Need help with choosing a sub for new speakers

[RexAevum]

Hello everyone that might be listening,

I recently bought a pair of Vanatoo Transparent One, and I will have to say that the bass is amazing on them, it's clear and very pleasant, however when I play games or watch movies it is a bit lacking on the, for a lack of a better term, oompf, that really low ~30 that hits you in the chest. Since I recently got them, I will experiment on them for a while before making any drastic moves, yet I expect that I will want to get a sub.

 

Now that brings me to the question - which sub should I get? I have looked into a few, but sadly I do not really have the opportunity to try them out before buying one. So I turn to you for help, which sub would be good for me in the 150 - 300 dollar range. I will be using it for 40% music, 35% movies and 25% gaming (non-competitive), and my room is medium sized at 11W x 14L X 9H (in feet). I was mainly looking at 10" subs, since it's for a small to medium sized room, but will consider larger or smaller if it's a better deal or the sound is better.

 

I was looking into a few subs, but as I am not that well informed regarding the subject, I am having a hard time. I would like to keep the costs as low as possible, but I would rather pay more for better quality so if it is a bit more than my budget I will still consider it.

 

The ones I was considering are (all prices are in US dollars):

1) Sunfire Dynamic SDS-10 (refurbished) at around $340 

2) Velodyne Impact 10 (refurbished) at around $340

3) Dayton Audio Sub 1000 (new) at around $135

4) Dayton Audio Sub 1200 (new) at around $150

5) Martin Logan Dynamo 300 (new) at around $230 [i understand that they work well with the Vanatoo T1's]

 

 

All responses and recommendations are appreciated, I'm honestly stumbling in the dark here.

[SSL]

My preference would be for SVS SB-1000. Sealed 12", ought to play nicely with the T1s and digs below 30Hz, which is what separates a $500 sub from stuff in the $300 range. None of the subs you're considering go quite as low.

 

My next choice from your list is the Sunfire. It is also sealed and the dual-driver design is interesting to me. Finally, the Martin Logan, which is a well-regarded brand.

 

I'm giving preference to sealed subs (e.g. don't have a bass reflex port) since these are generally quicker and cleaner than budget ported subs, and thus better for music. The T1s are also sealed, so it would be a shame to pair them with a cheapo ported sub.

[RexAevum]

1 hour ago, SSL said:

My preference would be for SVS SB-1000. Sealed 12", ought to play nicely with the T1s and digs below 30Hz, which is what separates a $500 sub from stuff in the $300 range. None of the subs you're considering go quite as low.

 

My next choice from your list is the Sunfire. It is also sealed and the dual-driver design is interesting to me. Finally, the Martin Logan, which is a well-regarded brand.

 

I'm giving preference to sealed subs (e.g. don't have a bass reflex port) since these are generally quicker and cleaner than budget ported subs, and thus better for music. The T1s are also sealed, so it would be a shame to pair them with a cheapo ported sub.

 

 

Thank you for your answer, I really appreciate it.

Sorry to bother you with more questions;

you would go with these subs in the order of preference:

1) SVS SB-1000

2) Sunfire Dynamic SDS-10

3) Martin Logan 300

 

I did look at the SVS one but i don't know if I can afford to drop $500 on the sub, hence I was looking at something in the 200-300 range, making the sunfire a bit over expected budget but if it's is worth the sound upgrade I would, since a sub isn't something that you need to change often.

 

Let me ask relatively dumb questions:

A) Is it a good idea to get a sub refurbished/used? (how do subs handle "refurbishing")

B) Is the SVS superior to the Sunfire?

C)If I were to get something like the Martin Logan would I be missing out on much crisper and impactful lows compared to the SVS? (Is it a really noticeable upgrade)

[SSL]

1 minute ago, RexAevum said:

Thank you for your answer, I really appreciate it

So you would go with these subs in the order of preference:

1) SVS SB-1000

2) Sunfire Dynamic SDS-10

3) Martin Logan 300

 

I did look at the SVS one but i don't know if I can afford to drop $500 on the sub, hence I was looking at something in the 200-300 range, making the sunfire a bit over expected budget but if it's is worth the sound upgrade I would, since a sub isn't something that you need to change often.

 

Let me ask relatively dumb questions:

A) Is it a good idea to get a sub refurbished/used? (how do subs handle "refurbishing")

B) Is the SVS superior to the Sunfire?

C)If I were to get something like the Martin Logan would I be missing out on much crisper and impactful lows compared to the SVS? (Is it a really noticeable upgrade)

 

Like I said, the SVS extends quite a bit lower, while still employing a sealed design. You might actually find a ported sub to be more impactful, but at the expense of some boominess/slower decay. However, the ported PB-1000 is the same price as the SB-1000 and extends even lower, if that's your cup of tea.

 

Buying a used/refurbished speaker is fine if you do your due diligence as a buyer and purchase from a trusted source that won't leave you out in the cold if you have problems.

[RexAevum]

1 minute ago, SSL said:

 

Like I said, the SVS extends quite a bit lower, while still employing a sealed design. You might actually find a ported sub to be more impactful, but at the expense of some boominess/slower decay. However, the ported PB-1000 is the same price as the SB-1000 and extends even lower, if that's your cup of tea.

