8742]

My main speakers are Magnepan LRSs. I built two open baffle subs with Fi Audio 18" Infinite Baffle woofers. Yes, you give up output level with open baffles, but mine give plenty of output at 20hz. What you gain is speed, since the woofer is not fighting a "spring" behind it. I was worried that the big woofers would sound slower than the LRSs. They don't.

[@lawrence09151]

I have 2 x monolith 16 thx ultra and they’re awesome.

[@smilingeyes1938]

It's amazing what proper bass reinforcement can do for audio enjoyment, music or movie. I desperately wanted a sub until I was able to find a pair of BIC America RTR-EV15s on sale. Brutal old-school floorstanders with integrated 15" speakers. While they don't dig to sub-20 Hz like the better dedicated subs can, they drop below 30 Hz with ease and bass rolls off smoothly below 25-27 Hz. The net effect is bottom end which feels endless, effortless, and natural. Powered off my Yamaha A1080, these behemoths will easily have dishes rattling in the upstairs cupboards. From what I've experienced, a sub capable of outperforming them would be pushing at least a grand. Maybe more. Sure, I don't have the tunability a dedicated sub would provide, but with a few tweaks I have my system sounding far better than it's modest overall price would suggest. Are big floorstanders the answer for everyone? No. There is absolutely no way these giant black chunks of sound would ever pass spousal muster anywhere except our basement home theater setup. For aesthetic reasons, a dedicated sub would be more appropriate in other locations. I'd still love to have something like the big Monolith you reviewed. I've heard its M-15 sibling and it's unreal. I can only imagine what the 16 Ultra could do. Unfortunately I just can't justify it given the performance I already have.

[@johnnyrebellion8672]

I didn't know why I didn't like bass until you mentioned those rolling bass machines that would rattle your fillings at stoplights. Now I know why. Just bought a KEF KC62 as my first bass and am pleasantly surprised by how "nice" the bass is.

[@xanderguldie]

As an audiophile, I basically knew all this stuff, but this must be one of the best, clnpleten and concise videos on this topic I've seen so far.

[@khennigs]

c l n p l e t e n

[@Snskch3]

@@khennigs hahaha my thought exactly

[@humanitysonlyhope]

I used to own a pair or REL S12 SHO's which were awesome. REL subs are just the best for movies and music. I bought the pair used at a hifi store for $2000 even though they lookd and sounded like new except they were missin the grills (which I would have never used anyway) I sold them to pay for a family vacation for $3500 a year later and still miss them.

[@birdman5589]

Right now I don't have a dedicated sub but have a setup wired to support a two sub setup. When I did my recent setup I moved my sub budget to git a bigger TV and nicer receiver. By front towers have 10" powered subs and bass radiators built in. It is good enough for now but it definitely has so dead spots with the room it is in. I hope to have two 12" decided subs by the end of next year to round out my system.

[@madcrabber1113]

Good luck with the Def Techs amps, don't push them too hard if you want them to last more than 1 or 2 years. When you add stand alone subs if you buy decent ones and position etc. correctly it will be a night and day difference to what you have.

[@birdman5589]

@@madcrabber1113 Yeah. They were only ever meant to be a temporary solution so I am not driving them too hard. I have them actually tuned down a little from the calibration. I haven't decided on the subs I will be getting yet but that is when I will really focus on tuning my bass. I don't have a lot of positioning options but should have enough room to play to get much better bass uniformity.

[@mocheen4837]

I just picked up the CS 9080 center with built in powered sub.

[@Squiggly667]

Go big. Two full Marty style cabs ported at 17Hz with 18" Dayton UM's, NX6000 4400W RMS stereo amp @ 4Ohm, and MiniDSP 2x4HD for EQ/phase/high pass. They fill out for the Klipsch 7 channel system which is all bookshelf speakers and one center channel. While the AVR handles virtual 4 channel Atmos with the 7 channel speakers. I can easily push past the THX specs for reference level bass in movies, giving me plenty of headroom when I really want to play it loud. Also gives me very clean response when I run them at lower listening levels, which is most of the time.

[@francispachecoiii4189]

Hey caleb, fortunately i came across this past June of a definitive technology reference sub Brand New from ebay. LOL. This thing is incredible. 1800 watt amp. Weighing in at 105 lb. And I bought it for only $500

[@Ethan_Robbins_]

Random Question, what is the media console / credenza that you guys have there??

[@AlaaDK]

Thank you for the dead spot explanations. I get no bass when standing in the middle of the room, while on the couches it shakes so much. I couldn't figure out at all why

[@Woody21369]

So True!!!!!! 1992 Ford Escort GT hatchback running four 10 inch Bazzooka tubes..... AAAHHHH the good old days.....LOL

[@SashaMalyutin]

Если дополнять Ваше великолепное повествование тестом с бинауральным микрофоном для каждого объекта,то Ваш контент будет уникальным и более ценным👍🏻

[@swhmetta]

You are a natural at these presentations. Great job. Very informative. Thank you!

