The Subwoofer Question

[SoundingGood]

So, I've got a Marantz SR7002 (http://us.marantz.com/Products/2205.asp) and I've ordered a pair of RTi A7s along with the CSi A6 center and a pair of FXi A6s for my surrounds.

I'm looking to spend anywhere from 600-1600 on a sub. I've heard a few recommendations in this price range (on other posts I created), but I wanted a dedicated thread for this, since it's such an important purchase.

I'm curious as to how one measures the awesomeness of sub-woofer in in quantifiable terms. Since the ear can only hear down to 20 hz, is there any point in having a sub go lower? I've heard one bit of advice suggesting I should get nothing less than a 12-inch driver. I've heard that ported boxes are good for volume but bad for quality.

Can someone give me some advise, make some suggestions, or help me wade through all these specifications to get to what really matters? For what it's worth, I'm more interested in sound quality than I am sheer volume. Thanks, guys!

[apphd]

The first thing you need to do is calculate how big your room is in cubic feet, making note of all openings to other rooms/hallways etc. This will help you determine how much output you will need. I've seen your other posts, that if I read correctly, you are looking at HT. LFE soundtracks on many movies contain material well below 20Hz while you may not "hear" it, "feeling" it adds much to the movie experience. While the 12" statement may be some what true in a very loose way, there are good 10" subs out there that will out perform some of the 12" subs available. Your budget will allow you to get a very good sub that should be able to meet your requirements, unless you are using it in a huge room. Some times 2 identical subs co-located may be a better option. Come back with what you determine your room size is and you'll be sure to get lots of help from members here.

[NewHTguy]

You might want to ask yourself if you want the room to shake during movies or if you want it to blend with your fronts when playing miusic. I looked for a "musical" sub and ended up with a Velodyne SPL-1200R for about $900. I'm very happy with it. While it rumbles the floor, I could have probably gotten the same rumble at much lower cost. However, I was more concerned with it complementing my Rti10's for two channels and it does that very nicely. I would have liked to also try a REL, which are known for being very musical as well, but it wasn't feasible for me.

[xcapri79]

So, I've got a Marantz SR7002 (http://us.marantz.com/Products/2205.asp) and I've ordered a pair of RTi A7s along with the CSi A6 center and a pair of FXi A6s for my surrounds.

I'm looking to spend anywhere from 600-1600 on a sub. I've heard a few recommendations in this price range (on other posts I created), but I wanted a dedicated thread for this, since it's such an important purchase.

I'm curious as to how one measures the awesomeness of sub-woofer in in quantifiable terms. Since the ear can only hear down to 20 hz, is there any point in having a sub go lower? I've heard one bit of advice suggesting I should get nothing less than a 12-inch driver. I've heard that ported boxes are good for volume but bad for quality.

Can someone give me some advise, make some suggestions, or help me wade through all these specifications to get to what really matters? For what it's worth, I'm more interested in sound quality than I am sheer volume. Thanks, guys!

I would suggest looking at the SVSound PC13-Ultra which is within your price range. From everythng I've read on it, that sub can give you the best of both worlds. It is what I am strongly considering for my big room and I have a perfect corner for it. If there is something better at close to that price, please let us know.

This thread should be moved to the subwoofer section. Can an administrator help with that?