|   Need help choosing powerful sub | Sam
Mar 8, 2001 7:46 PM | | Hey guys, figure there are plenty of experts out there. My dad wants me to pick out a new sub for his home theater that will play loud and deep for movies and for music. I first jumped and told him to go with an HSU after hearing a friend's VTF-2. I can only imagine what the TN series must sound like, especially for the money! But anyways, what about others...? I was considering the between the following
HSU TN 1220 or TN1225
Velodyne HGS 18 or HGS 15
Paradigm Servo 15
B & W???
One of the good things i hear about the HSU's is that they can be a better choice since they have a smaller driver and can be used for both music and movies....??
Other equipment being used with it:
Denon AVR 4800
Fronts: B & W CDM-7NT
Rears: B & W CDM 1NT
Front Center and Rear Center: 2 CDM C NTs
Any suggestions would help... Thanks!
Sam |
| Try SVS dual 20-39's with Samson Amp | Tyson
Mar 8, 2001 8:27 PM | | These guys are the absolute leader in subs for this price range - the dual 20-39CS subs with the Samson S700 amp combo deal is a measely $1244 & it will pretty much embarass the subs you listed (except the HGS 18) in 1st octave output, check the reviews here at this site, and also head over to www.hometheaterforum.com for a lot of VERY satisfied owner reviews from a bunch of Home Theater fanatics. I have a single 20-39 and a Parasound monoblock powering it (much less power than the Samson amp), and believe me, it will rock an HT room like nothing else. I also like the fact that it very tight, fast, low distortion bass that has a linear response over its entire operating range, and stays linear all they way to its output limits (ie, no "lumpy bass", no matter how loud or soft you listen to it). www.svsubwoofers.com - the best value in subs that I have found anywhere. |
| Try SVS dual 20-39's with Samson Amp | KeithR
Mar 9, 2001 6:52 AM | | Do you recommend the cylinders with Samson amp, or the powered cylinders....any advantage of having one or the other? |
| FAQ | Bryan
Mar 9, 2001 7:09 AM | | Which type SV Subwoofer should I get, a Powered Cylinder (PC) or Cylinder Series (CS)?
There is really nothing better about one type SVS than the other, but they are decidedly different purchases, and tend to work best for different types of customers.
First, whats not different? Both subwoofer lines are built with the same drivers, enclosures etc., and both lines come with the same care and tuning of their bass acoustics. Both perform virtually the same when supplied with equal levels of power. They are the same size (that is, an SVS 25-31PC is the same size as an SVS 25-31CS). Unless you are looking at the back of one of these subs, they are identical in appearance.
So what makes them different?
The PC line includes a very high quality amplifier built into the enclosure, while the CS line requires an off-board amplifier, either one SVS sells, or one you might already have (your A/V surround sound receiver almost certainly does NOT have an amp for your sub, it only provides a bass signal). The CS line does allow you to add higher power than that provided by the internal PC amps (the latter good for just a tick under 200 watts RMS), though anything more than roughly 300 watts is really overkill with even the CS subwoofers. Both models are highly efficient and achieve fantastically deep and flat (or linear) bass without power-robbing equalization. This means that at their limits, with a maximum of power running to them, a CS subwoofer will be capable of a few more decibels (dBs) of sound pressure level than a PC sub running at full throttle (which is far higher than most folks will ever use!).
Configuring a PC sub is marginally easier than a CS setup, but neither is at all difficult. In the case of an SVS PC, you simply run a shielded subwoofer signal cable from your home theater receiver/processor to the back of the sub. Multiple subs can be run by using a commonly available Y-Cable to split the subwoofer output of your receiver. (The sub needs to be plugged into A/C power of course!).