[@Mr.Robert1]

When you realize you overpaid for your teeny crappy speakers. You come to the realization that now you have to spend more money on a subwoofer. I learned my lesson years ago that's why I buy Towers only. They have plenty of base without the need for a subwoofer. Thank you very much !

[@ulfasplund3514]

Where do you get good help on finding the best speakers for your "room"? In my case my "room" is a hallway, with short distance between the huge screen TV and couch and then two open sides...

[@ryanbaker7404]

Mom and dad had a Datsun B210 when we were kids. The floor pans were rusted through, and my cousin and I would peel back the floor mats and drop little rocks from the driveway onto the asphalt as dad was driving, LOL. A sub in that car would have shaken apart the little bit of metal that the rust was holding together! I know what you mean about the amp/sub being worth more than the car itself. I went to high school with a guy who had the perfect hiding place for 5 grand worth of gear: a cream colored 80s model Ford LTD.

[@issaciams]

Man I'm just rolling with an old Polk Audio 100w sub and that's good enough for me. It's not very good but for my small 11'x12' room it's fine.

[@masterofnaan]

I have two SVS PB-1000’s (10” driver, 300w RMS). Bought both used a few years ago for $550 total. Strong, even, clean, beautiful bass in my home every single day; They’re freakin workhorses.

[@richabell390]

I'm still in love with my REL Storm 3 even after all these years.

[@TerryCampbell-lb6nk]

what would be better 2 or 4 SVS 3000 vs 1 SVS ultra SB16 and maybe two down the road ? my room is 19' x 20' with a 18' ceiling

[@natetete1379]

I've been on the 8 inch sub game my whole life. Good for most home listening and car boxes. Outdoors stuff bigger at same quality is always better.

[@jjchmiel78]

Best subwoofer I have ever owned I still use. I have the Power Sound Audio S3000i Dual 15" drivers in a box about the size of the Monolith mentioned here in a design configuration like the SVS Micro mentioned here. 1920 watts with 4300 watt peaks. I have two of these plus it's older brother the XS-30se in my room. With the Transient Demo off the DTSX demo disc you can feel the air pressure change in the room before you hear the thunder. And then later with quick lightning strikes you can feel the claps of thunder as pops in the chest. A good subwoofer setup brings you into the scene.

[@mikee2923]

PSA subs are excellent. I have 2 of their V-1500 subs up front at 1/4 and 3/4 wall in my man cave flanked by my front speakers JBL L7s that each have a side firing 12” sub in each. The room was originally a single car garage. You can actually feel vibration in the concrete floor. And it doesn’t even have to be turned up all that loud. Usually -15 to -10 depending on the movie.

[@flickboogers9325]

I have a SVS PC 13 Ultra. Some of you may not know this but it's a cylinder shaped subwoofer. Sits in the corner and people always wonder what it is and I just tell him let me turn it on for you and then I watch their jaw drop. Still pounds after many years of use.

[@skasol1]

Have an old definitive technology supercube1. What’s a good sub to replace my old definitive tech.

[@maumentum]

Couldn’t imagine my Sonos setup without that sub 😄

[@briancampbell7712]

i'm tired of the rel T7X's i sold...they're to tight and no bass extension...rel tech told me to get the Rel S510 ? or is JL E series better?

[@snowingsniper]

Big subs or nothing for me,there is nothing like having a big sub or subs in your home theater,I could never go back

[@vanquish421]

Paradigm in my home theater, Sundown Audio is my trunk. I love bass.

[@JP.D]

Love subs and my current favorite and best I've ever owned is the Klipsch R12SW. I have one of these in my home office completely tucked away behind my U desk connected to my Klipsch R41PM and wow what an experience. When I want casual music or pc audio turn it up fine crystal clear sound but when I want to Feel the BOOM. I turn up the sub power on my R41PM remote and Unbelievable Amazing Thing Happen! Shockingly these small R41PMs have no problem keeping up and filling the room with clear mids and highs. But to the point YES get a subwoofer. I always recommend Klipsch but there are many great brands. My main theater setup is a 5.2.2. all Klipsch and the two subs are the R10SW which were purchased in 2016 and still rock like new. Klipsch is a great product and like those other big brands. Your get what you pay for and the longevity comes along with that initial investment. So Yup Get A Sub And Enjoy Your Movies And Music Like You Never Have Before In Your Home! (if you've never had a sub before of course) 🍻

[@virgil3241]

Cheap way was the old Bazooka Tubes for base. What surprised me when my son needed a new head unit, they still sell them in car audio stores

[@mocheen4837]

I just installed double din head units with Apple CarPlay in both of my kids cars. Now the have backup cameras, Bluetooth, navigation, dash cameras, video, had radio and phone integration. This is all Siri controlled.