 

Buying a used/refurbished speaker is fine if you do your due diligence as a buyer and purchase from a trusted source that won't leave you out in the cold if you have problems.

 

Thank you for the reply again!!

I'll do some more research and see what I can afford.

 

[RexAevum]

On 3/18/2017 at 1:38 AM, SSL said:

 

Like I said, the SVS extends quite a bit lower, while still employing a sealed design. You might actually find a ported sub to be more impactful, but at the expense of some boominess/slower decay. However, the ported PB-1000 is the same price as the SB-1000 and extends even lower, if that's your cup of tea.

 

Buying a used/refurbished speaker is fine if you do your due diligence as a buyer and purchase from a trusted source that won't leave you out in the cold if you have problems.

 

Ok, I got a SVS SB-2000 since I'm crazy (thanks for the recommendation),

I am now faced with a dilemma, I have the Vanatoo T1s and my tv setup that I want to connect to the speaker at the same time (not play at the same time), what kind of switch or other devices can I use to make this work?

 

Also, do you think I'm nuts for getting the SB-2000?

[SSL]

48 minutes ago, RexAevum said:

Ok, I got a SVS SB-2000 since I'm crazy (thanks for the recommendation),

I am now faced with a dilemma, I have the Vanatoo T1s and my tv setup that I want to connect to the speaker at the same time (not play at the same time), what kind of switch or other devices can I use to make this work?

 

Also, do you think I'm nuts for getting the SB-2000?

 

Well, it's a good sub, but the SB-1000 might have been adequate, especially given the size of your room. The good news is that SVS has a generous return policy if you change your mind.

 

The T1s have multiple digital inputs, so you could use coax or optical for the TV and USB for the PC. You can also get cheapo optical switchers on amazon for $20 or so.

[RexAevum]

42 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

Well, it's a good sub, but the SB-1000 might have been adequate, especially given the size of your room. The good news is that SVS has a generous return policy if you change your mind.

 

The T1s have multiple digital inputs, so you could use coax or optical for the TV and USB for the PC. You can also get cheapo optical switchers on amazon for $20 or so.

 

My tv setup has B&W 683 towers with A/V receiver and the Vanatoos are on my pc, so I am looking for a rca switch just for the sub - any good one you can recommend or just get a generic switch from amazon. I was looking at them and I am worried that the switch is gonna degrade the audio quality (not sure how much that affects a sub)

 

And yeah, I was gonna see how it performs in my room, if it is too much I will return it and get the 1000 version.

[SSL]

59 minutes ago, RexAevum said:

My tv setup has B&W 683 towers with A/V receiver and the Vanatoos are on my pc, so I am looking for a rca switch just for the sub - any good one you can recommend or just get a generic switch from amazon. I was looking at them and I am worried that the switch is gonna degrade the audio quality (not sure how much that affects a sub)

 

And yeah, I was gonna see how it performs in my room, if it is too much I will return it and get the 1000 version.

 

If it's an RCA switch you want, the Schiit Sys passive pre-amp is good quality but a bit pricey for what it is.

[RexAevum]

16 hours ago, SSL said:

 

If it's an RCA switch you want, the Schiit Sys passive pre-amp is good quality but a bit pricey for what it is.

Will that work if I will need to use like a 20-25 foot cable or will it be fine (not noticeable)? If it is good I will just get the better option now since not something that i would need to change ever.

[SSL]

23 minutes ago, RexAevum said:

Will that work if I will need to use like a 20-25 foot cable or will it be fine (not noticeable)? If it is good I will just get the better option now since not something that i would need to change ever.

 

That would probably work, but long runs of a line-level signal like that increase the chances for noise and interference.

[RexAevum]

15 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

That would probably work, but long runs of a line-level signal like that increase the chances for noise and interference.

Any alternatives? Or am I stuck with either using it with only one setup or dealing with noise?

[SSL]

Just now, RexAevum said:

Any alternatives? Or am I stuck with either using it with only one setup or dealing with noise?

 

I'm confused how you would use speakers that are 25 feet away from a TV with the TV...

[RexAevum]

1 minute ago, SSL said:

 

I'm confused how you would use speakers that are 25 feet away from a TV with the TV...

No the speakers are next to the tv and the Vanatoo are by the PC, what will be farther is the sub (only) and that is the thing that I want to be able to switch between setups for. And it's not that far away, however to rout the cable I will probably need about 20-25 foot cable

[SSL]

Just now, RexAevum said:

No the speakers are next to the tv and the Vanatoo are by the PC, what will be farther is the sub (only) and that is the thing that I want to be able to switch between setups for. And it's not that far away, however to rout the cable I will probably need about 20-25 foot cable

 

Probably less of a problem with a sub.

[RexAevum]

1 minute ago, SSL said:

 

Probably less of a problem with a sub.

So it should be fine? Not something that is supper noticeable right

[SSL]

5 minutes ago, RexAevum said:

So it should be fine? Not something that is supper noticeable right

 

Right.

[RexAevum]

13 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

Right.

Thanks,  really appreciate it ,  sorry for the bother

[SSL]

4 minutes ago, RexAevum said:

Thanks,  really appreciate it ,  sorry for the bother

 

No bother.