With a CS subwoofer system (one or multiple subs) you run the same sort of bass/Low Frequency Effects signal cable to a stand-alone amplifier. No special amp is needed to power CS subs though. Nearly any good quality amp capable of supplying at least 100 watts into a 4 ohm load (nearly all commercial gear can do this) will do nicely. Even old high-power stereo receivers will work well. From the CSs amp (whatever you use) you run simple high quality speaker wire to the subs terminals. Calibration of both PC and CS subs works about the same, using a combination of subwoofer level control on your HT receiver/processor and the volume controls on the PC amp (and CS amp, if present).
One point worth noting, the PC lines internal amps come with a variety of useful features such as phase control, volume control, selectable bass boost, adjustable crossover, auto-on, and both high level and low level inputs and outputs. Most of these features are not present on stand-alone amps, but then again, most of these features are all but unnecessary with the controls and flexibility provided in most modern Dolby Digital/DTS surround sound processors. In other words, they are features most users, and nearly all purists can do without. Adding most of these features is easy with inclusion of an additional equalizer, something many enthusiasts would do to tweak their systems anyway. Anyone using a two-channel only stereo system will likely need the inputs and frequency management of the PC line, unless they are using off-board crossovers.
So if you want an all-in-one package, which provides roof-rattling power, and all the "bells and whistles" you could want from a subwoofer, then the PC line is perhaps your best choice. If you are comfortable with a separates approach to building your HT, and have the room in your collection of equipment for an amplifier dedicated to driving |
| re: Need help choosing powerful sub | Kyle
Mar 8, 2001 11:21 PM | | I think you should seriously consider the Velodyne HGS-15. That sub is extremely powerful, how can you go wrong with 3000Watts of power on a 15in woofer, providing ruler flat response down to 15hz? I say the HGS-15, over the HGS-18, since it seems like you enjoy music, but do watch movies. The HGS-15 will give you power that is out of your mind. even in the largest of theater rooms, this sub will rock your world, you want fun, this is it. |
| re: Need help choosing powerful sub | Bryan
Mar 9, 2001 6:31 AM | | I do concur with Tyson. I have the 20-39CS and Samson amp combo. They are wonderful together. Now I'm waiting on the second 20-39 to arrive but everyone who has the dual or single subs has loved them. They are the best value out there now. Tom and Ron have customer service that is second to none. If there is a single thing wrong with the sub, let them know about it. They will try and make things right as fast as they can. They also post on HTF alot too. Unless your father listens to alot of pipe organ music, 20Hz will the the lowest you need to go. The good news is you can get the 20-39s retuned to 18Hz at no additional cost. The package is $1,244 delivered. One word of advice. If you order it, make sure your father has someone there to help unpack the subs. They are packed like tanks. I think one guy at HTF has the record for unpacking the sub (10 minutes). |
| HGS, HGS, HGS... | agro1
Mar 9, 2001 6:57 AM | | Velodyne - Don't waste your time w/anything else. The HGS-18 is an absolute brute - nothing compares to it, w/music or HT. The 15 is nothing to sneeze at either. W/a 1250 watt amp, the HGS series is one of the most powerful subs out there, peak power is 3000 watts. They rock harder than any sub, period. |
| re: Need help choosing powerful sub | NewEars
Mar 9, 2001 10:49 AM | | I have a pair of the SVS 25-31CS with outboard 300wpc amp. In a movie like the Haunting they would probably vibrate my couch off of the floor if I turned them up to max. They also sound execllent for music to my NewEars. I definately think your pops would have an ear to ear grin. I can't say that they are better than the others mentioned here because I haven't heard them. I can vouch for the excellent customer service from SVS. |
| also.. | NewEars
Mar 9, 2001 11:05 AM | | The SVS subs have very flat response, however the sound in your room may not be flat. I also have the ART 351 equalizer which I highly reccommend. (actually I am getting a AudioControl Rialto 7 channel HT equalizer so I wont be needing the ART any more if you are interested in a good deal on it) I was able to reduce a hump in my in-room response at around 50hz that was giving me some boominess. It is ony about $175 from SVS. Some others use the Berringer (sp?) Feedback Destroyer for this. You should definately check out the Hometheaterforum site if you are at all interested in the SVS. |
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