[@simonmaduxx6777]

I have a super classic velodyne cht 12 inch woofer box. This thing weighs maybe 150 lb or so. It was bought from j&R music World.. yes that historic place from consumer electronic history in New York. But I've always had it tied to a fairly lowly yet lovely receiver, a pioneer vsx 812 cira 2008ish. Never really did have the patience to replace the receiver until the last few years when it was obvious that the sound stage had deteriorated. I have front +center polk twin woofer bookshelves and dipole polks as rears. 5.1. I am aiming to move overseas and not sure what's going to happen with this beast of a unit. I remember the damn near one year of research just to get this system together and I was a huge consumer electronics guy and it was still very tough to fit a decent budget together.

[@mocheen4837]

Velodynes are awesome!

[@simonmaduxx6777]

Yeah the base on this thing rolls so heavy that neighbors will definitely hate you. I dream of one day having my own home that's not attached... Let me roll that bass damn it LOL

[@dans550]

I have a 15" sub ksw15 up front and an 8" sub in the near field behind me, it's killer

[@augustya7543]

which is the Tiny SVS subwoofer shown in this video ?

[@lauriperamaki5354]

I still have my tiny 8¨ Jamo and also SVS SB 4000. The old tiny jamo s still great even though it's over 30 years old. My SVS is huge over kill for my apartment, but I love it.

[@YourLocalFireAlarmTech]

Best home sub Ive ever owned I actually still have. It's a 12 inch pinnacle "AC Sub 125" and the whole surround sound is from 2008. Still sounds great though for how old it is! The bass can always be well tuned for different applications. Very deep, boomy and punchy for music. It does everything I need it to lol

[@sunshinecycling]

Caleb, to help people understand why one might want a subwoofer who may not understand, or feel is just for rap music, I would show them some graphs of typical home speakers showing the roll off. The point for most people is to fill the low end, and most speakers either can't get that low, or have a ton of distortion trying to get low. I am a bigger fan of larger subs, driven less hard, that actuate in/out less compared to a smaller sub that is driven hard and has to move the driver a ton to move the same amount of air.

[@Artcore103]

All else being equal, a larger driver using less excursion will be more accurate / have less distortion by definition (to a point - the desired SPL needs to be considered). Bigger is always better... again, all things being equal. That part is key, because people often falsely equivocate big with older or lower quality gear. The logic is simple, it's just math. If a driver has to reproduce 50 cycles, and is moving 10mm to achieve a given SPL, but another driver is moving 1mm to produce the same SPL, then the driver moving 1mm is actually moving at only 1/10th the SPEED, because less distance needs to be travelled in the same period of time. Slower absolute piston speed is directly correlated to signal tracking accuracy. So while the driver itself is moving "slower", the bass will seem MUCH "faster" - because that driver can stop, start, and change along with the input signal much more rapidly and accurately. This is unfortunately why every dumb "hifi" enthusiast with more money than brains is thrilled about their latest 6" or 6.5" bookshelf speakers that maybe can even reach down to 40hz at only -3db... that's usable for music right?! Well, sure, maybe... but when that cone is moving 10mm for the bass fundamentals, it sure as heck isn't accurately reproducing anything higher than that in it's coverage anymore. This is why 12" and 15" pro drivers are best as mid-woofer duty speakers. This is also why horns and waveguides are superior - because the same principle of less movement = more accuracy applies to mids and tweeters as well, even though the distances covered are smaller. For a given spl, a compression driver behind a well designed horn may only have to move 1/10th the distance, and at 1khz or 10khz that's still a lot of diaphragm speed even if we're talking .1mm travel. Waveguides typically don't have quite the same efficiency gains but it's still significant enough to make a big difference. People think they don't like horns... they only don't like BAD horns... either cheap horns, old horns, or PA horns that aren't made for hifi. A round horn with the right expansion curve and good construction will have zero negative effect on the sound, and they make ULTRA hi-fi fancy and expensive compression drivers if you're into that. Oblate spheroids, controlled directivity, tractrix... there's many good horn designs today. As well as good old waveguides. I would never even consider a flush mounted tweeter design. Now THAT'S old school.

[@gabrielv.4358]

@@Artcore103 Small subs with huge excursion are more fun to watch

[@Artcore103]

@@gabrielv.4358 big subs with big excursion are even more fun to watch!

[@SFBenjaminK]

his right back in late 80s & 90s was all about BIG ass boom bass box back in trunk & loud music mids & highs superior speakers & amps piled up in back ..just glass shattering, i was one of them back in my Pontiac Fiero with BIG spoiler in back & in my Acura integara ...ahhh good ole days teenager & in 20s youth years was

[@lebohang8405]

I've owned a 12 inch Magnat active sub since 2001 and still use it. I have isolated it from the floor. No longer shaking windows

[@RennieAsh]

So if I have 2x 13" woofers per side , I need a KC62?

[@wesfishcare]

Started with HTiB subs (mainly Onkyo), then moved to a Klipsch R-120SW (huge upgrade over Onkyo), now I've graduated to an SVS PB-1000 Pro. I absolutely love it!

[@PetervanderKruys]

I now have n Arendal 1723 subwoofer 3, and unfortunately it is borderline too big for my room. But it does work!

[@Sh4rkeBotxD]

Got a Gallo acoustics and monolith 10 inch and they have made my tv watching amazing. COD explosions sound amazing.

[@walterverbeeck6929]

I still have a Yamaha active sub with double cone woofer of 800 Watts, it still rocks everything that's loose, and that thing is 20 years old!

[@KickDrumKid23]

I have a Polk 5.1 setup with S60's mains and a HTS10 sub. Considering upgrading the HTS10. What do you recommend...?

[@johndineen80]

I own the SuperSub X - Subwoofer from Golden Ear and absolutely love it. Hopefully will add a second one in the near future. Highly recommend Golden Ear.

[@Stan_the_Belgian]

I started with a 10" horn loaded, bought a 12", 15" and now have an 18" and building dual 12" with PR. I have to say, bigger is just better, more is better, and small subs don't add enough to good speakers to be worth the hassle. Horn loaded is cool (I have a Tuba HT in my home gym) but they are SO BIG. Now I prefer to put multiple sealed subs, it eats more power but power got cheaper, and it's much easier to build. I moved from active to passive subs, really like the flexibility. Now everybody is going to 24" so maybe once I can convince my wife in a few years...

[@thunderchild888ak]

The best subwoofer setup I had was a Polk Audio PSW112 along with a JBL 18 inch PA sub. I used the JBL behind the couch and the Polk sub at the front. I had the JBL on running thru a variable crossover so that it was only doing the super low stuff. The intro to Independence Day.... 👌👌👌

[@ariyantoanto7609]

I have a Pioneer subwoofer, it has a crossover setting of 200hz to 50hz, what difference do I get from that setting?

[@Snskch3]

My svs pb16 ultra looks tiny compared to my JTR captivator 4000 ported. So I ask the question why do you need a home theater to go with your subs?

[@denisbarry9436]

Adding a JL Audio E112 changed my life. Wifey loves it too

[@morrischoo9717]

Just bought 2 Logan 15 dynamos to go with the Rcf935s in a high end giging Karaoke setup. Use a mf v90 dac and a heath board. And e965 condenser mic. The hme system is a Golden tube se 40 driving high end modded klipsh chorus 2 with a logan abyss. Its about intermediate level home studio grade. Logans are accurate . The paradigm and B&W are for select with other mains smaller. Even klipsh heresy for mains also. Vocals and quality subs are the key to the systems.

[@bilguana11]

SVS says that the Micro adds 0.25 ms delay. The TBI Direct Port Modulation subs are the most musical.

[@ricksmith7659]

That delay comes from hooking it up to their wireless Bluetooth otherwise there's no delay.

[@robertearlreynolds7064]

DIY Dayton Ultimax 18 in 150L sealed box with Crown XLS 1502 Class D amp. Real 1550W Bridge Mono (requires it's own breaker). Musical and tight due to sealed design. But HUGE boom boom when needed due to size of driver, extension and massive power amp.

[@robflynn7905]

I had dual Exodus Audio Tempest X 15" drivers each in a 200l sealed cab driven by a Behringer ep4000. Big sealed subs are the goods.

[@robertearlreynolds7064]

@@robflynn7905 is that the same as the adire audio tempest 15? That was my last driver before the Ultimax.

[@robflynn7905]

@@robertearlreynolds7064 pretty sure they are related somehow, though not 100%.

[@leeleew7524]

I have had SVS and Rythmik and they were great subs but I wanted multiples so I went the diy route and did four full Marty subs with 18's and four 2x2 sealed cubes with 18's, they are pretty awesome!

[@Ineedtotakeabreak]

And pretty ridiculous.

[@leeleew7524]

@@Ineedtotakeabreak haha yeah pretty much!

[@jschoenzy9416]

Just to add, a lot of people design and build their own. If you have access to a shop it can be a fun hobby. Learn about design, choose an amp, choose a driver then build a box. Not for everyone but an option worth considering.

[@MakeMaksa]

Is that Monolith 16 inch monster better than my PB16 ultra? 🤔 Should I change my current one to that?